CRICKET Canterbury-Auckland Game Ended By Rain

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28792, 13 January 1959, Page 14

CRICKET Canterbury-Auckland Game Ended By Rain

"The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, January 12,

A heavy shower of rain this afternoon precluded any chance of the Canterbury team losing outright in its Plunket Shield match against Auckland at Eden Park. When heavy rain stopped play 84 minutes before stumps Auckland wanted 100 runs to win, and had eight second-innings wickets in hand.

At that stage it was difficult to say whether Auckland would get the runs—it had already scored 67 for two wickets in even time — but there seemed little chance of Canterbury’s getting Auckland out. The prelude to this chase for runs was yet another Canterbury batting collapse between 10.30 am. and 3 p.m. During that time M. E. Chapple and R. C. Motz batted well, the rest batted indifferently; and Auckland's persistent bowling and fine catching bundled out the visitors for 159 This unexpected collapse left Auckland needing 167 runs in 153 minutes, but Auckland’s kindly rain stopped any possibility that Canterbury should for the third time this season lose outright after leading on the first innings. Because a short run was not noticed, Auckland's first-innings score on Saturday was 237, and not 238 runs. Canterbury’s Collapse The collapse of Canterbury’s second innings was every bit as strange as the failure of the latter part of the first innings on Friday. The pitch still helped the bowlers—the patch at one end still caused the occasional ball to lift quickly—but it was still good for batting. However, it did seem that the Canterbury batsmen allowed the bowlers, and particularly K. W Hough, who took another five wickets, to pin them down and force them into unnecessary errors. B. A. Bolton, it is true, did get a nasty ball from T. S. Hambrook, and was first out, at 27. However, J. W. D’Arcy, who looked in excellent form, and G. T Dowling, who stayed only briefly, were both out by pushing hopefully at the pitch of Hough’s bowling and directing catches straight to W. R. Playle at gully. Three for 37 soon became four for 44 when S. C. Guillen, the dominant batsman of the first innings, played a rash hook and was easily caught by J. T. Sparling at square leg. Of these four only Bolton had been got out by a really good ban. Chapple Bats Well Chapple showed how the bowling could be hit by picking his ojes, twos, and fours from the looser balls, and be added 30 of the 38 runs scored for the fifth wicket while J. W. Guy was almost strokeless Unhappily for Canterbury, Chapple departed immediately before lunch, at 82 for five wickets, and Auckland had a good, strong scent of victory.

Guy, after a painful innings of 16 in 118 minutes? was out soon after lunch, giving Playle his

third catch, and A. F. Rapley, who defended most stoutly, was seventh out at 108.

Then came the best batting of the innings. J. W. Kiddey made a tidy 19 before he hit over a yorker, and Motz hit some fine boundaries, several of them by driving over the fieldsmen’s heads. P. A. Small tried to do this, too, but gave Playle a chance to make a brilliant diving catch at deep mid-off. Motz’s merry innings ended when he was caught at mid-off.

Auckland’s second innings was notable for a sprightly 39 not not out by S. G. Gedye and Motz’s deliberate walk back to his bowling mark. The crowd heckled him for this, but he was getting through an over in about three minutes. As the Aucklanders sat gloomily in the grandstand they had the added displeasure of hearing that Wellington, Auckland’s main shield rival, had been able to resume its match and beat Central Districts. Scores:— CANTERBURY First innings ..244 Second Innings B. A. Bolton, c Rabone, b Hambrook .. .. 9 ~ P’ Arc y. c Playle, b Hough 21 G. T. Dowling, c Playle, b Hough 1 S. C. Guillen, c Sparling, b Sutton .. ..9 J. W Guy, c Playle. b Sutton .. 16 M. E. Chapple, c Ritchie. b Hough ..30 A. F Rapley, lbw, b Hough .. 11 J. W. Kiddey, b Marsdon .. 19 R. C. Motz. c Sutton, b Hough 29 P. A Small, c Playle, b Marsdon .. .. 9 W. Bell, not out j. .. 2 Extras .. .. .. 3 Total .. .. .. 159 Fall of wickets: one for 27. two for 28, three for 37, four for 44, five for 82, six for 95, seven for 108, eight for 122, nine for 148, ten for 159. Bowling

AUCKLAND First innings .. .. .. 237 Second Innings S. G. Gedye, not out .. .. 39 R. M. Harris, lbw, b Kiddey .. 12 J. T. Sparling, c Guillen. b Kiddey .. ..15 J. Marsdon, not out .. 1 Total for two wickets .. 67 Fall of wickets: one for 27, two for 47. Bowling O. M. R. W. Motz 6 0 28 ft

A short run passed detection by the scorers in Auckland’s first innings on Saturday. The total was changed to 237 R. E. Sutton scored eight, and W Bell’s bowling figures read: 16, 5, 36. 1.

O. M. R. W. R. E. Sutton .. 18 3 54 2 K. W Hough .. 25.4 9 43 5 T. S. Hambrook 9 4 7 1 T. J. Sparling .. 13 5 15 0 G. O. Rabone .. 8 3 16 0 J. Marsdon 5 0 21 2

Motz .. 6 0 28 0 Kiddey .. 9 1 33 2 Small .. 4.2 1 6 0