FINE START.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 16, 20 January 1933, Page 3

FINE START.

SHIELD CRICKET. AUCKLAND BATS FIRST 129 FOR NO WICKETS. MILLS AND POSTLES TOP FIFTY. Against bowling, which was steady but not deadly, Auckland m;ule an excellent start in their Plir.skct Shield game against Wellington, which commenced at Eden Park this morning. Mills and Postles set a leisurely and easy pace, and at the luncheon adjournment the total stood at 103 without loss. A light shower fell at the start of play, but the weather for the remainder of the morning was sunny. When G. L. Weir beat K. C. James in the toss it went without saying that Auckland would bat first, for the wicket, which had rolled out well, looked as if it was made for runs. It was a few minutes after 11 S'clock when Wellington took tlio field, and Mills and Postles went to the wicket. Wellington opened their attack with their heavy artillery, Parsloe, fast medium, taking the first over. It was a quiet start, Mills playing a maiden. Blundell, who takes a long run for a medium paced bowler, took the ball at the Dominion Road end, and the first run of £he game came when Postles square cut him quietly for a single. The only runs from Parsloe's second were a couple finely glanced by Postles. Facing Blundell, Mills straight drove the ball nicely, but good fielding by Freeman saved a run, a maiden resulting. The batsmen were playing with meticulous care, and a short single to square leg by Postles was the only run in Parsloe's third. After the pair had run a bye, Mills opened his account by turning Blundell neatly to square leg for two.

Double figures came up in Parsloe's next, Postles getting a single and Mills a couple 011 the leg side. There was a murmur of approval when Mills left a rising ball from Parsloe outside his off stump strictly alone. Blundcll was now keeping a better length, but in his fourth over had a no ball called against him. When Parsloe. who was sending down an occasional full tosser, was bowling, James dropped back to short stop, although the Wellington fast man was not showing any unusual pace. Mills got one uppislily through slips off Parsloe.

Parsloe Injured. In Blundcll's next Mills hooked one, and Parsloe, in jumping for a catch, which he failed to hold, hurt the thumb of his right hand and came off, Vivian fielding as substitute. With Parsloe out of action, Newman took the ball, Mills helping himself to a two and a single to fine leg off his opening over. The first boundary of the match came in Blundell's next, Mills off driving him sweetly to the fence. The sun was now shining brilliantly, and spectators on the terraces had their coats oil'. Newman's second was a maiden, but in Blundell's next Mills pushed one gently to the on for a single, and Postles got three nicely between square and fine leg. Facing Newman, a medium paced left-hander, Postles cut one wide of the slip field for two, and both batsmen were in double figures. The first enthusiasm of the match was displayed in Blundell's next when Mills on drove one ball to the fence and hooked another to the leg fence. These fours took Mills into the twenties.

With the game just under an hour old and 30 runs on the board, Freeman took over the attack at the Sandringham end. Postles swung hard at his third ball, and although he did not connect squarely, he put enough wood behind the bail to send it to the fine leg boundary. Newman bowled at the other end in place of Blundell, who had had 22 runs hit off him, and Mills played out a maiden, as did Postles when he again faced Freeman. Newman was making the ball swing and was varying his pace and Mills credited liini with another maiden.

An Expensive Over. Freeman's third over was expensive. Mills on drove a loose ball hard to the boundary and took a single from the next, and Postles got into the twenties by belting the ball over the line on the on side. The half century was on the board. Freeman was making the ball come up sharply on occasions, but the batsmen appeared well set, although the rate of scoring was slow. Mills was displaying some of h;/s best artistry, treating the modest crowd to a variety of wris'ty shots, but keen fielding made runs hard to get.

Parsloe was now back on the field arrain. Newman had the batsmen pegged down to defensive cricket, and it was some time before 00 came up, Postles on driving Freeman for a couple, and Mills turning Newman prettily to the fine leg boundary. Freeman—it was the youngster's first appearance in big cricket—was keeping a better length at this stage, although Mills saw to it that an over tossed one on the leg side rattled the pickets. With the total at 05 Parsloe was able to take the ball again, and James dropped back to short stop. Mills square cut his first ball nicely for two, but frightened his admirers immediately afterwards by touching a ball which fell a yard in front of Newman at third slip. Newman continued to wheel them up steadily, although his bowling appeared to lack that extra zip which means wickets. Although there was no excitement about the play the score board had a healthy complexion, and the spectators were satisfied. -Singles —well spaced by minutes —were the order until Postles on' drove a no-ball from Parsloe for a couple. In the next over Mills put New. man to the on boundary in effortless style and he reached his half century two balls later with a faultless straight drive to the fence.

The total reached the nineties when Mills on-drove Newman along the carpet for two. Postles at this stage was in the early thirties, and wat playing with as much care as at tlHsstart. Mills was applauded for placinf"! ball from Newman neatly between square and fine leg for a brace, and Postles brought the century up by getting well on to Blundell, who took over from Parsloe, and putting him across,the on boundary. The hundred had taken just over two hours. Twice Blundell beat Mills, but each time the ball was outside the stumps. Freeman relieved Newman, Postles getting a two to .fine-leg. At the luncheon adjourn.nent the total stood at I 103. Newman had sent down 19 overs, Wcluding 12 maidens, for 23 • runs.

This Afternoon's Play. ] The crowd had almost doubled itself! when the game got going after lunch. Freeman took the first over of the afternoon, Postles straight-driving a single. The last ball of the over dropped short and Mills swung it hard to the squareleg boundary. Parsloe was the bowler from the terrace end. James was given a cheer for his smart taking of a ball swinging away to leg.. In Freeman's next over Postles drove an over-pitched ball to the on-boundarv. The batsman cut the next ball in the same direction, but it failed to reach the fence. The pair pleased the cjowd by smartly running a good four. A single to Postles gave Mills the batting and he drove the last ball fast past mid-on to the line— thirteen off the over! This burst of scoring took Postles past the 50 mark. After Parsloe had sent down a maiden to Postles, Newman took over from Freeman, another maiden resulting. At 2.40 p.m. the score had been taken to 129 without loss. Scores:— AUCKLAND. —First Innings. Mills, not out 67 Postles, not out 55 Extras 7 Total for no wickets 129