Wellington’s Batting Fails Again

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30636, 30 December 1964, Page 12

Wellington’s Batting Fails Again

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 29.

Wellington went down by an innings and 158 runs to Central Districts in the Plunket Shield cricket match which ended at the Basin Reserve today.

Central Districts, who had scored 485 for seven, declared, in their first knock, soon ended Wellington’s first innings for a total of 198 this morning and then dismissed the side a second time for 129.

The second innings was a repeat of the first—only worse. The Wellington batsmen presented their wickets with generosity, aware only vaguely, if at all, of the requirements of their situation.

Five batsmen gave catches behind the wicket, not having learned the lesson of the first innings when seven did the same thing. Chapple’s Accuracy

The Central men kept the pressure on, fielding tremendously well again. The bowling burden revolved again around the accuracy of M. E. Chapple and B. W. Yuile, but there was more this time. Wairarapa’s young left-arm bowler, R. O. Collinge, set his sights much more accurately and bowled well for 12 overs. From these he took three for eight. The teen-age all-rounder, V. Pollard, distinguished himself by becoming the only Central bowler in either innings to hit the stumps—and this he did twice.

One-handed Catch

B. E. Congdon capped his fine catching of the previous day by taking a leaping onehander, which set the seal on a great match for him. In the morning session, T. G. McMahon soon went, still scoreless, and caught by his fellow wicket-keeper, R. Schofield. The catch enabled Schofield to break a New Zealand record of which McMahon was a co-holder. R. W. Biair went to 22 before he, too, gave Schofield a chance. That one was off Chapple and the Central skipper had five for 34 off 29.5 overs for the innings. B. W. Yuile pegged away with fine control and flight and had four for 58 off 35 overs.

In Wellington's second innings B. A. G. Murray and G. P. Bilby sparred with Colli nge—Murray from a rank long-hop. P. T. Barton had bat far removed from pads when he flashed at Collinge to give a catch to Congdon in the slips. Five Down For 50

J. R. Reid nicked one from B. Hampton and B. W. Sinclair drove into the air for Congdon to make his great catch. At this stage Wellington was five down for 50. Then came P. B. Truscott and he was to play most ably for his side. He batted with complete control and here was illustration, if any were needed, of what others might have achieved with similar purpose.

For a while he was aided and abetted by R. M. James who played some handsome strokes in going to 20, but the rest was oblivion.

Truscott was out when Schofield fielded the ball from B turn to leg and swiftly

threw the wicket down as the batsman dived desperately to make his ground. Scoreboard:— CENTRAL DISTRICTS First Innings (for 7 dec.) .. 485 WELLINGTON First Innings G. P. Bilby, c Congdon, b Chapple ..31 B. A. G. Murray, c Congdon, b Yuile .50 B. W. Sinclair, c Schofield, b Pollard ..29 P. T. Barton, c Schofield, b Chapple ..10 J. R. Reid, c Schofield, b Chapple ..It P. B. Truscott, b Yuile .. 1 R. M. Janies, c Schofield, b Chapple 3 L. C. Butler, c I. R. Hampton, b Yuile ..24 T. G. McMahon, c Schofield, b Yuile 0 R. W. Blair, c Schofield, b Chapple ..22 B. D. Morrison, not out .. 3 Extras (byes 7, leg-byes 2) 9 Total ..198

Fall of wickets: one for 80, two for 114, three for 118, four for 139, five for 144, six for 148, seven for 162, eight for 172, nine for 182.

Second Innings Murray, c Schofield, b Collinge ..5 Bilby, c B. Hampton, b Collinge .. 5 Sinclair, c Congdon, b Yuile 18 Barton, c Congdon, b Collinge 0 Reid, c Schofield, b B. Hampton 6 Truscott, run out .. ..54 James, lbw, b Yuile .. 20 Butler, c Yuile, b Kinsella 3 McMahon, b Pollard 6 Blair, b Pollard .., ~. 0 Morrison, not out ~. 0 Extras (byes 2) ~. 2 Total ... 129

Fall of wickets: one for 19, two for 20, three for 24, four for 42, five for 50, six for 88, seven for 104, eight for 127, nine for 128.

Bowling 0. M. R. W. Colllnge . . 18 7 27 0 Kinsella 9 2 28 0 B. L. Hampton 6 0 25 0 Yuile .. 35 17 58 Chapple .. 29.5 16 34 5 Pollard 9 2 17 1

Bowling 0. M. R. W Coiling* 12 5 18 3 Kinsella 13 0 42 1 Yuile 25 14 24 2 B. L. Hampton 7 5 8 1 Chapple Pollard 24 4.5 11 0 25 10 0 2