SHIELD CRICKET

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 304, 24 December 1929, Page 9

SHIELD CRICKET

OTAGO V. AUCKLAND.

VISITORS AT WICKET.

WENSLEY ON THE JOB

THREE MEN GO CHEAPLY,

Play was impossible in the Plunket Shield cricket match between Auckland and Otago at Eden Park this morning. It was originally intended to commence the match at eleven o'clock, but an inspection by the captains and umpires at that hor- showed the wicker was carrying a i'air amount of surface moisture. It was decided to make a further inspection an hour later. At noon the wicket was found to be still on the wet side on account of several showers which had fallen during the interval, and it was then decided to postpone the start of the match to 1.30 p.m., the teams in the meantime having their lunch. Nearly three Lours behind schedule, the Plunket Shield cricket match between Auckland (holders of the trophy) and Otago was commenced at E len Park this afternoon. It was originally intended that play should start at 11 a.m., but an inspection at that hour by the rival captains, D. R. Garrard (Auckland) and A. W. Alloo (Otago) and the umpires showed the wicket to be carrying a great deal of surface moisture and totally unfit for play. Another visit was paid to tlu: pitel: at noon, when it was decided to make a start at 1.30. When the captains tossed Alloo called heads, but the coin came down "tails," and after some deliberation Garrard decided to send the visitors to the wicket. Apparently the Auckland skipper believed that the wicket would probably commence to play tricks before the end of the afternoon. The teams were as follows: — Auckland. —D. R. Garrard (captain), A. Anthony, S. A. R. Badclev (Hamilton), W. L. Elliott, H. D. Gillespie, A. M. Matheson, J. E. Mills, R. W. Rowntree, G. L. Weir, A. F. Wensley, P. E. Whitelaw. Twelfth man: W. J. Smeeton. Otago.—A. W. Alloo (captain), A. Galland, J. McMullan, C. Zimmerman, A. Knight, W. Yorrath, J. A. Dunning, A. Clark, W. G. Cavanagli, S. Elmes, D. A. Maloney. Twelfth man: P. Monk. Just as Garrard was about to lead Auckland on to the field a heavy rain squall passed over the ground and play was further delayed for ten minutes. It wae just 1.45 when Yorrath and Knight went out to pioneer the way for Otago. Wensley was given the opening over, Yorrath, a left-hander, taking strike. The batsman played safety to the first three balls of the over, and put the fourth smartly through the covers for a brace. These were the only rune of the over. First Boundary. Anthony came on at the Dominion Road end, and sent down a maiden to Knight, who was not inclined to take any risks. Vorrath pushed one away to the on for a single off Wensley, and "no ball" was called off the coach's next delivery. The first boundary of the match came off the first ball of Wensley's second over, and Knight was turning the professional smartly to leg to rattle the pickets in front of the main stand.

Anthony's second over was also a maiden, as was Wensley's third. The wicket and outfield were dead and the bowlers made full use of the sawdust.

A Chance Missed. In Anthony's third over Vorrath got a nice two round to leg, but he had a "life" two ballp. later, Mills failing to hold a difficult running catch, when the left-hander skied one to the on side. A single to each batsman was recorded at the end of the over. Each bowler then sent down a maiden, and at the end of 20 minutes' play the score stood at 14. Knight relieved the monotony with a two to deep leg, and the batsmen ran a smart single when he poked it away on the on side. Scores: — OTAGO. —First Innings. Vorrath, c Gillespie, b Wensley .... 8 Knight, c Weir, b Wensley 8 Zimmerman, st Rowntree, b Wensley 1 Cavanagh, Ibw, Anthony 2 McMullan, not out 22 Alloo, not out 2 Extras 1 Total for tour wickets 44 i M.C.C. MATCH. POSTPONED UNTIL TO-MORROW. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. The cricket match between the M.C.C. team and the Canterbury representatives has been postponed, owing to rain, until 2 p.m. to-morrow.