CANTERBURY'S BIG EFFORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 50, 28 February 1923, Page 7

CANTERBURY'S BIG EFFORT.

TO SWATCH PLTJNKET SHIELD. WELLINGTON HARD PRESSED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. The Plunket Shi.ld match, Wellington v. Canterbury was continued in fine i weather. The wicket was wearing weil,! ; >ui the outfield was on the slow side, i Canterbury's second innings closed lor ' 43_, leaving -Wellington with 288 to ge*. \ to win. When stumps were drawn Wellington had lost seven wickets for 161 runs and Canterbury's prospects of lift- ! ing the shield are bright. 11 BLUNT-PATRICK PARTNERSHIP. J Blunt and Patrick resumed to the ; bowling of Henderson and Brice. Patrick tipped the fifth ball off Brice's seconl : over to Collins, who held it. He had batted for 164 minutes, giving only one chance. 318—5—75. Sandman filled the gap. Blunt had been in 20 minutes without scoring. Eleven were scored off three balls sent down by Henderson, but with i the fifth he got Sandman, who made a j wild hit. 339—6—8.

Gregory joined Blunt and opened) quietly. Blunt was caught by Hiddles-1 ton off Brice. He had batted 4_ hours, I hitting 13 fours. 353 —7—l 6. When 1 Powell went to the wickets B.'ce bowled his eleventh rtaiden. Powell brought the fourth century up, which was bh 37m in the making. A* this stage bowling changes were frequent. After lunch, Henderson and Brice took up the attack. In his second over Brice got Gregory leg before. 426—8—51. Read came in and departed without scoring. 427 —9—o. Newman was the la9t man. Powell added five and •'.hen Brice bowled Newman, the innings closing for 432 after 7h 25m play. WELLINGTON'S SECOND INNINGS. Hiddleston and Baker were Wellington's opening batsmen, Read and Cunningham being the bowlers. Twenty was quickly scored by Hiddleston, and at 29 Newman replaced Read. Nine came off the over. Read went on at the other end, and with his third ball clean-bowled Hiddleston. 39—1—30. Kortlang fallowed and banged a short one to the fence. After a little Blow play the same player, with a fine off-drive for four, sent 50 up for 35 minutes' play. Read sent down three maidens in succession. With '.he score at 60 Baker gave Blunt a difficult chance at forward short leg. After more slow play Baker put one into Newman's hand at short leg. 65—2—23.

Dempster was next, and chopped off a ball to fine leg which almost grazed his wicket. Kortlang reached 20 by sending a full toss from Cunningham to the boundary, but the next one beat him all > the way. 76—3—21. \] Collins filled the gap. After the tea i adjournment Dempster edged one up to I forward short leg, where Blunt just got J to the catch, but could not hold it. | Dempster then got a nasty- blow from a I rising ball and temporarily retired, Aldersley taking his place. Read bowled i from the other end, and in his second over beat Aldersley all the way. 88 —4 -2. h McCirr joined his skipper, but Read's : first ball skittled his stumps. 88—5—0. Brice was the incomer, and the century went up for 105 minutes' play. At 102 Sandman replaced Cunningham. His first over cost nine, but the third ball of his second over took Brice's middle stump. 113 —6—9. Dempster resume! his interrupted innings, and with two singles added, Cunningham's fourth ball beat Dempster all the way. Hutchings joined' Collins, and the pair were unbeaten when stumps were drawn for the day. Scores:— CANTERBURY. First innings 225 Second Innings. . > Brunton, run out t 8 Cunningham, b Henderson ........ 33 Worker, b Aldersley 48 Talbot, Ibw. b Aldersley 19 Blunt, c Hiddleston, b Brice - 116 , Patrick, c Collins, b Brice "5 Sandman, b Henderson _8 Gregory, Ibw, b Brice ............. 51 Powell, not out 28 Read, c Condliffe, b Henderson 0 Newman, b Brice 0 Extras - «.••• 46

Total •' **' ; Bowling analysis: Brice took four wicket* 109 runs, Henderson three for : 94, McGirr none for 38, Htttehitigs none for 59, Aldersley two for 53, Collins none for 15, Hiddleston none for 14, Dfemp-ter none for 4. WELLINGTON. First innings # . 370 • Second Innings. i Hiddleston, b Read ~... 30 Baker, st Newman, b Cunningham .. 23 Kortlang, b Cunningham 21 Dempster, b Cunningham 7 Aldersley. b Read 2 Mcr-irr, b Read - J Brico, b Sandman ~... " Collins, not out 46 Hutchings, not out i. •. 10 Extras • •. • • • 1 Total for seven wickets 161 PLAY DELAYED BY RAIN.

(By Telestraph.—Press Asso-iation.) | CHRISTCHURCH, this day. A downpour of rain in the city to-day, following fairly heavy rain overnight, makes resumption of the Plunket Shield match doubtful, unless the weather takes a sharp turn for the better. | At 2 p.m. the umpires decided that the wicket was unfit to play on, and agreed to j deliberate again at three o'clock. |

THE ABANDONED MATCH. (By Tele-ran-.— Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Referring to the Wellington protest against the abandonment of the OtagoWellington match, Mr. J. 8. Barrett, chairman of the cricket council, states that the resolution abandoning the Otago-Wellington match was arrived at with the full knowledge of Otago and Wellington representatives, and after submission to the Canterbury Association. The council's decision was in the interests of the game, as the Dunedin weather, and necessity for playing the Canterbury match, might have extended Wellington into the third week.