PLUNKET SHIELD BATTLES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 81, 30 December 1926, Page 10

PLUNKET SHIELD BATTLES

ANOTHER SOLID SCORE BY WELLINGTON

TAIL WAGS FURIOUSLY

A CENTURY TO JAMES

GREAT LAST WICKET STAND

The fourth day of the Plunket Shield match between Otago and Wellington at the Basin Reserve Yesterday produced the most exhilarating cricket of the game. Wellington, with eight wickets down for 169, were not doing too well-in-their second innings till Badcock came in, and, aided by a bit of luck, assisted James to put on 72 for the ninth wicket; the coach doing some hurricane hitting. This feat, however, yas eclipsed by James and Brice, who made a splendid stand for the last wicket, which added no fewer than 138 runs to the score. A feature of the innings was a not out century by James, the Wellington wicket-keeper, while Brice, the local captain, who was last man in, hit up a merry 70. Faced with 621 to get to win, Otago Jost six wickets, for 122, and are thus 498 runs behind with only four wickets in hand. .-

With four wickets down for 103, Lowry (35) and Lambert (15) continued WcfJington’s second innings at 11 o’clock, in hot, muggy weather. Blunt took up the bowling from the northern end, a single to each batsman coming from the over! ’ Torrance had charge of the attack from the other end, Lambert placing the fourth ball past cover to the fence. Lowry got three for a lucky unick through the slips off Blunt, and Lambert got two off the next ball to cover, A. Alloo saving the boundary with' his feet. Lambert then played forward to one from Blunt, and cocked the ball up ..the pitch. Blunt- got to it by. running up the wicket and throwing himself in a supreme effort, which brought,' oft'-a great , catch. Lambert had batted brightly for bis 25, assisting Lowry to add 62 for the fifth wicket. JlB—s-25.

McGirr joined Lowry, who was 40, and opened by. banging the first ball he received to the fence at square-leg. Lowry then powerfully drove Torrance' past cover to .the fence. Lowry who had played a finished innings for, 4L which included four boundary shots', was then bowled by a beauty from Torrance, which came in from leg. 118—6—14. Hollings came next, and. after notching a couple off Blunt on the off, pulled the slow bowler to the fence at squareleg. This brought 130 up.” They went along to. 142, when McGirr swung at one from Torrance, and lifted the ball straight into H. Allo's hands- at midon. 142—7—11. .

Janies Reaches the Century.

Two Good Colts,

James came next, and got . Blunt away to long-leg for three, Zimmerman cutting off the boundary by using his feet. The 150 came up for 160 minutes’ play. At 154. A. Alloo relieved Blunt, who had sent down 16 overs for 73 runs. It was a treat to watch the two colts moving nimbly between the wickets. They picked up many short runs which the older and more sedate members of the side had missed earlier in the innings. They ran two for a tap to leg by Hollings off A. Alloo, while the veteran Blamires chased the leather, and they picked another easily while the slow return was coming in. Hollings reached 20 by placing Torrance past Blamires at first slip to the fence. The colts continued to run for every shot to cover, but at 169 Hollings, who had reached 23, was bowled by A. Alloo. 169—8—23.

Sequence of Sensations. Badcock came next, and caused some fireworks. He poked the first ball to Blunt at first slip, but the fieldsman just failed to make a catch. The next ball Badcock drove hard into Torrance’s hands at mid-on, but the fieldsman, alter juggling with the leather, put it on the carpet. jThey went for the run, and Elamites threw James’s wicket down as he . flashed his bat over the crease. It was a close thing and the grand finale to quite a sequence of sensations off two balls.' James then opened out and got Torrance away several times to leg. Facing Alloo, he got one away to long-leg, and they ran four for it, another coming for an overthrow. Badcock then opened out ami lifted'" A; Alloo high to long-off, where H. Alloo misjudged what should have been art' easy catch, the ball landing over the fieldsman’s' head and rolling to the boundary. Badcock then slammed Alloo to the fence at extra lotigou.si ' This brought Dickenson on to steady the rapid scoring, but Badcock swung; the fast bowler to. the fence at square-leg. This brought 200 up for 186 initiates’ play.

' Badcock Forces the Pace. Blunt now - had a try in place of A. Alloo. Badcock was snowing his team mates that there. was nothing wrong with the wicket. lie powerfully ond.rove Dickenson to the track, the leather travelling at rare pace.- Badcock then snicked one dangerously close to the slips; which went to the fence. Blunt completely beut James with a leg-break, but the ball missed the sticks, and Green failed to stump the batsman through failing to take tho ball. Badcock then twice smacked Blunt to the ’ fence on the on-side.

Janies Opens Out. At 229, Blamires had a try in place of Dickenson, and Jutnes hooked the Otago. captain’s second ball to the benches at square-leg, and got the sixth away to long-leg for four I-' The rapid seo'sing was refreshing after the poky pl'ay- which had prevailed for the greater part of the match. To the first ball of Blunt’s next over, Badcock jumped out for a slam, missed, and was smartly stumped by Green. The retiring batsman had given a refreshing hitting display, knocking up his 35, which included . eight tourers, in about 20 minutes. He had helped James to add 72 for the ninth wicket. This bright partnership bad redeemed the innings. 241 —9—35.

Great Last Wicket Stand. Brice, the last wan, joined. James, who was 43, and cocked one back towards bl am ires, but the veteran bowler was too slow to get to it. The Otago captain tempted Brice with a “donkey drop,” but the Wellington skipper waited for it, and lifted it, on the third hop, for a couple to deep square-leg. A faster one from Blunt beat everything, just grazed James's sticks, and went tnrough for four byes. This brought 250 up. Janies then hopped out, and hit Blunt on the full toss to the fence at mid-on, reaching his half-cen-tury. Torrance came on again, at -;Xi, and A. Alloo took the ball from Blunt. After a period of careful play, James got Torrance past cover for three. James reached 60 by getting Alloo nukilv through the slips for two, and mishitting the next ball to uqtiafe-leg for a couple. Brice was playing the rock for James, and doing it very well. At 271, Blunt relieved Torrance, and Zimmerman had a try in Altoo’s P James hooked the Oamaru left-handei to the fence at'square-leg, seven coming from the over. The batsmen were still together at the luncheon adjournment. James being 69 and Brice 10. The las. wicket had added 40 runs. Um board -showed 278 for nine wickets.

Runs Still Come. On resuming at 1.45. A. Alloo aud Blunt continued, to bowl. After a per-

. iod of watchful play, Price lifted Alloo ■to the boundary at long-off. Off the ■last ball of AUob's twenty-first over, Brice placed one dangerously close to Blunt at second slip. James then banged one from Blunt to the benches at squareleg, ami . Brice followed suit. Another powerful hook by James sent one from ..Blunt over the boundary at square-leg. This brought the third hundred up for 256 minutes’ play, and made James 80. James next cut Alloo to the ropes. At 308, Dickenson took the ball from Blunt, and Brice swung the fast bowler to the ropes at long-leg, reaching the twenties,, and bringing 310 up. Zimmerman then relieved Alloo, and Brice swept the Oamaru man round to the fence at long-leg, very nearly tramping cn his wicket as he pivoted for the stroke. James reached the nineties by crispy late —cutting Dickenson for four, and there was speculation as to whether the useful wicket-keeper would get his century. Brice reached the thirties by gliding Dickinson to leg for a couple, and he then powerfully hooked the fast bowler to mid-on for four.

At 330, Torrance replaced Dickenson. James crept up by singles to 97, and he hung there for some time, both bowlers being on the spot A single to leg off Torrance made James 98. Brice reached 40 and brought 340 up bv getting Torrance to leg for two, and driving him past cover for three. The last wicket partnership had now produced 100 runs.

At 3.43 A. Allop relieved Zimmerman, who had bowled really well. A great burst of cheering went up when James reached his century by. hitting Alloo to the fence'nt mid-on. Now that the tension had been removed, both batsmen took more risks. Brice opened out to Alloo, and lifted the ball into Zimmer, man’s hands in the country, but it popped out again. The Wellington captain then banged Allon to the long-off boundary, reaching his half-century. He then slammed the last ball of the over to the fence at mid-on. The Wellington captain was now playing good cricket, and quickly ran to 60. He then swung Shepherd to the benches at long-leg, 'find lifted the next one over long-on’s head to the track. Runs were now coming at hurricane pace. James had a narrow escape of being run. out nt 377, Shepherd throwing the wicket down as the batsmen went for a short one. The end came at 377, Brice, who had played a sterling innings for 70, being clean bowled by Alloo. He kept his wicket up to let James get his century, and then opened out on the bowling, hitting nine fourers. James was left not out with 107 to his credit. He again showed that he is an enterprising batsman, who can force runs against good bowling. He hit one fiver and eleven fourers in his bright display. The last wicket partnership added 138 runs, and changed the whole complexion of the game. The Otago bowlers had come through a trying ordeal, but A. Alloo came out of it with distinct credit, sending down 230 deliveries, off which only 94 runs were scored, and he secured five wickets. Blunt also did well to get three for 113 off 25 overs, and Torrance was very steady, while sending along 18 overs for two wickets and 47 runs.

A Stern Chase. Requiring 621 to win, Shepherd and DJunt commenced Otago’s second innings at 3.12. Badcock and McGirr takin” up the bowling. Badcock had his off-theorv going again, with only one man (Brice at mid-on) on the on-side. Badcock opened , with four maiden overs, but the batsmen were more at home to McGirr, the first ten runs all coming from this bowler. At last Shepherd got n single off Baucock’s fifth over, breaking the string of maiden overs. The wicket was showing signs of wear, one ot McGirr’s tearaways rearing up and giving Blunt a rap over the heart. Blunt reached double figures while Shepherd was scoring four singles, but the latter then opened out and banged McGirr to the spectators at nnd-on. 1 his brought 20 up. Badcock had now bowled six overs for one run. With 23 up, Lambert replaced McGirr, whose five overs had cost 19 runs. lhe tea adjournment was taken with the score fit 24, Blunt being 12 and Shepherd 9. On resuming, the fourth ball of Badcock’s seventh over clean bowled Shepherd. who -d a flick to leg, 24—1—9. Knight a.* cd to see Blunt drive McGirr to the fence at long-off, Kortlang valiantly endeavouring to overtake a ball which was much too fast lor him. Knight, the patient stonewaller of the first innings, blossomed out in a new role. He powerfully drove Badcock to the long-off boundary and placed the next delivery to square-leg for a couple. Blunt reached 20 by forcing Badcock to the on for a single. A single to Knight off McGirr brought 40 up. > At 45 McGirr, who had sent down ten overs for 26 runs, gave way to Brice, who had his favourite leg-theory going. A sweet off-drivje by Blunt off Badcock brought three, Lambert cutting off the boundary by sprinting hard. The 50 came up in 70 minutes, end then a fast one by Brice went clean through for four byes. With 55 on the slate Badcock,, who had bowled thirteen overs for 21 runs and a wicket, gave way to Rollings. With the fieldsmen all huddled round his heels Knight placed Brice past cover to the fence. Bl tint sweetly tapped Hollings through the slips for three, reaching the thirties. lie' then sent Brice speeding to the fence at long-off, and cut Hollings' for three. AVitli his score at 38, one from Brice roared up and struck Blunt on the glove, the ball cocking up. to Lambert, close, in on the leg side, who took a one-handed catch. 72—2—38.

Cherry came next, and drove Brice to the on for three, and lifted him high to the boundary at square-leg. At 82, Bollings, whose four overs had cost 12 runs, was replaced by Badcock", and Knight, who had reached 19, was brilliantly caught by Bollings oif the Englishman’s first ball. 82—3—19. Dickenson followed, only to see Cherry, who had reached eleven, clean bowled by Badcock. 85 —4 —ll. A. W. Alloo camo in to see what lie could do. A fast one from Brice bent the wicketkeeper, and travelled to tin sight screen for four byes. The hundred came up for 120 minutes’ play. At 104, McGirr replaced Brice, whose

ten overs had cost 25 runs and a wicket, and Alloo brought 110 up by squarecutting the last ball of the Hutt bowler’s over to the fence. Dickenson reached double figures by turning Badcock to the on for a couple, and getting him through the slips for a similar number, the last stroke going perl lously close to Hollings at second slip With 115, his end came, Hiddleston taking a smart catch in the slips off Me Girr. 115—5—13.

Blamires joined A. Alloo, who was 14, and the score was moved along to 120. With the tally at 122, A. Alloo, who had scored 19, was beaten all the way by McGirr. 122-6-19. Zimmerman joined his captain, bin at 5.50 an appeal against the light • as upheld, and stumps were drawn for the day, with the board showing six wickets down for 122. Otago were left 1n a hopeless position, as (hoy still require 498 runs, with only four wickets in hand. Badcock again bowled exceptionally well, sending down twenty overs, off which only 36 runs were scored, while he claimed three wickets. He kept a perfect length, and worried the batsmen greatly with hi» off-theory. McGirr secured two for 37 off thirteen overs, and Brice one for 25 off nine WELLINGTON. First innings D 8

T o f a i 379 Fall of wickets: One for 33, two for 33 three for 46, four for 56, five tor 118, six for 128, seven for 142, eight for 169, nine for 241, ten for 379.

OTAGO. First innings - 07 Second Innings. R C. Blunt, c. Lambert, b. Brice .. 38 J.’ Shepherd, b. Badcock 9 A. R. Knight, c. Hollings, b. Badcock *9 R. Cherry, b. Badcock n G. R. Dickenson, c. Hiddleston, b. McGirr .... A. W. Alloo, b. McGirr 13 T). O. Blamires, not out — - C. Zimmerman, not out " Extras —Byes 11 _ Total for six wickets ...•••••••|;2 Fall of wickets: One tor 24, two for 72, three for 82, four for 85, five for 115, six for 122. Bowling Analysis. * Badcock 20 8 36 3 McGirr 13 1 37 2 Lambert o ? 25 1 Hollings 4 0 12 0 The match will be resumed at 11 o’clock this morning. GOOD GATES The Wellington-Otago Plunket Shield match has been well patronised throughout. and up to yesterday well ov<er XoOO had been taken at the gates. Ibe daily’ receipts approximately have Saturday, 41150; Monday, .8175, Tuesday. £150; Wednesday, .£9O; total, <£565. five wickets to spare AUCKLAND DEFEATS CANTERBURY BY TEtiEGRAPH.—PRESS. ASSOCIATION. Christchurch, December 29. The Plunket Shield match Auckland v 1 Canterbury ended this afternoon m a" win for Auckland by five wickets. Canterbury flattered their oU PP° rt t e ] ™ by running up a total of 257 m the second innings leaving £ith ,166 runs to get for a win. Canterbury still had a chance when five Auckland wickets had fallen for 72, but thereafter Gillespie and Frater, Auckland batsmen, mastered the bowling, and made the necessary runs. Boon (52) and Read (26) resumed the Canterbury innings, the total being 216 for seven wickets. Player and Alcott bad charge of the Auckland attack. Both not out men played good fipl’ting cricket, and carried the score to 241 before Dacre made ii double change, Bowlev and Matheson coming on. Hie change was effective. In Matheson s first over Read was out leg-before. 248 _S—l4. Cunningham, the next man, scored a couple, and then was run out. .>55—9_2. Burrows, the last man in, bad scored a single, when he saw Bowley skittle Boon’s stumps, and the innings closed. Mills and Bowley opened Auckland s second innings, to the bowling of Cunningham and Read. Bowley played Cuningham’s sixth delivery round into Sandman’s hands at square-leg, but Sandman failed to hold the easiest "iitch. Bowley was fated to go, however, for Read sent him back to the pavilion with his sixth ball. 2—l—2. Cooper filled the vacancy. The rate of scoring was slow, the batsmen playing themselves in carefully to the very good bowling. Thirty was reached after 35 minutes’ play. The total was 36 when Sandman relie’Zn 1 Cunningham.

Off his fourth ball Mills gave a hard return to Sandman, a difficult catch, which was not accepted. At luncheon the score was 47 for one wicket. When play was resumed a light drizzle fell, making- the ball greasy again, a condition very much in the batsmen’s favour. Cooper was almost immediately caught in the slips off Head. 49—2—20. Gillespie, the next man, looked comfortable very soon. Mills gave a chance off Cunningham to Read at mid-on, but the catch was dropped. The next ball, however, the batsman was out leg before. Alcott stopped two balls, and was skittled by Cunningham. 63_4_A. Dacre, the next man, made a single, and then stepped in front of a straight one from Read, and was out. 72—5—1. Frater and Gillespie plaved carefully together for a quarter of an hour, and then showed good aggressive .-ticket, combined witii reasonable caution. Frater gave one chance off Cunningham, when the total was 140, to Sandman at deep square log. but the catch was not accepted. Gillespie played a faultless knock, and never looked like being beaten. Following are the scores: — CANTERBURY. First innings I™

Total 257 Bowling Analysis.—Player took one wicket for 50 runs; Alcott, two for <1; Bowley, four for 84; Cooper, none tor 23; Dacre, none for 10; Wilson, none lor 9; ’ Matheson, one for 4.

Total for five wickets -167 Bowling Analysis.—Cunningham took two wickets for 60 runs; Read- three for 49; Sandman, none for 21; Patrick, none for 13; Burrows, none for 14. PROFESSIONAL’S OPINION OF CANTERBURY TEAM Dominion Special. Christchurch, December 29. Interviewed after the Plunket Shield match had. finished, Bowley, the English professional coach, said that Canterbury were a great fighting side, the fielding was good and. the team veie all very keen. Cunningham, he said, was a great bowler. Read, a bowler of moods, bowled well on his day and took a lot of watching. Sandman was the same as all slow bowlers; he could be expensive but could get any wicket. Crawford struck him as being Canterbury’s most solid bat. Page and Boon played fine innings and were the makings of good cricketers. What they required was to get into good company and get plenty of cricket. Bowley thought that the Canterbury team was captained very well. Dacre, the Auckland skipper, said that the rain had beaten Canterbury; that and losing the toss.

CANTERBURY TEAM CHOSEN Dominion Special. Christchurch, December 29. The following team has been chosen to represent Canterbury in the Plunket Shield match against 'Wellington, which commences here on New Year’s Day:— Patrick (captain),- Crawford. Gregory, Boon, Cunningham, Read. Oliver, Sandman, Woods, Mcßeth, and Page. Talbot is twelfth man. WALKER SHIELD BY Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, December 29. In the New Zealand Suburban Cricket Association’s Walker Shied competition, Auckland, in their first innings, made 138, and Wellington 143. ’ AUCKLAND COLTS ON TOUR BY Telegraph.—Press association. Napier, December 29. Beale’s Auckland team commenced a match to-day against the Hawke’s Bay colts. Batting first, the home side scored 159 runs (O’Brien 38. Reaney 32, Davis 18, Eyans 22). Bowling, Butler took four wickets for 2. runs (Johnson three for 30, Saunders three for 45). The visitors replied with 175 runs (Monteith 48, McCarthy 50, Coates 17). Bowl, ing, Rnuse took two wickets for 42 runs (Elliott six for 73). Hawke’s Bay went in again, and had lost three wickets for 36 runs, when stumps were drawn. UMPIRES FOR SATURDAY Messrs. J. R. Burley and W. E. Watts have been appointed as umpires for the match between a Wellington eleven and the Mercantile League at the Basin Reserve on New Year’s Day.

Melbourne, December 29.

AUSTRALIA’S WEAK BOWLING (Rec. December 29, 8.30 p.m.)

SHEFFIELD SHIELD MATCHES VICTORIAS GREAT SCORE RECORD BEATING FOR NEW SOUTH WALES (Rcc. December 29, 9.10 p.m.) Melbourne, December 29. In the Sheffield Shield match New South Wales in the second innings made 230 (Phillips 36. Morgan 26, Kippax 26, Ratcliffe 41, Jackson not out 59). Liddicut took four wickets for 66, and Hartkopf six for 98. The record-making mulch ended with a record beating for New South Wales by an innings and 656 runs, the Victorian bowlers Hartkopf and Liddicut putting up proportionately almost as good a performance *as her batsmen on the previous days. The weather was fine and wicket still good. The batting was of the routine, though fairly lively; ' order, in the early stages, but the excellent bowling and keen fielding kept the runs down. The only sensation was when the veteran had his leg stump removed by Liddicut the first ball he received. Ratcliffe and the coll Jackson. who went 'ln sixth, made things lively, and looked like making a long stand, till Ihe former, in making a big drive, skied a ball from Hartkopf, and Morton took a good catch. Jackson, who played a confident, stylish and punishing game, could get no one to stay with him, the last four batsmen adding only 11 runs, and Hartkopf bagged three of them.

RYDER’S EXHIBITION OF CLEAN HITTING

Ryder’s innings was the finest exhibition of celan hitting ever seen on the Melbourne ground. Off successive balls from Andrews ho hit a four, a six, a four, and a six'. The score, which is his highest, included 6 sixes and 33 fours. He batted for 4 hours 5 minutes.

The previous world’s record for firstclass cricket was claimed .by Victoria against Tasmania in 1922-23, when Victoria scored 1059. Victoria’s .•ccord innings occupied 10 hours 33 minutes. At one stage, when Ryder and Liddicut were batting, fifty runs were scored in sixteen minutes, and a 100 in thirtyeight minutes. Hailey was the only bowler to trouble the Victorians, the others being unmercifully pasted.

ENGLAND’S HUGE SCORES OVERSHADOWED (Rec. December 29, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 28. The “Daily Telegraph” says that efforts in England in the direction of amassing huge scores are completely overshadowed by Victoria’s record total. "Nobody who hits witnessed the putting together of these mammoth totals will grudge the Australians their pre-emin-ence tn this direction. When batting masters bowling so pronouncedly a couple of days’ game becomes a tiresome business. It is fervently to be hoped that the performance at Melbourne will not arouse a spirit of emulation in the breasts of English players. The most refreshing feature of the record is that the score was made in 10$ hours. But there is something appalling in century-making hourly for ten hours.

London, December 29. “Sporting Life,” in an editorial, says. “Victoria’s huge‘score is the culminating point in a succession of large scores, making it obvious that the standard of bowling in Australia is possibly lower than for half a century. If an English team were at present touring Australia it is very improbable that it would lose the Ashes; Our own bowling may not be so strong as we would like, but our Australian friends and rivaTs are in much direr straits.”

The "Daily Telegraph,” in an editorial, says: “Victoria’s new record hammers home tho lesson of the modern Tests between Australia and Britain, that the old balance of the game has been destroyed. In first-class games the greater part of the crowd goes to see the batting. If people like this sort of thing, it will be provided, but some will regret the past?* I

SOUTH AUSTRALIA BEATS QUEENSLAND BY TEN WICKETS Adelaide, December 29. . Queensland, in their second innings, made 379, Gough 73, Gill 36. Bowling for South Australia, A. Richardson took two wickets for 46, Grimmett five for 107, and Williams three for 109. South Australia, in their second innings, scored 54 without loijs, V. Richardson not out 28, Schneider not out 22. South Australia won by ten wickets. Although Queensland batted pluckily their task was hopeless from the outset, and South Australia easily compiled the runs necessary for a ten-wickets’, win.

Second Innings. R. de R. Worker, c. Green, b. A. 25 J. S. Hiddleston, o. and b. A. Alloo 21 B. J. Kortlang, c. Blamires, b. A. 0 C. S. Dempster, b. Blunt 6 ‘1’. C. Lowry, b. Torrance 44 H. M. Lambert, c. nnd b. Blunt ... 25 H. M. McGirr, c. H. Alloo, b. Tor11 A. 51. Bollings, b. A. Alloo 23 107 i\,. v. .Jcinieb, nob uut V**’‘44V* *, F. T. Badcock, st. Green, b. Blunt 35 W. S. Brice, b. A. Alloo 70 "Extras—Bves 5. leg-byes 5, no12 II --

Bowling Analysis. 0. M. B. w. < Dickenson .. 11 0 68 0 Blamires ..... .. 2 0 12 0 A. W. Alloo .. . 28.6 8 91 5 .. 25 3 113 3 Torrance .. 18 3 47 H. C. Alloo .. . 1 0 3 0 Zimmerman . .. 6 1 15 0 .Shepherd 0 15 0

Second Innings. G Crawford c. and b. A loott Cox, c. Cooper, b. Player Page, l.b.w., b. Bowley .... 15 .... 10 .... 78 .... 0 Patrick, c. Gillespie, b. Bowley .. Sandman, e. and b. Bowley .... 8 .... 15 Read, l.b.w., b. Matheson .... .... 2 Extras 6

AUCKLAND. 220 First innings Second Innings. Mills, l.b.w., b. Cunningham .... 2 29 Cooper, c. Bead 20 54 Alcot.t, b. Cunningham Dacre, l.b.w., Il Read • 0 1 10