Premier trophies to Wellington?

Press, 17 January 1979, Page 16

Premier trophies to Wellington?

After its last-gasp loss to Otago in the Shell Cup competition, Wellington will have high hopes of success in the Shell Trophy series. And in the event of this victory coming to pass, Wellington would enjoy the distinction of holding the premier cricket and rugby trophies simultaneously.

In the uncomplicated days before the Ranfurly Shield shared a perch with the Lion national championship, and the Shell Cup and Trophy displaced the Plunket Shield. Auckland achieved the “double” in six different years, and Wellington on five occasions.

Canterbury succeeded in three years — 1931, 1935, and 1956. and Otago only once, in 1948. But that was a memorable year for Otago; it was the province’s centenary, and its teams won the national contests in athletics and swimming, as well as retaining the Ranfurly Shield and winning the Plunket Shield. Probably the best allround performance by a province was Auckland’s in 1959. It won the Plunket Shield, captured the

Ranfurly Shield from Southland, and carried off the Freyberg Rose Bowl (men’s golf), the Wilding Shield and Nunneley Casket (tennis), and the prin cipal awards for athletics, swimming, cycling and rugby league.

Canterbury had its best year in 1935, when provincial teams captured the Ranfurly, Plunket and Wilding Shields and the Nunneley Casket.

Wellington failed to .lift the Ranfurly Shield from Manawatu last winter, but it subsequently triumphed in the first division national rugby championship. Now it needs the Shell Trophy — the acknovyledged premier award in cricket — to complete a grand slam of sorts.