CRICKET

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22910, 5 January 1940, Page 10

CRICKET

PLUNKET SHIELD

CANTERBURY V. AUCKLAND

DECIDING MATCH TO START TO-DAY i [By COVER-POINT,] Now that each team in the Plunket Shield competition has played two matches considerable interest will centre in the game between Auckland and Canterbury, which will commence in Auckland to-day and which will be continued to-morrow and on Monday and Tuesday. . Canterbury, which last held the shield in the 1934-35 season, at present leads in the competition, having gained 12 points toy an outright win over Wellington and a first-innings win over Otago in a game in which two days* play was lost through wet -weather. Auckland, the bolder of the shield for the last three seasons,; has 10 points, secured by defeating Otago outright, and a loss on the first innings against Wellington. In this match Auck-: land may be considered unlucky" as rain robbed it of a moral. outright win, while the same may be said of Canterbury's match against Otago, although to a slightly lesser extent. As Wellington has only four points and Otago two, it can toe said that the game starting to-day is the' deciding one for this season. An outright win would give eitiier team the shield, while a firstinnings win would assure Canterbury tak- ; ing the trophy. Should,. however, Auckland win on the first innings, both sides would nave 14 points, in which case averages would decide the issue. Should such a possibility come about, the • performances of the two teams give interesting comparisons. The figures are as follows: Auckland Buns . Buns Opponent. for- Wkts. agst. Wkts. Otago, Ist inn'gs. 496 10 194 10 ; Otago, 2nd inn'gs. Wgtrx.. Ist inn'gs. 134 10 164 10 , Wgtn., 2nd inn'gs. 276 10 163 7 Totals ..-906 3D 654 37 Averages a wicket: For 30.2; against, 17.67; favourable balance, 12.53. Canterbury Runs. Runs Opponent. for. Wkts. agst. Wkts. Olago. Ist inn'gs. 374 10 249 10 Otago, 2nd. inn'gs. 36 2 Wgtn., Ist inn'gs. 482 10 195 10 Wgtn.. 2nd inn gs. ' Totals ..Si 22 726 30 Averages a wicket: Tor, 40.54; against, 24.20; favourable balance, 16-34. These figures give Canterbury an advantage of runs a wicket, but they are also interesting in other ways. Auckland's batting is known to be strong, but on these figures Canterbury toas the stronger batting side. In bowling .the reverse is the -case, and Aucklands at-; tack has the better figures. Taken all round, there does not appear to be much between the teams, and. given fine weather, there is every.chance of,a tall scoring game in -which it would-be very unwise to say -which will win, and Canterbury's small lead on averages may come in very Bandy.

PROSPECTS FOR FINE WEATHER

ITHB PRESS Special Service] AUCKLAND, January 4. With a very, high barometer, prospects for fine weather in the match between Canterbury and Auckland, commencing to-morrow, seem bright. The . wicket should be fast and the outfield in. good order. The side winning the toss should have a distinct advantage. _ Many cricket experts predict .Ihat Canterbury will win, but Auckland is a strong