PLUNKET SHIELD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 6, 8 January 1934, Page 8

PLUNKET SHIELD.

CANTERBURY BATTING

FOUR WICKETS FOR 150

Brilliant Catch by Wallace.— Page Dismissed Cheaply.

After the original attack had been changed in the Plunkefc Shield cricket match between Auckland and Canterbury at Eden Park thio morning, the local bowlers were treated with much respect, and in the two hours' play only 84 runs were added to the five which were scored before the game was abandoned on Saturday. In that time Canterbury lost two of ate strongest batsmen, the opening pair, Bellamy and Kerr, after each had played patiently and not made any effort to chase the runs. Auckland must win the season's honours unless they are defeated outright by Canterbury (in which case the issue is determined on averages per wicket), and the slowness of the game this morning does not indicate that the match, will be completed in the three days left. siatheson was erratic this morning, and though Weir, who opened the bowling with him, after a while maintained a good length, there was nothing difficult in his attack. Vivian and Bush proved a much harder pair to ecore from, and it took Kerr and Bellamy over an hour and a half to take the total to 59, only 15 runs coming in the last half hour. Bellamy, who was particularly unenterprising, was the first to go, opening out to a leg break from Vivian and turning it on to his wicket. Kerr eventually tried to force the spin bowler, and though he hit him hard and high to the leg boundary, Wallace luckily held a chance after it had bounced from his hands. Cromb and Hadlee carried on until lunch, Postles varying his bowling again with Garrard and Matheson, Vivian having a spell after taking two wickets for 25. The match was resumed in ideal conditions, Matheson and Weir continuing the attack. Bellamy, showing a partiality for off shots, ran into double figures. There was a thrill in Matheson's second over of the day when =» good length ball beat Bellamy and just clear of his stumps. 'Neither bowler was really impressive, thoug'i Weir sent down two maidens to Bel lamy. Matheson was hooked for a brace by Kerr and slammed hard to the square leg boundary by the sam • batsman in the next over. After half an hour's play, with 30 on the board Vivian relieved Matheson. His first ball, an over-pitched one, was pulled foi a single by Kerr, but Bellamy, who had remained on 10 for several overs, playerl the rest cautiously. However, he relaxed to a full tosser in Vivian's next, swinging it to the fence. When Bush replaced Weir there was a period, of restrained batting. Kerr early pulled a full toss from Bush to the. boundarv and continued to get most of the runs, which came slowly. He had nearly doubled Bellamy's score when the latter was tempted to force a leg break froir Vivian, but it beat and bowled him 59—1—19. Play had been in progress for an hour and a quarter. A Sensational Catch. Kerr was 39 when he was joined by Cromb. Neither batsmen would take any risks with the Vivian—Bush attack, and they averaged only a run an over each for quarter of an hour. Vivian had Kerr troubled, and when the batsman at length hit out at him he succumbed to a sensational catch by Wallace deep on the leg boundary. For a moment it appeared that the shot would be a sixer, but it dropped quickly into the colt's hands. Wallace turned sideways, and when the ball spun out of his hands he appeared to have missed it, but he grasped it* again before it reached the ground. 76—2 —15. Kerr had been at the wicket 103 minutes for his tally. With "the advent of Hadlee a double change in the' bowling waa made, Vivian (two for 25) giving way to Garrard, and Bush to Matheson, who tried the opposite end to which he had bowled earlier. Hadlee went down the wicket to Garrard freely, and once drove him for a well run three. The batting ■was quiet until the luncheon adjournment came, with the total still eleven short of the first hundred. Hadlee Miss-hits. After lunch Cromb (.12) and Hadlee (7) batted brightly and confidently against the bowling of Matheson and Garrard. The pair had added 20 when Hadlee attempted to turn Matheson to leg, but miss-hit the ball, which went into Whitelaw's hands in the slipe. 109 —3—14. Page, the New Zealand international captain, received an ovation when be went in to fill the vacancy. Runs came freely off Garrard in singles, Cromb showing nice form, but Page went unexpectedly when Whitelaw snatched up a second catch off Matheson. He took the ball off the ground, and there was doubt about it, but the umpire agreed with the fieldsman. This double success of the Whitelaw-Matheson combination made the University bowler's figures two for 34. Smith was the newcomer. At 2.50 p.m. the score was 150 for four wickets. Scores:— CANTERBURY.—First Innings. Kerr, c Wallace, b Vivian 45 Bellamy, b Vivian 19 Hadlee, c Whitelaw, b Matheson .. 14 Page, c Whitelaw, b Matheson .. 10 Cromb, .not out 42 Smith, not out 14 Extras 0 Total for four wickets 100