Canterbury in Front.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 305, 26 December 1931, Page 9

Canterbury in Front.

GAME AGAINST OTAGO AT

GHRISTCHURCH.

Home Side Hit Up 180 for Two Wickets.—Kerr Gets 89.

(By Telegraph—Special to "Star.")

CHRISTCHURCH, this day,

By scoring 180 for the loss of two wickets, Canterbury this morning got a good lead on Otago, who yesterday were dismissed for 161. Kerr was in fine form, and got within 11 of his century before lie was disposed of.

Huns came quietly but steadily when play commenced this morning. When Hamilton had reached 16 he was given out leg before to Blunt.

Roberts, who joined Kerr, was restrained. Dunning and Blunt kept both batsmen quiet, and the fielding was smart. Kerr later began ■to score more quickly, being drastic in dealing with anything loose. He scored boundaries off Moloney and Coupland with powerful shots. Kerr's wicket fell at 89, when he seemed a certainly for a century. He spooned an easy catch off Moloney into Badcbck's hands at cover. Talbot joined Boberts, and announced his arrival with a six off Moloney just hefore the luncheon adjournment. Scores: — OTAGO.—First Innings. Badcock, b Cromb • 19 Cherry, c Hamilton, b Talbot .... 1 Blunt, c. Kerr, b Cromb ...... 32 Priest, b Talbot ( > Knight, b Cromb • • 3 -j> Smith, b Me'rritt ll Dunning, c Hamilton, b Burrows .. 3 Moloney, b Merritt ;j Copeland, lbw, b Cromb * -Elmes, not out 1) Hawksworth, lbw, b Burrows 3 Extras ■••■ _ "Total l( « Cromb four for 54 runs, Burrows two for 22, Talbot two for 19, Merritt two for 28, Lester none for 22. CANTERBURY.—First Innings. Hamilton, lbw, b Blunt; ~. -. • - 1« Kerr, c Badcock, b Maloney 8 J Koberts, not out •• • • ™ Talbot, not out x " Extras .. • r Total for two wickets 180

YESTERDAY'S PLAY.

(By Telosrraph.—Press Association.) CHEISTCHURCH, Friday. The first Plunket Shield match of the season between Canterbury and. Otago commenced at Lancaster Park this afternoon Otago won the toss and batted on a perfect and fast wicket. The weather was tine, with a brisk north-west wind. Badcock and Cherry opened for Otago Gainst he bowling of Cromb and Burrows. Cromb kept the batsmen quiet but Badcock found Burrows the first two overs cost 16 .runs. Talbot ook up the bowling at BunW end with the-total at 21. Cromb was bowing splendidly and keeping a good length He clean-bowled Badcock in his fifth over. 25 —I—-19. . m ,/• xj Blunt joined Cherry, but m Talbot s next over Cherry nicked a rising off-ball and Hamilton held the catch. . Priest, the next man, was clean bowled bv Talbot before he had scored. The Best Partnership.

™M ctn£to >e wick iMjW "J gromb .ml « «ra well beaten b 7 » ball which shaved his wicket..

Merritt' relieved Cromb, who had bowled for an hour for 12 runs. ■ Blunt gave another possible chance to second slip when liis total was 13. Merritt puzzled Knight badly, but the ball always missed the stumps. Both batsmen "played the bowling confidently and correctly. Cromb broke the partnership when Blunt cut a high ball to Kerr at point; 94—4—32. A Run a Minute. Smith filled the vacancy and had the honour of bringing the hundred up in an hour and 40 minutes. Burrowsi and Cromb bowled after the tea adjournment, Cromb bowling with the wind, which had increased in force behind him. The last ball of his first over beat Knight. 108 —5—38. Dunning, the next man, scored nine runs flukily before giving a chance to Hamilton at second slip. 119—0—9.

Mal'oney and Smith carried the score to 126, when Merritt, who had replaced Burrows, bowled Smith round his legs. 126—7—10.

Copeland partnered Maloney, but the last-named, after being sadly puzzled by Merritt, was clean-bowled with a leg break. 138—8—5.

Elmcs joined Copeland, who, however, went out leg-before to Cromb, who had replaced Talbot. Hawksworth and Elmes, by a succession of singles, brought up 160 before Hawksworth went leg-before to Burrows. Canterbury batted out time, making 20 runs without loss. SUBURBAN V. AUCKLAND. At Devon port the Suburban and Auckland representatives provided an interesting dual. The former took first leave of a good wicket, and given a good start' by Dunning and Aickin, batted all morning. At the luncheon interval they had 194 runs on and three, wickets in hand. Dunning was top score with 46, Aickin being next. The scoring rate was fast at the beginning, but slackened later, although Barnes got to work among the slow bowlers. He was undefeated at the interval. SUBURBAN —First Innings. » •Dunning, by Lyon 4<j Aickin, c Edmonds, b Lyon 40 Lonergan, c Garrard, b Cooper 37 Spence, 1) Connie § Butler, run out 3d Clark, b Cooper '• . 0 Barnes, not out l* Burton, 1> Cowie ° Scarborough, c Garrard, b Cowie .... 0 Stevens, b Cowie 0 Extras IS Total IU3 Bowling: Cowie took four wickets for 34 runs. Cooper three for IS, Lyon two for 43, Lark none for 26, Smith none for 10, Garrard none for 23, Weir none for 18.