PLUNKET SHIELD GAME WITH AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25996, 27 December 1949, Page 6

PLUNKET SHIELD GAME WITH AUCKLAND

CRICKET

Canterbury Leads On First Innings MacGIBBON AND CHAPPLE BAT WELL Canterbury made an excellent start to the first Plunket Shield match of the season, against Auckland, at Lancaster Park on Saturday, but yesterday Auckland recovered nearly all the ground lost and there is every indication of a good finish to the game. Auckland’s batting on the first day, on a pitch made for high scoring, was far from convincing. The visiting team was all out before tea for 207, and at stumps Canterbury had scored 113 for two wickets. Yesterday the Auckland bowlers found the pitch giving them a little more help and they did well to dismiss the strong Canterbury batting side for 329. In the last two and a half hours of the day Auckland made further progress by scoring 122 for two wickets. There are indications that the pitch may become increasingly helpful to the bowlers, and Auckland’s position is perhaps slightly the better one.

The gate takings on the first day were £343 and yesterday they were £339.

The best innings for Auckland was . undoubtedly that played by J. Hardstaff. who scored 43 in the first innings. His is an effortless technique, and batting to him is as natural as walking. For Canterbury J. G. Leggat was top scorer, with 66. On the first evening he was solid but nothing more. Yesterday morning he hit hard and often, and his timing and stroke making were delightful indeed. Both A. R. Mac Gibbon and M. E. Chapple, after uncertain starts, batted well, and their sixth wicket partnership of 94 was chiefly responsible for giving Canterbury such a useful first innings lead. When Auckland batted again. V. J. Scott was at his most stubborn, and in batting through the two hours and a half to stumps for 56. he did his side a very great service indeed. On the first day. the bowling of both sides was mediocre, and its weaknesses were accentuated bv the excellence of the pitch Yesterday. ' however, there was a little more life in it, and Auckland’s long list of medium paced bowlers looked rather I more impressive. From Canterbury's point of view, the most satisfactor v feature was the success of W. Bell, the young right hand leg break bowler, in his first shield fixture. So far Bell has taken only one wicket for 78 runs, but his bowling has justified the faith the selectors held in him. On the first day. BelF looked as though he was a bowling experiment; yesterday he had a lot of bowling to do because he was bowling really well- S. M. Cameron had the best bowling figures in Auckland’s first innings and he bowled steadily to obtain them. Auckland’s Bad Start when Scott won the toss, there was h -T X ro “ I< i bat on a P’tch which looked as if it had just come back from a laundry. There was a strong northwes, wind, and Mac Gibbon. who started the bowling for Canterbury, had it to °utswinger. In his first spell. Mac Gibbon was most impressive. He got , baU UP from a good length and bowled with plenty of pace. He deserved i a wicket even before he got one—when L - vou ng batsman who be-| gan . Scott, was caught behind the wicket. Mac Gibbon was making all possible use of the width of the bowling crease, and the one which beat Perry was delivered from the extreme outside. At the other end the opening bowler was the left hander. Chapple, who had a modified leg trap. He was very inexpensive, mainly because the batsmen refused to nlay an aggressive stroke. Chapple was short of a length far too often, but when, on occasions, he kept the ball up he had both Scott and D. D. Coleman in trouble. Scott, who seems to have discarded a few of his mannerisms since his English tour; was as solid as of yore, but he lost Coleman almost as soon as Bell came on for the first time. Bell’s first over was a model of length and direction, an encouraging performance from one so young, and in his second over Coleman cut one to Anderson at slip. Hardstaff was in next, and he cover drove his second ball, from Bell, perfectly for four. Bell bowled a good over or two to Hardstaff, but the batsman hit some crisp and lucrative strokes from Mac Gibbon. Auckland suffered a serious reverse when Scott was dismissed. Cameron came on for his second spell, against the wind, and Scott tried io drive an outswinger but Anderson, in the slips, took a very good catch. The total at that stage was only 67. In the 25 minutes left before lunch. Hardstaff and O. C. Cleal were together, Hardstaff very much in charge of the situation, but Cleal groping once or twice for Bell’s spinners. At the interval the score was 98. and Canterbury had done a good morning’s work. Auckland suffered a further reverse when Cleal was run out with the score 107, and a moment later Hardstaff all but went the same way. He had to dive full length for his crease, while two of the fieldsmen, Chapple and F. B. Smith, collided and joined him on the ground. Unruffled. Hardstaff continued to give a satisfying display of batting. His footwork was of the lightest, and he cut and glanced beautifully. He was out, however. when he attempted to drive Burtt and played the bail on. Auckland by this time was in a desperate position, with half the side out for 120. J. Blane. a Gisborne player, and L. A. Kent. Auckland’s wicket-keeper, improved affairs slightly. Blane was all caution, i but Kent hit anything hittable with some abandon. They added 33. and then B. I Donaldson also showed some aggression, hitting five fours in his 23. When Cameron and Chapple took the new ball at 182, however. Kent was out. Chapple bowled him one well short of a length which he hit straight to Smith, and an uninspiring display ended a few minutes before tea with the total 207. Canterbury Bowling Mac Gibbon bowled really well in the morning, but after lunch was not nearly so accurate. Chapple gave little away, and Cameron came out with the excellent figures of Ifour for 47. Although Cameron claimed only one of the early batsmen, he bowled steadily and occasionally brought one back a little from the off. a really good ball. His outswing seemed to begin a little early to be effective, but he did all that was asked of him, and more. Bell took only one wicket, but made a very good impression with his length, direction, and sharp spin. Burtt, as accurate as ever, dictated to the batsmen. and w’as seldom challenged.

perfectly, and he added 13 to his score in the first 10 minutes. He cut and drove vigorously and cleanly and seemed to have a century for the taking. When he was 55, however, there was the first indication of life in she pitch. Leggat hooked one from Dollery, but the ball rose very sharply and Leggat hit it just clear of Hollywood at square leg. Smith had also been playing some attractive strokes, but he was out when Donaldson got him with a fine ball. It was on the off stump, and Smith had to play it, but it rose sharply and Hollywood, at slip, took an easy catch. Leggat and Smith had scored a2 together in 54 minutes.

Twelve runs later Donaldson struck a real blow for Auckland when he got one to lift and turn back a little from outside the off stump, and Leggat edged it on to his stumps. At this stage Donaldson looked a much more effective bowler than he had done on the first day. Leggat had .scored 29 in 35 minutes during the morning. Hollywood, who had been quite innocuous on the opening day, was able to turn his off breaks appreciably, and his deceiving flight had W. Anderson in trouble more than once. The total had been advanced only to 183 when Anderson was caught behind the wicket off Hollywood. The beginning of the partnership between Chapple and Mac Gibbon was a story of misadventure. Both batsmen played strokes in unpremeditated directions, but after they settled down they provided some attractive cricket. MacGibbon, as ever, drove strongly, and Chapple showed unusual solidity for one playing his first shield match. They took the total past Auckland’s score, and in the last 20 minutes before lunch hammered the bowling unmercifully. At the interval the score was 260 for five wickets, and Canterbury was in a commanding position. Mac Gibbon began* the afternoon session with two fours in an over from Hollywood. but the bowler managed to make one go away from Chapple and the batsmanx gave Kent his fourth catch. The pair had made 94 in 75 minutes.

Canterbury’s batting after tea was a queer mixture. Hadlee began in a frenzied hurry to get runs. He hit Hemmingson. the slow-medium left-hand opening bowler, over mid-off’s head—but only just—for four and played a very agricultural sweep at one from the other opener. K. Dollery. After this, he found himself again, with a couple of delicate lee glances and a fqjl-blooded cover drive for four—but was out trying to make some sort of sledge-hammer blow at Hemmingson. In 17 busv minutes he made 19 and the total was 27.

Leggat. who had opened with Hadlee, was as solid as Scott, but O'Malley, who came next, was dropped by Hollywood in Hemmingson’s leg trap before he had scored. A few minutes later he was almost caught by Hollywood off the same bowler, and soon after that managed to lift one just clear of the fieldsmen. All the time Hemmingson was on—and he bowled 13 overs in his first spell—he worried O’Malley with the ball pitched on the leg stump, but in between times O’Malley showed some of his best form with two graceful on side strokes, each for three, which spoke of perfect timing and placing, a cover drive, to the boundary that was all grace and speed, and a fierce pull to the mid-wicket boundary, a stroke not in keeping with O’Malley's previous performances.

O’Malley and Leggat were slow, and even when scoring chances came they were seldom able to make the most of them. O’Mallev looked very vulnerable, Leggat very safe, but neither seemed capable of making real progress. Leggat batted an hour for 10. but then pulled Hemmingson hugely for four, and when Hollywood came on, cover drove and pulled him for two more fours. A few minutes before stumps. Donaldson, who had been bowling steadily, had O’Malley caught behind the wicket. In the last 10 minutes Smith batted quietly, and the score was taken to 113.

Leggafs Good Batting Yesterday morning, in cool and overcast weather. Leggat looked like a batsman who would no* own to the Leggat of Saturday evening as a distant relation. From the first ball, he was timing

The fall of the wicket restored a share of the initiative to Auckland, and Hemmingson. in an accurate spell, kept the batsmen tied down. Burtt began with some delicate cuts which delighted thie crowd, but Mac Gibbon lost his '’wicket when he pushed a presentation catch to Cleal at silly mid-off. Burtt and Cameron added 20 before a brilliant pick up and throw by Scott hit* the wicket and ran Burtt out. The last two wickets fell | quickly, the innings closing for 329. ■ Donaldson was the most successful of the Auckland bowlers. He was a trier and made the most of the assistance given him by the pitch. Dollery, a former Queensland junior, had a lively action and was seldom inaccurate. Hemmingson, who rarely spins the ball now. looked good against O’Malley but lacked the complete accuracy needed for his leg field bowling. Hollywood showed as much improvement on the second day as Leggat, and although he was sometimes expensive, he looked more likelv to take wickets than most of the others. J. Blane was used surprisingly little, but ended the innings quickly with the dismissal of Cameron and Webb. Auckland Starts Well Mac Gibbon had a very inaccurate spell at the start of Auckland’s second innings and gave away many runs on the leg side, where he had only a deep fine leg and a mid-on. Scott and Perry seemed quite untroubled in staying together until tea. scoring 41 in the 35 minutes left. After tea Bell began one of his best spells of bowling, from the south end into the wind. He was accurate, and at the other end Cameron gave little away. The scoring slowed down very appreciably, althougn Ferry, in particular, played some attractive drives. Bell had Scott in trouble more than once, but it was Burtt who claimed the first wicket, getting Perry leg before wicket with the score at 73. The cricket for the rest of the day was intensely interesting, although the scoring was slow. As soon as Coleman came in. Bell was recalled to bowl to him—Bell had dismissed Coleman in the first innings—and he again had him sorely perplexed. Burtt, bowling like a machine to his tight-set field, gave the batsmen no latitude, and those of the spectators who resented Auckland’s slow scoring would have done well to reflect on the accuracy of the bowling, the field placing, and the dangerous position in which Scott found his team. Slowly Scott and Coleman reduced Canterbury’s first innings lead, neither batsman taking the slightest risk. Coleman was especially slow—he batted 61 minutes for 10—and Scott thrust all temptation well behind him. His was a splendid innings, resolute, sound, and if Auckland wins this match much of the credit will Ibe due to him. Towards the end of the i day the game developed an atmosphere; one that - might not have been out of place at a Lancashire-Yorkshire same. There was an appeal against the light at 5.15 p.m., but it was not allowed, from that moment Scott was obviously anxious that play should stop. Excitement was increased when Coleman pulled a short one from Bell to Chapple at backward square leg, but a reasonably easy catch was dropped. A quarter of an hour before the end Mac Gibbon was brought on, and the light at that stage was anything but good. In his first over he made a ball little if at all short of a length rear head-high, a spirited piece of bowling. In his next over he bowled Coleman with one of the best balls of the match. It was a really fast one; it flashed off the pitch, coming back a little to . take the off stump. As John Arlott would have said. Coleman’s stroke was completely posthumous. Until stumps. Scott continued his solid way and Hardstaff added enough runs to make the scores level at the end of the day. Already there appears to be a broken patch or two at the south end of the pitch, and if Canterbury is to win the match it will have to keep Auckland's total down to reasonable proportions. If the pitch should deteriorate, as seems likely, Hollywood might be a danger to Canterbury with his off spinners. The umpires are Messrs B. Vine and T. H. Garbutt. AUCKLAND First Innings V. J. Scott, c Anderson, b Cameron .. 33 D. Perry, c Webb, b Mac Gibbon .. 3 D. D. Coleman, c Anderson, b Bell .. 7 J. Hardstaff, b Burtt .. 45 O. C. Cleal, run out ..16 J. Blane, b Burtt ~ 22 L. A. Kent, c Smith, b Chapple .. 33 B. Donaldson, c Webb, b Cameron .. 23 J. Hollywood, b Cameron .. .. 1 K. Dollery. b Cameron .. .. 2 F E. Hemmingson, not out .. 1 Extras (bves 8, leg-byes 8, wide 1, no-balls 4) .. .. 21 Total .. .. .. -.207 Fall of Wickets.—One for 7; two for 38; three for 67; four for 107; five for 120; six for 153; seven for 182; eight for 183; nine for 202; 10 for 207. Bowling

Mac Gibbon bowled four no-balls and Bell one wide. Second Innings V. J. Scott, not out .. ..56 D. L. Perry, lbw, b Burtt .. 32 D. D. Coleman, b Mac Gibbon .. 10 J. Hardstaff. not out .. 5 Extras (byes 13, leg-byes 4. noball 1) .. 19 Total for two wickets .. 122 Fall of Wickets.—One for 73; two for 117.

CANTERBURY First Innings W. A. Hadlee, c Kent, b Hemmingson .. .... .. .. 19 J. G. Leggat, b Donaldson .. .. 66 P. O’Malley, c Kent, b Donaldson .. 36 F. B. Smith, c Hollywood, b Donaldson .. .. .. .. 18 W. McD. Anderson, c Kent, b Hollywood .. .. .. .. 14 M. E. Chapple, c Kent, b Hollyw»pd 40 A R. Mae Gibbon. c Cleal, b Hemmingson .. .. .. .. 59 T. B. Burtt, run out .. 23 S. M. Cameron, lbw. b Blane .. 13 R. C. Webb, b Blane .. 1 W Bell, not out .. 6 Extras (byes 14, leg-byes 19, noball 1) .. .. ..34 Total .. .. .. .. 329 Fall of Wickets.—One for 27; two for 96: three for 152; four for 164; five for 182; six for 276; seven for 298; eight for 318; nine for 321; 10 for 329.

O. M. R. W. A. R. MacGibbon 12 3 30 1 M. E. Chapple ..12 6 11 1 S. M. Cameron .. 19.1 3 47 4 W. Bell ..12 2 49 1 T. B. Burtt ..17 9 27 2 W. McD. Anderson 4 0 22 0

Bowling O. M. R. W. A. R. MacGibbon 7 1 22 1 M. E. Chapple 9 3 13 0 S. M. Cameron 9 3 17 0 W. Bell 15 1 29 0 T. B. Burtt CANTER 13 5 BURY 22 1

Bowling O. M. R. W. K. Dollery ..23 3 58 0 F. E. Hemmingson 30 4 82 2 B. Donaldson .. 24 5 56 3 J. Hollywood ..23 1 89 2 J. Blane 6.5 1 8 2 O. C. Cleal ..3 1 2 0 Donaldson bowled one no-ball.