SECOND PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25380, 31 December 1947, Page 3

SECOND PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH

CRICKET

WELLINGTON GAME STARTS TODAY

CLOSE CONTEST EXPECTED Canterbury will begin its second Plunket Shield match of the season at Lancaster Park to-day, with the game against Wellington. Neither of the first round matches was von outright, so much will depend on the outcome of to-day’s game. Both Wellington and Canterbury will have very young teams in the field, and the sides appear to be evenly matched. Wellington will probably be led by C. S. Dempster, New Zealand’s most outstanding batsman for many years. On Monday, Dempster, fielding for Wellington against Otago, strained a muscle, but he arrived in Christchurch with the team vesterday. and it is hoped that he will be fit for to-day’s game. Christchurch cricket enthusiasts have not seen Dempster since he played at Lancaster Park with Sir Julien Cahn's team just before the war, but if he gets started they will find that he has lost little of his form. He made an excellent century against Canterbury at Basin Reserve last season. In E. Dempster, a left-hand batsman. Who is not related to the Wellington captain. the visiting team has a batsman of very great promise, and the side includes ether tried performers in R. Crawford. E. W. Tindill, and J A. Ongley. J. Reid, a 19-year-old player, is another very good batsman, while M. Browne, F. H. L. Mooney. A. McLean, and D. S. Wilson are capable of making big scores. Wilson Is regarded by some enthusiasts as the best all-rounder in the country, and his performances against Canterbury in the last two seasons give some support to that belief. The bowling will be headed by Wilson, McLean, Browne. J. C. Little, and R. McK. Murray. Little is a young medium-paced bowler, and Murray, of much the same type, bowled exceptionally well for Wellington in the match last season against the M.C.C. Two changes have been made in the Canterbury team from the eleven which played Auckland. The inclusion of P. O'Malley and R. Hitchcock must make the side one of the youngest ever to represent the province. O’Malley has earned a trial, and Hitchcock, while appearing perhaps a little too early, has the ability to make good. Young players in A. R. MacGibbcn. J. G Leggat, P. Small. F. B. Smith, and C. G. Snook all justified their inclusion in the earliei team, and with one success behind them, Canterbury may look forward confidently to their further progress. The batting does not new look as unstable as it did before the Auckland game, and the fielding should be even better than before. The bowling, however, has been weakened somewhat. In the Auckland game. T. Burtt was extremely effective, but the ethers, while steady, did not look like possible match-winners. Their number has been reduced by two. for Hitchcock is almost certainly in for his batting, and if Wellington has first use of the wicket, bowling weakness may become apparent. The regular bowlers will be Burtt, Mac Gibbon. Snook, 'and Small, and while variety has been lost, the opportunity of making quick changes will also be denied W. A. Hadlee, the Canterbury captain, to some extent. Both the players dropped. R. W. Emery and N. V. Burtt, were rather unlucky not to have a further trial.

The wicketkeeping will be in the more than capable hands of A. E. L. Britton, who is in excellent form this season.