CRICKET.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16404, 26 December 1918, Page 10

CRICKET.

PLUXKET SHIELD MATCH.

CANTERBURY v. WELLINGTON.

After a lapse of something like four years, Plunket Shield matches were resumed with the meeting of Canterbury and Wellington at Hagley Park yesterday. Canterbury has held the shield in the interval, but if the representative matches last eeason had been shield matches it is fairly oertain Canterbury would not have held it. The wax played havoc with the Canterbury team, and the eleven that took the Sold yesterday i 3 only a shadow of the side that upheld Canterbury's reputation in pre-war days. Conversely, Wellington appears to have made great 6trides, and last season were probably as strong as they had evor been. Canterbury has improved her team since last season, and had Lusk, Whitta, Read, and Dan Reese been available, the eide would have been a very good one. As it was, tho eleven gave,a very disappointing display of batting, and they have a very uphill task to even make a good fight of it. It ia difficult to account for tho failure of so maiiy usually good batsmen. Certainly the Wellington bowling was very good, Hiddlcatone, especially, mixing his deliveries with great judgment, and 6everal of his wicketa were got with very good balls. But even allowing lor this, tho batsmen seemed to be too much impressed with the importance of tho occasion, and it was no ■unusual thing to see very loose balls allowed to escape punishment. Although Wellington ha 6 a very strong position, Canterbury's game Is not hopeless, and they may yet make a recovery that will at least majte the game interesting.

Wood was easily the best batsman, for and he played ' very sound cricket from the start. During his stay at tho wickets tho bowling was at its best, and he played it confidently and correctly. Ho made some very good scoring shots, and was just warming up to it when he reached forward to mako a full toEs of a half volley, and put it sharply into short elip's hands. Gray was not very impresaivo at tho start, but when he had got his eye in ho showed very careful defence, and made some very powerful scoring shots. His end came from a really loose ball—almost a long hop, which he. cut into point's hands. Blunt batted most promisingly until a length ball juat touchcd his of! bail. Brunton got the eame number as Blunt, and mixed good defence with a few good strokes. Patrick reached 14 by confident play and fine strokes, but just as ho looked in for a ecorc. an extra good one. sent him back. Hiddlestono put up a fine bowling performance for the Northerners. He varied his pace in such a mannor that the batsmen were frequently deceived, and occasionally Jie would whip in a fast length ball that found tho batsman unprepared. Even allowing that the batting was too timid, there » no doubt that Hiddlestono bowled exceedingly well. The side maue a capital showing in the field, tho returns to the wicket being excellent.

Wellington started their innings confidently, Lambert and Iliddleatone finding no difficulty in playing tho bowling, whilst Lambert was particularly severe on McEwin. Tho" wisdom of etarting with a bowler o£ such a typo is very questionable, especially, with such a bowler as Thomas available. At any rate it proved expensive, and the Wellington innings was given a very good start. There was a very good attendance of the public, and the sum of .£9O 10s 6d was takon at the gate in voluntary contributions. The j weather was somewhat ■unpromising in. tho morniry?, but it turned out fine, though a cold sou'-west wind left the conditions far from ideal. Messrs A. Dey and It. \V. Parry I wore tho umpires. . Patrick was olccted captain of the Canfcerbury team, and. as lio beat 13rice in tbo toss for choice of innings, he sent iu Wood and Blunt as the opening batsmen. Brice opened .to tho former from the north end, and eaph bataman started with a singlo. Hiddlestono was tho other bowler, and after porno cautious play Blunt sent the fijrst 10 on tho board with'a good off drivo for -J. A similar stroke by the same batsman aent •JO up. At 27 McGirr roplaced Iliddlsatone, who went on at the other end. Tho dhange at' ends was successful, for Blunt was l;owlcd willi a ball that j list hit the top of his off 'Hail. 30—1—1". Jones, who was making his first appearance in representative matches, joined his club mate, and tho latter sent 10 up with a nice cut to the boundary. Almost immediately after McGirr beat Jones *pit)h a very'fast one that' landed on the bottom of the wicket. 43—2—3. Patrick followed, nud 60 went up for -15 minutes' play, CO following shortly as .thp. result of a dozen coming off orio over from McGirr. This saw Him deposed for "Brice. In Hiddletftono'6 next over Patrick sent a full toss to the boundary, but was then beaten by a good one. 74—3 —14. Guiney was next, but after sooting a single waa caught close in at short leg. 82—4 1. Perrin joined Wood, but Hiddlestono yorked. him first ball with a fast one. 82—5^-0.. Hiddlestono had now got four wickets for 21, Gray was the ingoer, but Hiddleatono. soon claimed another victim, Wood putting a full toes into Harris's hands at short 'eg. It was a good catch. 89 —6—38. Thomas followed, but had only scored a single when Hiddlestono beat him all tho way with a beauty. 91—7—1. McEwin joined his club mate, and a good off drive to the glitter for 4 sent 100 up for an hour and a half's play. McGirr replaced Brice, and in Hiddlestone'a riext over (Gray' went out for a lash, and missing, should have been stumped, but Condliffe lost the ball. The afternoon tea adjournment was then taken. On resuming, Gray livened up the batting and put on the runs quicklyj but just as he looked like passing Wood's score he cut a slow one into Baker's hands at point. 128 —8 —35. Brunton followed, and. after several« singles, to "each batsman Brico replaced McGirr. Brunton varied the monotony with a fin© off drivo for 4, and 150 went up. At 161 Marris relieved Brice, and Brunton lifted him into Lambert's hands at deep square leg, but the catch was dropped and a single resulted. The next ball, however, cleanbowled , McEwin. 166 —9 —14. Mcßeth, the last man, wont in, but skieS one to H'ddlestone, and the innings after two and a half hours' play for 167. | Wellington opened with Hiddlestono .and Lambert, the former playing a maiden from Mcßeth at the south end. McEwin was the other bowler, and in hi 3 second over Lambert hit the first ball over the square leg boundary and the next two for 4 each. Both batsmen showed a liking for McEwin, whose first four overs cost 36 runs. Fifty went up •for 24 minutes' play, and Thomas replaced McEwin. This steadied the run-getting. Sixty went up as the result of 4 byes from a ball from Thomas that almost shaved Hiddlestone'a wicket. Patrick replaced Mcßeth for the last over of the day, and the last ball Ili d.cstone put into J truce's hands at forward cover. Scores: —

CANTERBURY. \ First Innings. B.'B. "Wood, 142114111124411222, c Marris, b Hiddlestono 38 R. C. Blunt,' 1111412111, b Hiddlestono 17 N. Jonea, 3, b.McGirr .. .. 3 W. R.. Patrick, 221414, b Hiddl'etono .. 14 C. E. Guiney, 1. c Marris. b Hiddlestono 1 E. G. Perrin, 1> HTadleistone .. .. 0 1. Gray, 14112441111242114, o Baker, b Hiddlestone .. .. ..35 A. W. Thomas, 1, b Hiddlestono ». 1 J. McEwin, 1111112141, b Marris .. li L. R. Bnmton, 1111143111, not out .. 17 P. Mcßeth, c and b Hiddleetonc .. - 0 Byes. 142241 17 Leg byes, 4111 .. .. .. 7 >*o balls, 111 .. .. 3 Total • .. 167 Bowling -4naly«i3.—W. S. Brice, 15 overs, 1 maiden. 45 runs, 2 no balls: J. S. Hiddlestone, 25.1 overs, 5 maidens, 50 runs, -8 wickets; H. McGirr, 11 overs. 34 runs, 1 wicket; B. Marris, 1 over, 2 rune, 1 wickct, 2 no balls. Play will be resumed at 11 o'clock this morning, and the luncheon adjournment will be from 12.45 p.m. to 1.45 p.m. BOYS' CRICKET TEAMS. The following teams have been choeen to represent Wellington Bcv6' Cricket League jn their matches at Christcnurch on Xew Year's Day:—Senior: O'Neill, Brainley, Morgan (Th'orndon), Faber; Lawrence (St. Thomas's), Softley, Bing, Barr (Institute). Reeve, Greig, Eton (St/ Cuthbert'e); - emergencies, Hearno (St. Cuthbert's), Grenside (St. Thomas's). Junior: Davies. Burke (Marist), JDawe, Banks, Dempster, Malcolm, Tucker (Institute), Oliver, Warwick (Y.M.C-d.). Bennett (St. Cuthbert's), Bentley (St. Thomas's); emergencies, Guy (Institute), Telford (Seatoun).

A Canterbury cricket enthusiast 'has presented a silver-mounted ball to be given to the bowler who takes most wickets for Canterbury in tho mutch against Wellington. Another has given a bat to be awarded to the player who makes the first century for Canterbury in tho ea:no match.