PLUNKET SHIELD GAME AT NAPIER

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27873, 23 January 1956, Page 12

PLUNKET SHIELD GAME AT NAPIER

CRICKET

Canterbury Consolidates

Position

CENTRAL DISTRICTS OUT FOR

159 RUNS

(New Zealand Press Association)

NAPIER, January 22,

Although not out of danger, Canterbury had consolidated its position at the end of the second day of the Plunket Shield cricket match against Central Districts at McLean Park, Napier, on Saturday.

Canterbury leads by 152 runs, with six second-innings wickets intact.

Saturday was a day of slow and at times almost dreary cricket, which produced a total of only 241 runs.

In reply to Canterbury’s first-innings score of 175, Central Districts made 159, and at stumps yesterday Canterbury, in its second innings, was four down for 136.

The brittleness that has been a feature of Central Districts batting this season was again evident in its first innings. Only D. D. Beard, jnethodical if sometimes inelegant, offered more than token resistance to the accurate Canterbury bowling, and even he had good luck. Nevertheless, it was an invaluable innings for Central Districts, which could easily have been out for fewer than 109 runs. Beard was unbeaten at 70 at the end 01 the innings. Although both W. Cameron and G. M. Gearry bowled well for Canterbury, it was the spinners, I. Sinclair and G. G. Coull, who took the wickets. Both maintained an immaculate length. They were aided by the timidity of some of the Central Districts batsmen. Sinclair, half of whose 42 overs were maidens, took five wickets for 65. Coull’s 18 overs cost 26 runs, and he took three wickets.

For economy, the effort of Cameron in bowling 22 overs for 14 runs compared well with those of the wickettakers.

Early Canterbury Losses Canterbury was in po hurry when it began its second innings. The early loss of B. A. Bolton put Canterbury on the defensive at the outset, and the dismissal of J. W. D’Arcy at 31 was a. further steadying influence. D’Arcy had started brightly, and looked set for a good score when he gave a chance behind the wicket. Coull and B. A. Haworth had difficulty against R. W. Blair and the indefatigible Beard, both of whom re3 aired careful watching. Then, with ie score at 58, the Central Districts captain, D. W. Bowden, switched to the spin attack of D. V. Spence and K. F. Smith, with immediate success. Coull went forward to Spence, missed, and was stumped. After two hours. Canterbury was 65 for three. Chapple was quickly into his stride with off-drives to the boundary off both slow bowlers, and Beard and Blair were soon brought on again. This change was successful, for, with the score at 88. Beard bowled Haworth. Haworth’s 18 runs were •cored in 74 minutes.

With Chapple and R. T. Dowker together in the half-hour before stumps, the brightest cricket of the afternoon was seen. Though they took no risks, both scored off anything loose. Chapple reached 30 by offdriving Beard powerfully for 4, and Dowker brought his score to 20, mostly in singles and 2's. At stumps, when Canterbury was 136 for four. Chapple was 39 after 95 minutes’ batting. Dowker was 25. Scores:— CANTERBURY First Innings .. .. 175 Second Innings B. A. Bolton, c Meuli, b Blair .. 7 J. W. d’Arcy, c Colquhoun, b Spence 22 G. G. Coull, st Colquhoun, b Spence 15 B. A. Haworth, b Beard .. .. 18 M. E. Chapple, not out .. .. 39 R. T. Dowker, not out .. .. 25 Extras .. .. .. 10 Total for four wickets .. 136 Fall of wickets: one for 10, two for 31, three for 58, four for 88.

CENTRAL DISTRICTS First Innings D. W. Bowden, c Dowker, b Sinclair 19 E. H. Meuli, c sub, b Sinclair .. 19 K. F. Smith, c Gearry, b Sinclair .. 0 R. Simpson, lbw, b Sinclair .. .. 0 B. A. Turner, c Haworth, b Coull .. 4 D. D. Beard, not out .. 70 D. S. Kivell. c d’Arcy, b Coull .. 21 R. W. Blair, c Dowker, b Coull .. 4 D. V. Spence, c Bolton, b Cameron .. 8 I. A. Colquhoun, b Cameron * ..2 A. G. Small, st Guillen, b Sinclair .. 0 Extras .. .. .. 12 Total .. .. ..159 Fall of wickets-: one for 30, two for 34. three for 34, four for 39. five for 43, six for 119, seven for 124, eight for 148, nine for 15®.

Bowling O. M. R. W R. W. Blair .. 10 8 28 1 D. D. Beard .. 24 15 28 1 D. V. Snence ..11 1 32 2 K. F. Smith .. 9 3 23 0 A. G. Small .. 3 0 5 0 E. H. Meuli ..2 0 10 0

Bowling O. M. R. W. S. M. Cameron .. 22 12 14 2 G. M. Gearry .. 22 10 18 0 I Sinclair .. 42.4 21 65 5 G. G. Coull .. 18 9 26 3 M. Jack .. 14 5 24 0