TWO CENTURIES.

Auckland Star, 2 January 1931, Page 3

TWO CENTURIES.

AI*L€OTT AND POSTLES.

BLUNTS SPLENDID BOWLING.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star."); DUNEDIN, this day. In glorious cricketing weather the first home Plunket Shield match of the season between Otago and Auckland was commenced at Carisbrook yesterday morning. Despite many counter-attrac-tions, the ideal conditions tempted a good crowd to witness an interesting day's cricket, the end of which saw Auckland dismissed for 331. At stumps Otago had .lost one wicket for 22 runs. In some respects the Auckland innings was not unlike that on their last appearance., here two seasons ago, when tin Northerners declared with five wickets down for 384. Two centuries were included in that tally, J. E. Mills making 114 and G. L. Weir 106 not out, with the English professional, E. H. Bowley, following up with a contribution of 75. In Auckland's first innings score yeßterday two centuries were recorded, the captain, C. F. W. Allcott, making 114 not out in less than three hours, while A. J. Postles reached the century after being at the wickets 195 minutes. Assisting this pair was the present professional, A. F: Wens'.ey, who coniribtzfeed'

a decidedly useful 40 and was associated in a- valuable partnership of 110 runs with his skipper.

Allcott's Delightful Knock,

After the first twenty minutes or so, when he appeared to be playing himself in, and when on occasions he was not too certain, Allcott's knock was a delightful one, including fourteen fours. With the accustomed grace and ease of the accomplished left-hander, he made many strokes that Avere good to watch, scoring freely on both sides of the wicket. He timed the ball well, and certainly had no mercy on any overpitched stuff, getting many beautiful straight drives, while his leg shots were made in masterly fashion. Allcott, as an all-rounder, will have strong claims for iaclusion in the New Zealand team for England, and his latest effort should certainly improve his prospects. His display was almost without blemish, his only chance being when his score stood at 100, .1 sharp catch in the slips being missed.

Postles is known as a consistently good batsman, and he fully lived up to his reputation. His century was his first in Plunket Shield cricket, the Aucklander receiving a flattering reception when he returned to the pavilion after being sensationally run out as the result of a brilliant throw-in from Badcock at cover, which hit the wicket. There was nothing particularly brilliant about his knock, but it was sound and very safe. He proved himself ah excellent opening batsman to wear the bowling down, and though he has not a great variety of shots he was timing well, and kept the ball down. His best shots were on the onside of the wicket. His placing for singles to forward leg got him many runs, and he also made a few off drives. His effort included only one chance.

The New Zealand representative batsman J. E. Mills, has some big scores to his credit against Otago and on this

occasion he played a typical innings for 25, after being at the Avickets for over an hour. He watched the ball very carefully and though slow to start, looked like settling down for a long spell at the wickets when Blunt got him lbw, much to the relief of the Otago supporters. Mills made some flashing square cuts and was sorting out balls to score from. G. L. Weir, who got 134 against Canterbury and "who won the Redpath Cup a couple of seasons ago, was just beginning to settle down when he got out with only 12 opposite his name. Thakobau was taking Gillespie's place and was inclined to lay the wood on, but he was bowled by Blunt when he had only scored S. So far as could be seen his style was not very finished though it was easy to imagine that he would be severe on any loose bowling once he got his eye in. Vivian was another who failed to get into his stride for, in trying to play Blunt round to leg, he mistimed the ball and was caught by Maloney at short leg. None of the others made much of a stand, the last four wickets going cheaply. Blunt's Great Bowling.

.Apart from that of Blunt, the Otago bowling generally was lacking in quality and it might have been better to have changed it more rapidly at the opposite end to that being operated by Blunt. It was certainly rather puzzling to know why the slow leg breaks of Moloney were not exploited with a view to breaking up the Wentley-AUcott partnership as both batsmen showed an incluia/tion to go for the bowling. Practically the whole of the credit for Auckland's dismissal must be given to R. C. Blunt, who has rarely bowled better for such protracted periods. At one stretch he was bowling for an hour and ten minutes in the heat and altogether he sent down 38 overs for 99 runs and eight wickets. Wensley took nine Otago wickets for 36 runs last season,' and bowling for Canterbury a few seasons ago D. Mcßeath, now of Timaru, took nine wickets in an innings. Blunt had bad luck in not equalling that performance yesterday and he too was accorded a wonderful ovation.. Blunt kept an excellent length throughout and did enough to make the batsmen chary of taking risks with him. He claimed four victims lbw with a ball that straightened up, the batsmen looking for the break that was not there. All four decisions were given by the Test match umpire, Mr. W. Butler, and there seemed no grounds for any argument about tbem. The Otago captain, A. W. Alloo, did not come on till very late and, as usual, he tried a variety of ways to get the batsmen out, with the result that he was the only other wicket-taker for Otago. F. T. Badcock, for the first few overs in the morning, kept a good length on the leg stick, going away, and was successful in keeping the runs down, but later in the day he lost both length and direction and did not look at all dangerous, 42 runs coming from "his 16 overs. Lemin sent down a very tricky off-break which came into the batsmen at an awkward'height, but he bowled too many half volleys and 65 runs came from 18 overs. Dickinson bowled m rather patchy style and did not show his old -pace and fire, 54 runs coming from his 21 overs. He certainly had some hard luck, for the only chance given by Postles was off Dickinson's bowling when the Aucklander had scored 60. Elmes was erratic also and like most ot the other bowlers gave the Aucklana batsmen lots of runs with over-pitched bowling, while later on he was bowling a lot of ones.

The Fielding. The fielding was fair—plenty of keenness feeing displayed, dago's picking up was not too clean, and behind, the wickets Hawkesworth was handicapped, apparently, by an injured hand, his taki£» of balls, particularly on the leg side, leaving much to be desired. He had an assorted lot of bowling to take, certainly, and was doing better towards ■the end of the afternoon. Badcock showed really brilliant form at cover, and Cavanagh in the long field was fast, and saved many runs by the way lie covered' the ground. The catches that were dropped were mostly difficult ones. The bowlers, apart from Blunt, did not appear to have sufficient command over the ball, and rarely have so many boundaries to square and forward eg been scored in a first-class match. This was most noticeable during the AllcottWensley partnership, both being strong on those strokes. The ball, beat the fieldsmen so frequently that it must have been due either to consummate skill on the part of the batsmen or to lack of judgment in placing the field. Otago might consider itself very fortu. nate to have dismissed so .strong an Auckland side for 331 on such a wicket, a,nd it makes one shudder to think what would have hstppened but for Blunt's brilliance. The umpires are Messrs. W. Butler and G. Crosbie.