CRICKET SUPREMACY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 78, 27 December 1926, Page 11

CRICKET SUPREMACY

BATTLES FOR PLUNKET SHIELD WELLINGTON OPENS STRONGLY I 149 FOR NO WICKETS Wellington’s lucky star was again in the ascendant on Ciirismas Day, when the annual match with Otago commenced „ at the Basin Reserve alter the luncheon hour. Heavy showers during the morning had made it doubtful whether any play at all would be possible, but the clouds lifted at midday and a start was made at 2 o’clock, Brice won the toss from Biamires, and Wellington had first use of the wicket, which had been covered. Drizzling rain set in shortly after play started, rendering the wicket easy, the ball greasy, and foothald insecure. Hiddleston and Worker, showing the soundest of defence, were still together when rain stopped play at seven min- ' utes past 5, when the board showed no wickets down for 149 runs, Hiddleston being 97 and Worker 50.

Henderson stood out of the ■Wellington team, while Galland, who is still lame, was twelfth man for Otago.

Plav commenced at 2.2, Hiddleston Mid Worker opening to the bowling of Dickenson and Torrance. Hiddleston

hooked the first ball of Dickenson’s second over to the fence at long-leg. Hiddleston was playing the fast bowler confidently, and forced the first ball of his third over to leg for 3, bringing 10 up for twenty minutes’ play. Worker, after notching a couple of singles, forced Torrance to leg for 2. Green, the Otago wicketkeeper, was standing twelve yards back to Dickenson, who was sending them down at rare pace. Torrance was keeping a good length, his first four overs, two of which were maidens, only costing two runs. Worker had a let-off off the first ball of Torrance’s fifth over, which was missed by Blamires at first slip, and went for a single. Hiddleston again got Dickenson away to leg for three, bringing 20 up in 35 minr utes, and the same batsman in this over late-cut the fast bowler to the ropes. , Blunt Takes the Ball. With 26 up, Dickenson, who had sent down six overs for 22 runs, gave way to Blunt, the field spreading well out. Hiddleston reached 20 by going out and lifting the slow bowler loftily to square-leg for a couple. Thirty came up after 48 minutes play, and drizzling rain caused a rush of spectators to the shelter of the grandstand. Worker, who had been at the wickets for 40 minutes, reached 10 with a single off Torrance, and Hiddleston snicked the next delivery to fine-leg for four. The same batsman drove Torrance past mid-off for a couple. A • single to Worker off Blunt brought 40 up, and Hiddleston .banged the next ball to the fence at mid-on, and got another one away to leg for a couple. Hiddleston in Form. At 48 Shepherd relieved Torrance, whose eight overs had only cost 12 runs. Hiddleston brought 50 up for an hours play by hitting the new bowler to the benches at square-leg, reaching 40. H. Alloo was doing good work at deep square-leg, cutting off several boundaries. Hiddleston was ■going well. He next turned Shepherd to leg for three. Worker hit out at one, from Shepherd, and flew the leather over Biunt’s head at second slip, a lucky escape. Sixty came up as the result of a string. of singles. At 69 Torrance went on to bowl in ■ place of Blunt, whose five overs had cost 1.9 runs. Good fielding by Dickenson at mid-off, and H. Alloo at mid-on, called up applause off successive strokes by Worker.

Hiddleston Reaches the Half-ccntury.

Dickenson here replaced Shepherd, Hiddleston bringing 70 up, and reaching - his half-century, after 80 minutes’ play, . with” a single ’ off the fast bowler. Worker reached 20 with a single off the same bowler. A beautiful shot to long-leg by Hiddleston off Dickenson had the applause going. This brought 80 up in 90 minutes. Hiddleston next powerfully hooked a short one from Torrance to the fence, placing himself in the sixties. ■A. Alloo, at 84, took the ball from Dickenson, sending down a good maiden to Worker. Two to Hiddleston to mid-on off Torrance and a couple to long-leg by Worker brought 90 up. The tea adjournment was taken at 3.45 with the board showing no wickets clown for 91, Hiddleston being 66 and Worker 24. A heavy shower fell during the interval. On resuming at 4.5 Hiddleston continued to bat brightly, driving Alloo to the extra Jong-on boundary, which placed him in the seventies. A heavy shower of rain made the ball greasy and difficult to handle. The Hundred Gnes Up. Worker off-drove 'Torrance for 3, bringing the first hundred up for 115 minutes’ play. Hiddleston was pulling well, and got Torrance away square with this stroke for 3. Worker cut the next delivery for a couple, reaching the thirties. > Torrance had now sent down 15 overs for 31 runs. Hiddleston got 3. for a Ipcky snick past Blamires at slip off Alloo. With his score at 79 Hiddleston gave Torrance a very hot catch at mid-on, but it was too difficult to hold. Worker got 2 off successive strokes on the one-side off Torrance, bringing 110 up. Hiddleston was now in the eighties and playing freely. Worker got his first boundary of the day by pulling Torrauce to the benches at iliid-on, reaching the forties, and bringing 120 in sight. The Otago fielding was good, the men mov,.ing smartly, picking up cleanly, and returning well. • Three to mid-on by Worker off Alloo was a good stroke. At 128 Dickenson came on again, relieving Torrance, who had bowled seventeen overs for 41 runs. Hiddleston set the applause going strongly by beautifully swinging one from the fast bowler to the fence at long-leg. This placed him in the nineties.

Caught Off a No-Ball.

With 135 up, Blatnires, the Otago captain, had a try in place of A. Alloo, whose seven overs had cost 21 runs. Hiddleston hit a ball to A. Alloo at cover, who tnisfielded, but Hiddleston refused to run, though Worker came right up to him. Next ball, a no-ball, he let out at, and Shepherd took a good catch at loiTJf-off. Otago’s luck was right out. With his score at 93, Hiddleston snicked Blatnires to Blunt at second slip, but the ball struck the fieldsman on the knee, knocking him out for a time.

Worker Gets His Fifty. Worker reached his half-century after having been at the wickets for 153 minutes. At 5.7 o’clock, a heavier shower than usual drove the players to the pavilion, and, as the rain this time had set in in earnest, stumps were drawn for the day. The 119 runs had been scored in 165 minutes. The Otago men had stuck to their work under the adverse conditions with grim determination, and had done extremely well to keep the runs down so well. Considering the easy state of the wicket, the greasy ball, insecure foothold, and that the batsmen were well set after the first hour, the Otago bowlers did remarkably well. The fielding, with the exception of a couple of lapses in the slips by Blamires and Blunt, was the best seen here in Plunket' .Shield games for many years. The players chased the leather untiringly, backed up well, and picked up ground shots cleanly with either hand. Green did sound work with the gloves, only allowing a solitary’ bye. How the Batsmen Shaped. Hiddleston opened like a batsman in form, and, while showing the soundest

of defence, came down hard .on the over-tossed and short ones. His hooking and pulling strokes were executed with perfection of timing. In tall, be hit twelve tourers. Worker’s defence was impregnable, but there-was little power behind his strokes, only one boundary shot coming during his innings of two and a half hours. WELLINGTON. First Innings. J. S. Hiddleston, not out ...., 97 R. de R. Worker, not out bt) Extras —Byes 1, no-balls 1 2 Total for no wickets 119

Umpires: Messrs. R. I*. Steele and A. Francis The match will be continued at 11 o’clock this morning. CANTERBURY V. AUCKLAND MATCH POSTPONED ON ACCOUNT OF RAIN. Dominion Special. Christchurch, October 26. The Canterbury v. Auckland Plunket Shield match could not be commenced yesterday because of the heavy rain. ’ Heavy and continuous rain has thoroughly soaked the wicket at Lancaster Park, and although the outlook has greatly improved owing to a drying wind, the prospects this afternoon for the commencement -pf the Shield match are not bright. The weather is still cloudy, with indications of further rain from the fast. In any case, the wicket is certain to be very heavy when the game commences, and whichever side wins the toss will have a distinct advantage.

SHEFFIELD SHIELD NEW SOUTH WALES V. VICTORIA (Rec. December 26, 5.5 p.m.) Melbourne, December 25. New South Wales commenced a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria, losing six wickets for 188 (Phillips 32, Andrews 42, Kippax 36). The weather was fine, and the wicket good. Liddicutt was in great form with the ball, .capturing four wickets, and keeping the batsmen constantly on the defensive. The batting was. very slow. Phillips, Andrews, and Kippax were the only men to show flashes of freedom. The others went cheaply. Melbourne, December 26. New South Wales in the first innings made 221. (Hogg not out 40, Mailev 20). Liddicutt took four wickets for 50, and Ryder three for 32. The display was wearying, the score taking five hours 4 minutes to compile. »

Bowling Amlvsis. R. w O. 31. ... 1-2 0 4-2 0 ... 17 G -1-2 0 Blunt r* 0 21 0 A. Alloo 7 2 22 0 Shepherd 0 1-1 0 Blamires 0 6