WELLINGTON LOSES LEAD

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28161, 27 December 1956, Page 8

WELLINGTON LOSES LEAD

Central Districts’ Good Start

(New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI, Dec. 26.

A brilliant century by young D. N. McLeod in his first Plunket Shield innings gave Central Districts a good start, later turned into a lead on the first inning* today, the secohd day of the match against Wellington being played at Wanganui. Helped by J. W. Guy (50) and K. F. H. Smith (26), McLeod stayed until Wellington’s first innings total was well in sight, but while he was at the wicket the crowd were entertained by some glorious strokes, and later in his innings, some confident, but heart-stopping short runs. It .was always a matter ot conjecture just when McLeod would be run out, but his actual dismissal was no fault of his, There was a stir when McLeod was creeping up in the nineties by singles then R. W. Blair clean-bowled him with a noball. McLeod reached his century by turning Blair to the midwicket boundary with the next ball. Slack Fielding The other batsmen, E. H. Meuli. D. D. Beard, Smith and N. S Harford did not appear to be over-troubled with the attack and the Wellington fielding was slack. D. B. Morrison, after taking two good catches in the slips oil Blair, missed a “sitter” at midon when Harford was only 6. Blair and Morrison bowled well and when Morrison was brought on for his last spell he bowled 11 overs and took one wicket for only 3 runs. Central Districts batsmen were barracked by the crowd for then slowness after Wellington’s total had been reached. Not one of the later batsmen tried to force the scoring, although Beard swepi E. W. Dempster tor a six—the first of the match Scores: — WELLIN'' TON First Innings L. S. M. Miller, c Beard, b Brown 5C A. H. Preston, c Colquhoun, b Beard .. •• ..18 B. W. Sinclair, c and b Jones i R. A. Vance, c Guv, b Jones .. 109 R T. Barber, b Harford .. 70 J. E. F. Beck, c McLeod, b Cave 15 E. W Dempster, lbw, b Harford 0 L. A. Clark, lbw, c Harford .. 0 R. W Blair, b Beard ..11 W. M. Curtis, c and b Beard .. 0 B. 1). Morrison, not out .. 0 Extras .. • • .. 10 Total .. .. ..290 Bowling: J. F. Jones. 18 overs, 1 maiden. 55 runs. 2 wickets. D. D Beard, 31, 11, 65. 3; H. B. Cave. 21.1, 6. 67 1; G. Buist, 4. 0, 13, 0; R E Brown, 7. 2, 32, 1; N. S. Harford 9. 3, 19, 3; K. F. H. Smith. 5,0, 29, 0 CENTRAL DISTRICTS First Innings J. V’. Guy, c Morrison, b Blair .. 50 D. N McLeod, run out .. .. 11l E. M. Meuli, lbw, b Dempster .. 3( K. F H Smith, b Preston .. 2t G. Buist, c Morrison, b Blair .. 1 N. S. Harford, not out .. ..29 D. D. Beard, lbw. b Morrison .. IS H. B Cave, not out .. ..IS Extras .. .. ..IS Total for six wickets .. 314 Bowling: R. W. Blair. 24 overs, 10 maidens. 52 runs, 2 wickets: B. D Morrison, 29, 14, 50, 1; L. A. Clark 26, 5. 70, 0: E. W. Dempster. 29. 7 61, 1; J. E. F. Beck. 2,1, 4,0; A H. Preston, 22, 6, 54, 1.

UNIVERSITIES’ MATCH AGAINST MANAWATU (New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH, Dec. 26. Chasing a total of 202, New Zealand . Universities had lost two wickets for 77 runs at the end of the first day of a three-day match against Manawatu at Palmerston North today. Dour batting by the opener, I. Axford, who made 46 not out, was a feature of Universities’ first innings. Principal scorers for Manawatu were D. L. Donald 60, D. Biss 36, N. Reid 32, and D. Tarrant 32. The most successful Universities bowler was J. Zohrab, who took five for 55. CANTERBURY TEAM TO PLAY CENTRAL OTAGO The following Canterbury XI nas been selected to play Central Otago at HagJey Oval on December 31 and January 1: R. G. Condliffe, captain, J. W. Reeves (High School Old Boys); J. B. Percival, B Pankhurst (Riccarton); M. Flint, R. Black (Lancaster Park); J. Le Compte (West Old Boys); R. Bowman (St. Albans); B. Heseltine, G. Harper (Technical Old Bovs); D. Gunn, A. F. Wright (Malvern). Play commences 10.30 a.m. Lunch will be provided at a nominal charge. —Advt.