WELLINGTON WINS

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

WELLINGTON WINS

Reid In Fine Form

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 12. Scoring 35 runs in 17 minutes, Wellington snatched an outright victory today against Central Districts on the final day of the Plunket Shield match at the Basin Reserve. Wellington, needing 73 to win outright, had lost two wickets for 39 when rain caused the players to leave the field at 225 p.m. Play did not resume until 5.38 p.m., but with J. R. Reid again in splendid form, Wellington scored the runs with five minutes to spare and seven wickets intact. Central Districts started the day with six wickets down for 98 in its second innings, but stubborn batting by the tail-enders raised the score to 161 before the last wicket fell. In the first innings Central Districts scored 239, and Wellington replied with 328. Greasy bowling approaches delayed the start of play until almost 11 a.m., and R. W. Blair used liberal amounts of sawdust on his run-up. I. B. Leggat (29) and D. D. Beard (27), who rescued Central Districts from an almost hopeless position on Saturday, stayed until they had put on 50 together, but then Leggat was trapped in front by L. C. Butler. The former New Zealand representative batted 96 minutes for his 31. Attractive batting by G. Bartlett, who added 30 in 45 minutes with Beard, and a 20-run partnership for the last wicket made Central Districts’ final score of 161. if not imposing, at least respectable. Beard’s 60 was invaluable. He batted solidly for 148 minutes without giving a chance, and hit two 6’s and three 4’s. Steady Scoring Needing 73 for outright victory, Wellington lost its opening pair with only 10 on the board, but once J. R. Reid came in any thoughts Central Districts harboured of a sensational win soon faded. Reid was in his typically punishing form, and although both he and I. N. Brennan had some difficulty in playing H. B. Cave, who moved the ball about disconcertingly, runs came steadily However, at 2.25 p.m., with 39 runs scored, rain abruptly stopped play. The rain did not ease until 5.10 p.m., and play began again under a heavily overcast sky at 5.38 p.m. with Wellington needing 34 and the home side’s playfers scattered around the boundary to throw the ball back. Although Brennan left practically immediately, Reid was in tremendous form. Because of the slow outfield he concentrated mostly on quick singles and received excellent support from the new batsman, R. T. Barber. Fifteen runs came off the first three overs and 15 off the next two. In spite of some slight timesaving tactics by Central Districts five minutes remained with only four runs wanted. Off the first ball of the sixth over, Reid leaned into a ball from Beard and punched it through the covers, and even the wet outfield could not pull the ball back before it was over the boundary. Scores:— CENTRAL DISTRICTS First Innings ... .. .. 239 Second Innings G .lose, c J R Reid, b Blair .. 4 L Reade, c Brennan, b Blair .. 4 K F H. Smith, c Curtis, b Blair 21 R Small, c Preston, b Blair .. 0 P Newman, b R. E. Reid .. 0 P. Coutts, Ibv/ bJ. R Reid .. 7 I. B. Leggat, lbw, b Butler .. 31 D. D Peard. c Nightingale, b J. . R Reid .. ..60 H. B Cave, b Butler .. .. 0 C. Bartlett, b J R Peid .. 21 I. Colquhoun, not out .. 4 Extras (byes 3, leg-byes 4, ro-balls 2) .. 9 Total .. ..161 Fall of wickets: One for 7, two for 17. three for 23. four for 24, five for 34, six for 54, seven for 104, eight for 110, nine for 140.

First Innings .. ..328 Second Innings A - F- Nightingale, c Colquhoun, b Bartlett 3 P .A G. Murray, b Cave 5 1. N.. Brennan, c Colquhoun, b Beard .. .. .. 10 J R. Reid, not out 40 R T. Barber, not out .. ..7 Extras (byes 6. leg-byes 3) 9 Total for three wickets 74 Fall of wickets: One for 10. two for 10. three for 46.

Bowling „ O. M. R. W R W. Blair .. 29 11 44 4 R. E. Reid .. 22 6 36 1 J R. Reid .. 18 7 36 3 L. C. Butler .. » 17 8 35 2 A. H. Preston ..2 1 1 o WELLINGTON

Bowling O M R. W Bartlett .. 7 2 18 r Cave .. 10 2 30 1 Smith ..1 0 1 0 Beard .. 2.1 0 16 1