SHIELD CRICKET Canterbury Beaten By Wellington By 9 Wickets

Press, Volume C, Issue 29712, 4 January 1962, Page 5

SHIELD CRICKET Canterbury Beaten By Wellington By 9 Wickets

"The Press” Special Service

WELLINGTON, January 3.

Although Canterbury- batsmen fared immeasurably better in their second innings, Wellington continued its quite remarkable run of two-day victories in this season’s Plunket Shield matches with a handsome nine-wicket win at the Basin Reserve today.

After a startling first innings declaration by A. R. Mac Gibbon, Canterbury scored 211 in its second innings but this set Wellington only 61 runs for victory-, a target achieved in 41 minutes.

Features of the day for Canterbury- were Mac Gibbon’s declaration when still needing two runs to avoid the follow-on, and a splendid half-century by D. L. Gallop.

The declaration gave the day a touch of drama. It was made in circumstances perhaps unprecedented in shield cricket At 81 for nine with 83 the target to avoid the follow-on, Mac Gibbon started everyone by calling his batsmen in. There was an atmosphere of disbelief among the spectators and fieldsmen, and, of course, speculation was rife. Mac Gibbon’s plan obviously was to get in his second innings with the hope of some handsome run-scoring and so have Wellington bat fourth on a deteriorating wicket. It was a gamble—in a way a courageous gamble. That it did not delay Wellington’s victory was one thing: that Mac Gibbon had endeavoured in some way to overcome what appeared at that time insuperable obstacles was another.

R. A. Vance, of course, duly invited Canterbury to bat again, and though the visitors fared better, they could leave Wellington only 61 runs to score for the win.

After only 41 minutes of the remaining 82 in the day’s play. Wellington had the runs. B. A. G. Murray and T. C. McMahon thrashed the attack and the partnership ended only when Murray had to leave the field after hooking a ball into his face. R. W. Blair and B. D. Morrison soon sliced into the remains of the Canterbury first innings. K. Thomson took two from a towering skyer of a no-ball, but then reached for a ball outside the offstump and McMahon assisted Blair to his fifth wicket. Mac Gibbon had added four to his overnight 25 before Morrison threw one right into the block-hole. Mac Gibbon was late with his defensive bat and the bails scattered. J. E. England touched Blair down the leg-side for another McMahon catch, and then, with J. H. M. Dawson and J. W. Kiddey at the wickets, Mac Gibbon made his dramatic declaration. Early Setback So, in circumstances of high interest, the Canterbury second innings got under way. With just four on the board

the first blow fell—and yet again it was delivered by Blair. Yet it was almost an accidental thing. D. M. Hill ducked below wicket-height to get under a bumper that did not bump. It kept low, came straight through, and Blair’s appeal was forthright. Hill was out lbw, and MacGibbon came to put the innings back on an even keel. With Bolton, he put on 31 before he checked a stroke halfway through off Parson, and saw the bowler reach to take the catch. Parson, so encouraged. had Poore nibbling at the next ball, and the everreliable Murray took the catch at first slip. Canterbury was 35 for three. D L. Gallop, with innings of 89, 53, and 40 in previous shield matches this season, took the innings over with an aggressive hand. After batting quietly till lunch he made 44 in 25 minutes after the break. He moved into some glorious drives off Blair and favoured the sweep behind square leg for Butler who, incidentally, had dropped him off his own Dowling at 9. Innings A Tonic Gallop’s innings was a tonic for the spectators, but not really for the Canterbury innings for no batsman really followed his lead. Bolton moved to a painfully slow 30 scored in 150 minutes. However, he had kept an end going at least, and with Gal’op had added 78 for the fourth wicket. Gallop took 14 off one over from Blair three 4’s and a 2. Young Hadlee unfolded two superb drives through extra cover before being unnecessarily run-out while backingup. J. E. F. Beck appreciated the opportunity. Thomson and Truscott, two naturally attacking batsmen, held their fir. for long periods and got into the 30s. Thom-so-’s innings of 32 lasted 77 minutes, yet he hit five 4s and a 6. Blair made his match figures 10 for 82 yet another fine performance to add to a shield record studded with such efforts. His bowling twin. B. D. Morrison, always bowled with great heart and

in the second innings watched chances go astray. J. St. J. Parson's thrust at Canterbury's batting in the second innings was of immeasurable value. Yet again the Wellington ground fielding was excellent but the catching inconsistent. McMahon was in magnificent form behind the stumps. Quick Scoring Murray and McMahon attacked without let-up in their bid to get the game over before stumps. Boundaries flowed from both bats, sizzling cuts and square drives by McMahon, pugnacious hooks and drives by Murray. They took 28 off two Dawson overs, brought up the 50 in 31 minutes with a display which had the crowd cheering.

The partnership had a most unfortunate ending when Murray, having hooked Kiddey to the fence, hooked again and the ball shot from the bat straight into his face. He was assisted from the field and replaced by B. W. Sinclair who immediately touched Kiddey into England's gloves. A. H Preston joined McMahon to see things through. Scores:—

WELLINGTON First Innings 232 Second Innings B. A. G. Murray, retired hurt 26 T. G. McMahon, not out .. 29 B. W. Sinclair, c England, b Kiddey 0 A. H. Preston, not out 4 Extras (no-balls 2) 2 Total for one wkt. 61 Bowling O. M. R. W. J. W. Kiddey 7 2 19 1 J. H. Dawson 4 0 32 O A, R. MacGibbon 2 0 8 0 CANTERBURY First Innings B. A. Bolton, b Blair .. 0 P. B. Truscott, b Morrison .. 6 D. M. Hill, lbw b Blair .. 6 M B. Poore, b Blair 6 D. L. Gallop, c Beck, b Blair 8 B. G. Hadlee, c McMahon, b Morrison 3 K. Thomson, c McMahon, b Blair 17 A. R. MacGibbon, b Morrison 29 J. England, c McMahon, b Blair 0 J. H. Dawson, not out 4 J. W. Kiddey, not out 1 Extras (wide) .. .. 1 Total for 9 wickets declared 81 Fall of wickets: one for 0, two for 12. three for 16 four for 24. five for 29, six for 33, seven for 72, eight for 76, nine for 76. Bowling „ „ O. M. R. W. R. W. Blair 14.4 4 40 6 B. D. Morrison 14 7 25 3 J. St. J. Parson 3 0 12 0 L. C. Butler 3 13 0 Second Innings B, A. Bolton, c Parson, b Blair 30 D. M. Hill, lbw, b Blair .. 0 A. R. MacGibbon, c and b Parson 20 M. B. Poore, c Murray, b Parson 0 D. L. Gallop, b Butler 51 B. G. Hadlee, run out 12 K. Thomson, st McMahon, b McConnell 32 P. Truscott, c McMahon, b Morrison 38 J. England, lbw. b Blair .. 17 J. H. Dawson, c McMahon, b Blair 0 J. W. Kiddey. not out 0 Extras (byes 7. leg-byes 4) 11 Total 211 Fall of wickets: One for 4. two for 35, three for 35. four for 103, five for 109, six for 127, seven for 176, eight for 211, nine for 211. Bowling O. M. R. W. Blair ..21 12 42 4 Morrison .. 27 12 48 1 Parson .. 10 2 23 2 McConnell 19 7 43 1 Butler .. 13 3 44 1