Cricket Auckland’s Dramatic Win In Shield Match

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28471, 28 December 1957, Page 11

Cricket Auckland’s Dramatic Win In Shield Match

Making two of the finest fighting recoveries seen at Lancaster Park for many a day, Auckland won an astonishing victory over Canterbury in the Plunket Shield match which ended yesterday. Auckland -won by 44 runs, its first outright victory at the ground for 29 years, and its success, won in circumstances of sustained excitement, wg,s thoroughly deserved.

When the day’s play opened, Auckland, with four wickets down in its second innings, was -still behind Canterbury’s first innings score. But ft. M. Harris, who scored 112, and J. Sparling, who made 60, gave Auckland 139 runs for the fifth wicket, a partnership marked by wonderfully sound and positive cricket.

But Canterbury needed only 198 runs in a possible 200 minutes’ play, and when M. E. Chapple and S. C. Guillen took charge of the bowling they reduced the task to one of scoring 79 in an hour, with six wickets in hand—a reasonable enough proposition, even if two of the Canterbury players were able to bat only with difficulty, through injuries.

Auckland seemed beaten until Guillen was dismissed, 53 minutes from stumps. Then the violence of J. A. Hayes and the variations of K. Hough swept aside the opposition, a magnificent last-minute rally in which Canterbury lost six wickets for 16 runs. The last man was out 20 minutes from time; a memorable victory for Auckland, and a day’s play fit for a cricketing king.

The gate takings were £192, making a total of £B5B for the match.

The teams were:— Auckland: D. Taylor (captain), W. R. Playle, J. Sparling, D. D. Coleman, S. Belsham, J. A. Hayes, K. Hough, T. Hambrook, R. Farman, R. M. Harris and J. McDonald. Canterbury: M. E. Chapple (captain), J. W. D’Arcy, J. W. Guy, G. D. Alabaster, M. B. Poore, A. R. Mac Gibbon, S. C. Guillen, J. rf. Dawson, J. W. Kiddey, B. A. Bolton and M. Jack. For the third successive day, there was a very strong wind, this time from the south, and playing conditions were not pleasant. But the weather was the only flaw. The first stage of Auckland’s recovery, on a pitch which was still full of runs, although the fast bowlers from the south ena were able to win a little lift, was affected by Harris and Sparling. Harris, like Coleman in the first innings, made his highest score in representative cricket, and it was his maiden century. Harris batted with the calm purpose and efficiency of Chapple when he made his century for Canterbury on the previous day. He watched the ball with intense concentration, but used his powerful shoulders most effectively at every opportunity. On the forward stroke, he was efficient, safe, and thoughtful. But his cuts and pulls were made with great power, and he made one stroke • of astounding force, a hook off Dawson which sent the ball to the fence faster than the eye could follow. Sparling is only 21, but he is clearly a cricketer of exceptional promise. Perhaps the word is used too often and rather idly. Sparling is already beyond the promising stage. His determination was in keeping with his skill as a batsman whose quick foot-work hinted at development as an outstanding all-rounder. He already bowls well, and he is as swift as a swallow in the field. Hayes and Hough Then there was the major contribution of Hayes and Hough. Hayes has seldom bowled faster, or with such furious intensity. He had a fine opening spell, sustaining his speed over after over, and when he came back later in the afternoon he took four more wickets in six overs. Hough’s broad shoulders suggest he could put the shot as easily as he handles a cricket ball, but

he is not a pace bowler. An occasional lapse in length cost some runs, but for the most part he nagged at the batsmen with his swing and pace from the pitch. He can move the ball either way, and there was not much respite from Hayes when Hough was at the “other end. If it was Auckland’s day, Canterbury players contributed largely to its enjoyment. MacGibbon bowled particularly well, and Canterbury was put on what seemed the road to .victory by Chapple and Guillen, who were associated in a vastly entertaining partnership of 74. There seemed no real reason why Canterbury should not have the game in safe keeping by lunch time, but at once Harris showed a full appreciation of the situation and so did Sparling. They gave the good ball the full width of the bat, Harris clearly the senior partner, but Sparling batting with remarkable aplomb. Bolton, with the difficult task of bowling into a blustering wind, started well with an over of beautifully flighted leg-breaks. He persuaded Sparling to drive him, and once the ball dropped and turned enough to make the shot a lofted one between midoff and extra cover; it would have been a well-earned wicket. * Jack, suffering no doubt from his back injury, had 22 runs taken from two of his four overs. Harris scoring 18 of them, and as the runs came at such speed, the threat of rain became apparent to add to Chapple’s worries. Harris’s Century

Chapple, a successful leader in his first attempt, made some rapid changes, and came on to bowl in partnership with Poore, a pair most batsmen find as persuasive as insurance agents. But even they 6ould not stop the free flow of runs and when Harris pulled Chapple for 4, the part-* nership was worth 100. A little later Harris reached his own century with a similar shot; he had made it in 178 minutes, the last 50 in an hour of fine batting. The total went on to 184 before Harris, losing concentration, was caught off Kiddey. With Sparling he had added 139 in two hours and a half of admirably determined batting. With half the side out for 184, there seemed a case for the new ball being taken about half an hour before Junch, but Chapple persisted with Bolton and won his

reward. 1 Hambrook was ’caught at slip when trying to drive, and Belsham was beaten by a ball which dropped on him very quickly. At 203 for seven, Auckland was only 132 ahead. Hough started another revival by taking boundaries from three successive balls from Bolton. But when Sparling was out to the last ball before lunch, the game seemed almost over; with two Wickets to fall, Auckland led only by 155. Sparling won the admiration of everyone with his resolute batting for 200 minutes. In attempting to field a ball hit by Hough. Mac Gibbon broke his right thumb, but a little later he was bowling as enthusiastically as ever, although he must have had his misgivings when he began the spell. * Hough hit him for a tremendous six, the new ball landing on the roof of the east stand and hiding itself in a back garden. There was a thorough but unsuccessful search of the chou moellier and the ball had to be replaced. It must have lost so much of its lustre after such treatment that its disappearance was unimportant. As Hough and Hayes cheerfully plundered the bowling, the clock entered the scheme of things for the first time, and Chapple must have been very relieved when Hough tried to square cut MacGibbon. but got an inside edge. The ball danced in tantalising little bounces towards the stumps, and Hough’s desperate wave failed to prevent it hitting them. ThenChapple took a fine catch at midoff and the innings was over—just it seemed, in time for Canterbury. Canterbury’s innings

With the pitch still good and the outfield so fast, the scoring of 198 in 200 minutes seemed well within Canterbury’s capabilities, and notwithstanding Hayes’s pace and the frequent appeals from each end, 25 of the runs were made in half an hour. Then Poore steered Hough to slips, Guy, not relishing the. pace of Hayes,’ failed to get over the ball and was caught behind, and Alabaster —met, inevitably, by Sparling as soon as he came in, and missed off him almost immediately —was also caught behind, off Hough. So Canterbury was 36 for three, and struggling. In half ar hour three wickets had fallen while 11 had been added.

Hayes, bowling with tremendous elan, hit Chapple with one which rose nastily from a length, and the ball rolled almost into the stumps, Chapple kicking it away with the nimble energy of a Cossack dancer. At tea. Canterbury was 54 for three, and the prospects then pointed to a draw. D’Arcy was out 15 minutes after tea and at 63 for four Auckland attacked desperately. Hayes, in another long spell, seemed to bowl faster and faster, and Guillen was greeted by a vicious lifting ball which he tried to hook; the ball lobbed up on the off-side, short of the gully. But the runs began to come swiftly, Guillen driving with tremendous power, his body bent over the ball like a bow. With 100 minutes to go, Canterbury needed 128 Guillen and Chapple ran some wonderfully swift singles, and countered some lethal bumpers from Hayes. Chapple made some lovely off drives, and one of them, off Hough, fled through the field to the boundary, and at 89 Hayes was rested.

The Canterbury batsmen went on like men with the tape in sight and the opposition well at the rear. An hour and a quarter from the end the deficit was but 90. Taylor then pulled a leg muscle and had to leave the field. Coleman, taking over the captaincy, set a purely defensive field for Sparling, and had to rest Hough after 19 overs of stouthearted endeavour. Coleman made scoring more difficult, and he was unlucky that Guillen, at 25, was dropped by Hayes off Hambrook’s first ball. Still at 25, Guillen drove one back at Sparling with rare violence, and it was little wonder the catch was dropped. The partnership yielded 50 in 38 minutes, and Guillen emphasised Canterbury’s dominance by hitting Hambrook straight and high for four. He drove Hambrook again with savage fury for four, and pulled the nexl ball for another four. Fifty-three minutes’ play left, 61 runs needed, six wickets in hand, and the field spread far and wide. Guilles Out But a cloud drifted across Canterbury’s sun when Guillen was out. at 137, and it was a prelude to Hayes’s summer storm. Guillen and Chapple had scored their 74 in only 50 minutes. But the moment -Guillen was out Coleman threw evervthing into the attack,. and Hayes responded magnificently. He had Chapple beautifully taken by Harns in the slips, and, in the same over Kiddey left, leg before Swicket, and nursing a very sore foot. Bolton and Dawson hung on for a few minutes, but Bolton was beaten off the pitch by Hayes, Dawson was comprehensively bowled by Hough, and with 25 minutes to go Mac Gibbon and Jack, the walking wounded of the Canterbury team, were left with an almost impossible task. Mac Gibbon, broken thumb and all, valiantly withstood a vicious over from Hayes, but Jack, playing forward, was beaten by Hough. The umpire at the bowler’s end was unsighted, but Hough was aware of the facts. “He’s bowled, bowled, bowled.” he roared. And he was. There were 20 minutes to spare, and it was as well they were left untouched. Any . more excitement would have been more than ’most of the spectators could have stood. The umpires were Messrs B. Vine and H. C. Moore.

Scores:— AUCKLAND First innings .. .. .. 216 Second Innings D. Coleman, run out .. .. 18 R. M. Harris, c Chapple, b Kiddey 112 R. Farman, lbw, b Mac Gibbon .. 0 D. Taylor, b Kiddey .. .. 0 W. R. Playle, c Guillen, b MacGibbon ~ .. .. 0 J. Sparling, lbw, b Mac Gibbon 60 T. S. Hambrook, c Kiddey, b Bolton .. .. 9 S. Belsham, b Bolton .. 0 K. Hough, b Mac Gibbon .. 38 J. Al Hayes, c Chapple, b MacGibbon .. .. 20 J. McDonald, not out .. 0 Extras (wides 3, bye 1, leg-byes 6, no-ball 1) .. 11 Total .. .. ..268 Fall of Wickets. —One for 36 (Coleman), two for 37 (Farman), three for 40 (Taylor), four for 45 (Playle), five for 184 (Harris), six for 203 (Hambrook), seven for 203 (Belsham), eight for 226 (Sparling), nine for 263 (Hough), ten for 268

CANTERBURY First innings - .. .. 287 Second Innings M. B. Poore, c Hambrook, b Hough .. .. .. 17 J. W. D’Arcy, c Taylor, b Hayes 28 J. W. Guy, c Belsham, b Hayes 0 G. D. Alabaster, c Belsham, b Hough .. .. .. 3 M. E. Chapple, c Harris, b 3B S. C. Guillen, c Belsham. b Hambrook .. .. .- 40 J. W. Kiddey, lbw, b Hayes .. 4 B. A. Bolton, lbw, b Hayes .. 2 J. H. Dawson, b Hough .. 5 A. R. Mac Gibbon, not out .. 0 M. Jack, b Hough 0 Extras (wide 1, byes 8, legbyes 6, no-ball 1) .. 16 Total .. ..153 Fall of Wickets.—One for 25 (Poore), two for 31 (Guy), three for 36 (Alabaster), four for 63 (D’Arcy), five for 137 (Guillen), six for 141 (Chapple), seven for 142 (Kiddey), eight for 149 (Bolton), nine for 149 (Dawson), ten for 153 (Jack).

(Hayes). Bowline O. M. R. W. J. H. Dawson .. 12 1 45 1 A. R. MacGibbon 26.5 10 50 5 J. W. Kiddey .. 19 8 44 2 M. B. Podre ..16 7 20 0 B. A. Bolton ..15 3 58 2 M. Jack ..4 2 22 0 G. D. Alabaster 4 1 6 0 M. E. Chapple .. 5 2 12 0

Bowling ft M D 1X7 J. A. Hayes .. 20 4’ 46 5 J. SparHng 7 0 T. S. Hambrook B 2 19 0 20 1