UP TO FORM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 306, 28 December 1939, Page 8

UP TO FORM.

AUCKLAND ELEVEN.

Views Of Captain — Pleased

With Bowlers.

Quite satisfied with his team's performances generally against Wellington in the recent Plunket Shield match on the Has in Reserve, though somewhat disappointed with the part played by the weather in the later stages, which prevented the game going to a definite conclusion, Mervyn Wallace, who captained the Auckland r-ido, and returned to-day with the rivt of the team, said that he felt confident Auckland would have won had the game be-en played out without interruption by rain. There was nothing whatever wrong with the wicket on the lirst day, when both teams wo.re dismissed for low neurits, as a ro-ult of the piteh playing rather faster than anyone expected. So far as Auckland were concerned the batting wan very much in accordance with the form shown in club matches to date. Xc.it her team, with the few exceptions indicated by the individual scores, batted quite up to the usual standard of the province. Tho excellent all-round bowling required that Iwtsmen had to play every bail with vigilance. In this department Pritchard, Wellington's fast bowler, was outstanding, and he was rather favoured by the wicket, which suited his hard-bumping style of delivery better than it did Cowie's more flowing act ion. Wallace was enthusiastic about the way the Auckland bowlern rose to the occasion when it appeared that the team was in trouble. Clcverley, lie said, fulfilled all expectations aroused by his form in the club matches, while Weir's accuracy disconcerted the Wellington batsmen. Cowie and Ma,thoson did not get tho wickets they deserved, and their bowling was much Letter than their figures would indicate. Burke had only a few overs, as tho wicket was not one to suit his stylo, but ho -bowled well. The captain* reported that H. Pearson had fullv recovered from the knock on the body he received while batting against Wellington's fast bowler. The only member of the team missing when the party arrived back home this morning was Don Cleverley, who is returning to-morrow. Mention was made of the news that W. Carson, the Kden Club's all-rounder, was available for the Plunket Shield match which starts at h-deii Park oil Saturday, but Wallace had no views to express about how a place could be found for Carson. "I suppose we'll eee all about that in the papers to-mor-row," he remarked with a smile.