SHOOTERS IN THE DUST.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 16

SHOOTERS IN THE DUST.

PLUNKET SHIELD LOST.

AUCKLAND'S GREAT FIGHT. FINE EFFORT OX CRUMBLING WICKET. WELLINGTON WIN BY 34 RUNS. A yorker which shot through the dust and a shattered wicket saw the end of Auckland hopes In the Plunket Shield game, which was concluded at Eden Park

yesterday afternoon after a struggle which had extended well into the fourth day. By the narrow margin of 34 runs Wellington got the victory, and another shield series passed into history. Set 334 runs to win on a crumbling wicket Auckland had a very heavy task, but an even though slow rate of scoring was maintained, and right up to the tea adjournment yesterday the home team Had a winning chance. In fact the general impression was that Auckland

Siould pull through, as at that stage only 9 runs were required for victory, and three wickets were in hand. With the score at 29.1, Dunning and Player went in quick succession, and Weir—the hero df Auckland's second venture—was left to face a crisis with Rowntree. the Auckland wicket -keeper. The latter has no great pretensions as a batsman, but he grounded his bat resolutely and fought hard on the defence. Realising that the hopes were frail indeed, Weir gamely

changed his tactics and went for runs at any price, and amid excitement another eight were added. Then the end came, Rountree succumbing to a deadly low ball which would have beaten any batsman in the land. There was a scramble for the ball as a memento of quite a historic occasion, the Wellington

players trooped joyfully off the field, and the spectators, with one accord, gave Weir the great reception he deserved. To get 299 runs on a wearing wicket Auckland had put up a very fine performance, particularly for the reason that Weilington had in Henderson and McGirr the right type of bowlers to take advantage of the special conditions that ruled, when batsmen had to be eternally on the look out for low balls and shooters, and could not play anything but a watchful game in a search for loose and they were surprisingly scarce. The batting honours went to Mills and Weir. The former gave a splendid exhibition of stroke play until beaten by a ball delivered with a change of angle, while Weir gave the best defensive display seen in Auckland since the memorable occasion when Haddon defied an Otago attack. Invaluable support came from Allcott, Dunning and Whitelaw, the latter shaping like a potential champion during a comparatively brief tenure, and fully justifying the high opinion which good judges of the game hold of him.

Good fielding captaiiicy were features of the Wellington play yesterday, Lowry showing genius in blocking scoring strokes. McGirr and .Henderson bowled

in the form which won them places in the. New Zealand representative side, while .James' work behind the wickets was clean and of a very high order. Details of play after the main edition of the "Star" went to press yesterday are: —

Whitelaw swung Rotherham to leg for two to send 200 up, amidst cheers, the result of three hours 55 minutes' batting. Weir also got Hiddleston away for two. Lowry brought McGirr on at the terrace end, to exploit the new ball, but the colt forced him nicely for two. In the cross wind McGirr was swinging right across, and four slips sat close up in a line on the watch for snicks.

There was a cheer when Whitelaw opened his - shoulders and crisply drove Hiddleston to the fence. Weir had an escape in the next over chopping down on a swinger which nearly rolled into

the stumps. He followed the flight across next ball and placed a two to square leg. The score was slowly mounting. There were no spectatular touches, but the sheer intensity of the struggle wae gripping the crowd. Four byes helped things along, and Whitelaw placed a two and a single off successive balls. Henderson returned to the top end and Whitelaw, opening out brilliantly, coverdrove him to the line, following with a three, glided to the deep field. It was a clear, rare, bright flash in a display that had been drab indeed. More cheers greeted Whitelew when he drove the left-hander for another three—23o up. The Auckland stocks now soared, and the spirit of hopefulness was reflected from the ring. Lambert was brought on at the terrace end, but the colt faced high-tossed spining balls with supreme confidence. Lowry began to ring rapid changes, and McGirr came on at the top end, to see Weir place a pair on the on. Auckland, were now 100 .runs behind.

Then came Wliitelaw's end, lbw to McGirr. He had played dashingly, and had not been afraid to attack the bowling. 233—6—24. When Horspool came, Weir turned Henderson for two, and the next ball survived a strong lbw. appeal. Horspool commenced with a two placed to square leg, following it with a single. Weir

reached 50, with a single on the off, compiled in three hours 15 minutes. He had not hit a single boundary up to this stage. Lambert replaced McGirr, and an appeal for lbw. against Horspool had the hillsiders chirping at their very best.

Weir opened out and bit his first four, driving it across by the screen, and Auckland required 87 runs to win. Horspool pulled MeGirr for two. Weir placed a single to send 250 up. Hiddlestone came on at the top end and a dead shooter beat everybody and went for byes. Auckland were fighting hard for runs, but they were coming very slowly against steady bowling and a field eternally on the qui vive with real brilliancy being shown in the close up positions. At 254, Horspool snicked a ball from Henderson, and James at the wickets snapped it up.

Dunning filled the gap, with 80 runs to bridge, and promptly stole a single on the off. The 'Varsity man pulled one to the fence amidst cheers, and next ball survived an appeal for caught at the wickets. Weir wits playing with full command of the bowling, and the Wellington concentration was directed at Dunning to try and get him befoiv he settled down. Dunning chopped one in the slips and fallowed with an uppish stroke to mid-off, just clear of Worker. Laying the wood on, Dunning swept Hiddleston to the fence and ran into double figures. Weir followed by driving Henderson to the line. The score at the tea adjournment was 275 for seven wickets, Weir 62 and Dunning 14, not out; extras 18. Auckland at this stage wanted 59 runs to win.

When play was continued the wind was swirling dust off the wickets." McGirr bowled to Dunning, the latter gliding a single off the third ball. Weir narrowly escaped chopping a shooter from MeGirr into the sticks. Dunning reduced the margin with a close two to leg. Pulling hard at MeGirr, Dunning got the ball away for three, and 50 runs were wanted to win.

Lambert relieved Hendedson and amidst a roar from the crowd Dunning swung the first ball to the fence, following it with a single. Henderson's pace was fading, but he was as accurate as ever.

In McGirr's next over, Dunning sent one straight back at medium height and it was held. 291—8—27. Player followed with 43 runs still wanted.

Player was bowled by MeGirr and the score was 204—9—0. Rowntree came, and was cheered every time he touched

the ball. Weir now hit at everything. Rowntree, liowever, facing the second ball from MeGirr, was clean bowled, the innings closing for 299, with Weir, not out, 72. Wellington won by 34 riais in a tensely exciting struggle.

WELLINGTON. First innings J.... 403 Second innings 241 AUCKLAND. First innings 311 Second Innings. Bowley, b MeGirr r. £8 Mills, b Henderson 65 Postles, c James, b Henderson 9 Gillespie, c MeGirr, b Henderson ... 0 Weir, not out 72 Allcott, b Hiddleston 46 Whitelaw, Ibw, b MeGirr 24 Horspool, c James, b Henderson ... 9 Dunning, e and b MeGirr •« 27 Player, c and b MeGirr 0 Rowntree, b MeGirr »» : 0 Extras ......J. 18 Tort al 299 Bowling.—MeGirr, five wickets for 71; Henderson, four for 97; Hiddleston, one for 25; Lambert, none for 3G; Rotherham, none for 32; Lowry, none for 19. Fall of w'iekets: 51, 80. 109, 109 194 233, 254, 291, 291, 299.