54 Runs A Minute In Auckland Game

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 14

54 Runs A Minute In Auckland Game

“The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, January 28.

For some unfathomable reason Auckland and Canterbury could score only 206 runs in the 380 minutes they laboured away under a hot sun during the second day of their Plunket Shield match at Eden Park today.

Of these 206 Auckland used 93 to progress painstakingly, and often painfully, frori 125 for two overnight to 218, thus gaining a lead of 48 runs on the first innings. Then Canterbury used up nearly three hours in scoring 111 for three wickets and thus will enter the last day today with a lead of 63 runs, seven »econd-innings wickets uitact and much brighter prospects then they had on Saturday evening.

There was no reasonable excuse for the batsmen to turn batsmanship from an attacking art into a war of attrition. The sun shone brightly, the outfield was stall fast and the pitch, although taking spin, was not a great deal more difficult than on Saturday. There was, ot course, some accurate and steady bowling, especially from R C. Motz m the morning, and any amount of spin-bowling at a nagging i ngth in the Tiernoon

In many cases bold measures were needed to break the spell Only too seldom did they come—B. G. Hadlee, of Canterbury was one. and R W. Morgan played a brisk innings for Auckland—and, instead, boldness gave way to drudgery

Auckland, tor example, scored its 50 to 51 minutes and the IM In 117 minutes on Saturday The next 50. 35 on Saturday and 25 today, took 107 minutes, and the next 98. In the first hour today Auckland scored 14 runs, and five of these were extras In the next hour there were 26 runs, including one extra tn the 140 minutes before lunch Auckland scored 58 runs from the bat.

Only Montan looked the part, with bis crisp leg-side placements and growing confidence and power on the drive.

Canterbury sc red a little more quickly early in its innings but aa the afternoon wore on the maidens became more frequent, and B A Bolton. the Canterbury opener scored 35 In 152 minutes

Highlit Mt Amid all this dullness the tew highlights stood out tn bold relief Early in the day Motz bowled round the wicket, with the obvious intention of aiming at the footmarks he had made at the other end on Saturday He did not Mt the footmarks with any startling result but tn one over the unusual angle of his attack destroyed both S G Gedye and J. T Snarling on or outside the off stump

Motz bowled well tn this well with 14 overs. 1 maidens. It runs and 2 sriekets D L Gallon blocked up the other end with 18 overs. IS maidens. 16 runs and 2 wickets, mainly

because no-one could pick his “bosie" quickly and were not willing to play him outside the crease-

One of the minor feats of the day was that J. M. Mclntyre, the nightwatchman, should bat another 90 minutes—for eight runs.

Then, from the first ball of the Canterbury second innings G. T Dowling tried for a quick single to Sparling who fielded perfectly. threw down the bowler's wicket and sent Dowling on his way richer to experience, if not in runs

During the afternoon there were the inevitable requests that spectators listening to the cricket test on transistor radios should turn them down so as not to distract the players. For most of the day It was the spectators. rather than the players, who were nearer the point of complete distraction. Scores:— CANTERBURY

First innings .. ..170 Second Innings G. T. Dowling, run out .. 0 B. A. Bolton, b Sparling .. 35 B G Hadlee, c Mclntyre, b Sparling .. 28 B F. Hastings, not out .. 38 K Thomson, not out 6 Extras (1 bye, 3 legbyes. 2 no-balls) 8 Total for three wickets 111 Fall of wtckets: one for 0.

Fall at wteketa: one for 7? two for 134. three for 133. four for 133. five tor 146. six for 188. •even for IM. eight for 178. nine for 3M Bowling

two for 40. three for 101. R. W M. R S. Cunts .. 10 5 17 0 R E. Sutton .. 9 4 7 0 J T. Sparling 19 6 33 3 J M. McIntyre 13 3 33 0 R. W. Morgan 3 1 9 0 W D. Nortnan 4 3 6 0 AUCKLAND

first timings s. G. Gedye. c Ward, b Mote TO w C Norman e Dowling, b Bolton S w R Playle e Wart b Mott 37 J M McIntyre, e Dowling, b Gallop 8 J J. T. Sparling, b Mott G. Kemp, e Bolton, b 0 Gallop s p P W Morris, c Kiddey. b Dawson 11 R W Morgan, b Dawson .. 36 S R Sneed, run out 3 R. S Cunis. c Bolton, b Dawson to R E Sutton, not out 3 ■es. pas. • balls) 31 Total 318

H C Mott J. W. Kiddny 6 34 IT M. 13 • M 33 w. 3 0 K Thomson .. 3 • U 0 B A Bolton .. 14 3 34 I J H M Da*. T 33 3 D. L. CMiop .. ■ IS 30 3