WELLINGTON v NEW SOUTH WALES.

Press, Volume II, Issue 8704, 29 January 1894, Page 3

WELLINGTON v NEW SOUTH WALES.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEQBAM.) WELLINGTON, January 27. Heavy rain this morning promised to stop the match with New South Wales, but the clouds cleared, aud the sun oame out strong, drying the wicket rapidly. It played well all day, though a little slow at the start, yet scoring was more rapid than at any period of the There was an excellent attendance during the afternoon, and some capital cricket was seen. New South Wales made a good start, bub then fell oS and recovered again after luncheon, the last three wickets putting on 75. When New South Wales took the field matters promised badly for Wellington, but Holdship and Blacklock made a fine stand, taking the score from 17 to 234. The latter had the bad luck in being run out in the last over of the day, atter making 65 without a chance. He has lost some of hisr old dash, but gained in defence, and on recent form ia the safest batsman in Wellington. Holdship had a fair share of luck, being given not out for what was generally believed to be a catch, and also being missed once or twice. He was eventually given run out when—as it afterwards appeared—the wicket-keeper had really knocked the bails off with his anne before taking the ball. Still his innings was a very. good one, and taken with his performance against Auckland, stamps him as a reliable bat against strange bowling. The score now stands at 157 for five wickets, so that the game ia in a very even state. Young Ashbolt should be commended for his bowling, and might have been used more in the stand made at the end of the New South Wales innings. The visitors' bowling did not seem very formidable when played with ordinary care. The game started at 11.5 a.m. Holdship, the local captain, won the toss, and, after consulting the ground keeper, decided to put the visitors in, in the belief that, the wicket would be at its best in the afternoon, Tr.e wisdom of this decision at - first appeared doubtful, as the early batsmen had no difficulty in making runs, and the turf, though a little slow after heavy rain, played excellently.. Oawley and Mackenzie, the big men of the team, were the first pair, Frith and Fitzsimmons being the bowlers. Frith, who had been put in to strengthen the bowling, proved completely but of form, and sent down long hops and leg balls. Fourteen were scored off liim in one over, and Upham relieved him. Fitzsimmons dropped a smart return from Mackenzie, which proved rather expensive, and at 40 Ashbolb took the ball from him. Cowley hit him high to squ are leg and was caught. 47—1—35. There were five fours in his squickly got score. Moore joined Mackenzie, who. continued with. great steadiness and wrist' power. Upham was severely treated 14 being hit in one over, but' at 72" the youngster clean' bowled Moore for 6. Waltord was the next comer and caused great amusement by his smothering action which did not betoken a batsman of the reputation he enjoys. However, he stayed , for nearly an. hour and showed he could hit when loose ones came along. McKenzie brought his score to 40 by a cut to tne fence, but two runs later stepped out to Ashbolt and was easily stumped. 83—3—42. Hie score included four 4's. Austin and Waltord made another stand, though the latter was in some time before he opened his account, but then scored fast. Holdship and Fitzsimmons went on, and Frith missed -Watford at midoff, and the same batsman wasnearlystumped next over. He was ultimately clean bowled by Fitzsimmons. 121—4—17. Then three wickets fell in quick succession; Austin was caught like Cowley at square-leg and A. Noble was bowled. His brother, after being missed off Ashbolt, fell a victim to a fast. one from the youngster, which appeared to take him by surprise. At lunchtime seven wickets had gone for 135, and after the adjournment Searle and Davis put on 11 runs, and- the latter then got his leg in front to Ashbolt. He claimed he had played the ball, but if so the snick was very fine. Gould became Searle's partner and an excellent stand followed. The bowling was rapidly changed, but to no purpose. Frith came on again, and though bowling better than before, was of no use. Upham relieved Ashbolt and was sent to the fence for 4, but at 181 got Gould's wicket with a long hop, the partnership having put on 36 of which Gould made 21. When Miller came in Searle scored very rapidly. Fitzsimmons had another try and was hit for eleven in one over. With four to leg Searle took his score beyond McKenzie's, and then Miller was ran out in attempting a second run. Searle has succeeded in carrying his bac in every innings he has played so far. His 44 included three 4's, a 3, and eight 2's. The total reached 209, the last 75 being made in an hour. Ashbolt came out with an excellent average of six for 52. The Wellington fielding was not so good as in the Auckland match, and again several chances were missed. -At 3.35 Cross and Gore began the Wellington innings, the former facing the slow bowler, Austin, whose fourth ball he hit to the fence for 4. Miller, the left-hander, went on at the end, and had ail the field brought close up. Cross hit-him bard towards the fence, and & could have been . ran had the batsmen persevered. Miller struck Cross a severe blow on the leg, and next over bowled him witha break-back which came across from leg on to the off-stump. 15—1—8. Gore soon followed, lbw to Austin. 17—2—9. Blacklock and Holdship showed better form. The latter hit Miller twice for 4 and his partner got another fairly to leg for a clean run 5. X Noble, however, missed Holdahip iv the slips before he had reached double figures. At 48 A. Noble relieved Miller, and 7 were hit off his first over, besides a couple of leg byes. Gould took Austin's place, and had eight men placed on the off side and only one on the other. A single, obtained with some difficulty, brought 50. up. Gould's slow breaks stuck the batsmen up, but they played him carefully aud singles came slowly, and at last a full pitch to leg was hit by Blacklock for 4, .and supplemented by 3 in the same direction. This caused a couple of men to be brought over to leg side. Gould made several appeals for lbw without avail, and then Holdship returned a ball to him which he took either on or close to the ground. The Umpire" ruled against the catch, at which the fieldsmen showed some dissatisfaction. It .ertainly. was a very cloee thing. The next ball Holdship drove to the feuce, bringing 90 up, ililter came on again in place of-A. Noble, but Gould persevered, and twice shaved Biacklock'e >vicfc?t. The next over, however, Holdsbip dropped heavily on him and brought 100 up by hitting a fall pitch to the fence. The appearance of the century was loudly applauded, the fine stand by these two men being much to the taste of the spectators. Moore then took the ball from Gould, and each man cut him for 3. At 112 Cowley displaced JMoble, being the seventh bowler tried during the partnership. The 120 went up after exactly two hours , play and Blacklock completed hie 50 by the help of two gpata off Cowley, having .■cored- rather faster than his partner, despite the fact that the latter ueoally makes runs very rapidly. At 134

Austin came back to the urease in place of Moore, making the eighth change in the bowling. A separation then came through Holdship starting for a rnn which Blacklock refused. Holdship slipped in turning and just failed to get b*ck in time. 134—5—45. Holdship's 45, which included six 4's, was compiled with some luck, but he showed capital defence and less desire to hit than is usual with him. Wynyard was quickly stumped with-, ont scoring—the first duck in the match. Burton started in good form, hitting Austin along the turf to the ropes, and Blacklock being busy with Gould, who had replaced Cowley. 150 went up. Six runs later Blacklock was badly run out by Burton, who called him for a second and then refused to* go. 157—5—65. Blacklock's inniugs was without a chance, and though his running between wickets waa very deticient, it was hard lines to be got out in the last over of the day. There were one 5, two 4's, aud seven 3*3 in his score, which hait taken him nearly two hours and a half to complete. Stumps were then drawn for the day. The decisions ia both Holdship's and Blacklock's case were very close things, but were both by the Wellington umpire. The following are the scores :—

FEW SOUTH WALES. First Innings. Mackenzie, st Neven, b Aehbolt ... 42 Cowley, c Gore, b Aehbolt ... ... 35 Moore, b Aahbolt ... ... ... 6 Walford, b Fitzsimmons ... ... 17 Austin, c Gere, b Asabolt ... ... 21 E. Noble, b Ashbolt ... ... .. 4 A. Noble, b Fitzsimmons .... ... 2 Davis, lbw, b Ashbolt ... ... 6 Searle, not out ... ... ... 44 Gould, b Uplvm ... ... "... 21 Miller, run out ... ... ... 8 Extras ... ... ... 4 Total ... ... ... 209 BOWLINO AXALYSIS. Balls. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Ashbolt ... 132 4 52 6 Fitzsimmone ...90 2 43 2 Frith ... 72 0 43 0 Holdsbip ... 56 1 16 0 Upham ... 84 0 51 1 WELLINGTON. First Innings. Cross, b Miller ... ... ... 8 Gore, lbw, b Austin ... ... 9 Holdehip, run out ... ... ... 45 R. Blacklock, run out ... ... 65 Wynyard, st Searle, b Austin ... 0 Burtou, not out ... ... ... 14 Extras... ... ... ... 16 Total for five wickets ... 157 NORTH CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION. The Aehley County Eleven played Cast at Rangiora on Saturday, and won by 34 runs, the game being decided on the first innings. The scores were—Aehley County 78 and 101 for six wickets, and Cust 44. For the County, Helmore made 47 and 40, Banks 16, Claytou 11, Gulliver 11 not out; and for Cust, Sale 12 not out and Chapman 10. Blunden and Chapman were the most successful bowlers for Cust; and for Ashley County Banks got six wickets for 10 runs and Gulliver three for 29.