OUTRIGHT WIN?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 305, 26 December 1944, Page 6

OUTRIGHT WIN?

AUCKLAND'S CHANCES

QUICK WELLINGTON WICKETS

O.C. WELLINGTON, this day. Chances of an outright victory for Auckland brightened almost immediately when the final day's' play of the representative cricket match against Wellington opened on the Basin Reserve this morning, Wellington losing four • valuable -wickets in its second innings before the deficit of 32 had been anything like comfortably passed. First ball of the day saw the dismissal of one of the Wellington opening pair, Wheeler clean bowling Rowe, who had scored 16 last evening. He and McVicar had then put on 25 without loss. The first wicket batsman, Bain, who topped the half century on Saturday, did not get going, being bowled by Burke for six. Going in two positions higher in the batting order than in the first innings, Mooney was settling down when Wheeler skittled him for four. The combination between Burke and Kent, responsible for the stumping of four Wellingtonians m their first innings, claimed the next victim, McVicar leaving his crease and failing to get back by a yard or more. This brought together Duffy, who batted extremely patiently in his first knock, and Matheson, well-known for nis stubbornness when things are going badly ° This pair' held up the attack for a considerable time, but once more it was the Burke-Kent combination which broke tne partnership, the wicket-keeper taking a catch to dismiss Duffy for 26. Matheson was joined by Ell, who soon fell to Burke, stumped for the second time in the match, this time for three runs. Ell was the sixth batsman to be stumped by Kent off Burke. Chapman, who in the first innings stayed at the crease for an hour and a half for 21 runs, joined Matheson just before the luncheon adjournment, the score when the players left the field being 95 for six wickets. Scores:— WEIXINGTO n First innings •• 195 AUCKLAND First Innings, eight wickets for 227 WELLINGTON.—Second Innings S. A. McVicar, st Kent, b Burke 14 G. G. Rowe, b Wheeler 16 W. G. Bain, 6 Burke 6 P. H. L. Mooney, b Wheeler 4 J. Dufly, c Kent, b Burke ».... 26 A. M, Matheson, not out 19 J Ell, st Kent, b Burke 3 H. Chapman, not out 0 Extras 7 Total for six wickets 93