TO-DAY’S SHIELD MATCH

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 80, 28 December 1929, Page 10

TO-DAY’S SHIELD MATCH

WELLINGTON v. CANTERBURY Keen interest is being taken in the Plunket Shield match between Canterbury and Wellington, which is scheduled to commence at 11 o’clock this morning at the Basin Reserve. Fresh from their engagement with the M.C.C. team, the Canterbury eleven arrived from Christchurch yesterday, and were accompanied by two members of the New Zealand Selection Gommittee, Messrs. H. B. Whitta (Canterbury) aid F. Williams (Otago), who will closely Watch form in the Canterbury-Welling-ton game in view of the selection of the New Zealand team to meet the Englishmen in the first Test match at Christchurch, commencing on January 10. If the weather behaves itself sufficiently to give anything like a decent wicket, some bright cricket should be seen at the Basin Reserve to-day and on Monday and ■ Tuesday of next week. Though a youthful side, Canterbury have some very able players in their ranks. Foremost amongst these is the captain, M. L. Page, who scored 26 and 86 against the M.C.C. team last week. Page was one of the best batsmen on the New Zealand side which toured England in 1927. On that tour he aggregated 1154 runs in first-class matches, hitting up 134 v. Cambridge University and 140 v. Worcestershire. He also secured 39 wickets on that tour for 759 runs, which gave him an average of 19.46 runs per wicket. Another star on the Canterbury side is W. E. Merritt, who, while still in his teens, was the outstanding bowler for the New Zealand team in England in 1927. On that tour, in all matches, Merritt secured 173 wickets for 3341 runs, giving him the good average of 19.31 runs per wicket. -As he captured five wickets for 97 runs against the M.C.C. team at Christchurch last week, it is clear that his hand has not lost its cunning. Supporters of the local eleven are confident that the Wellington side are strong enough this season to do what they did last year—go right through the Plunket Shield programme without sustaining a single defeat. The Teams. The teams will be as follow: — . Canterbury: M. L. Page (captain), W. E. Merritt, A. W. Roberts, R. O. Talbot, C. M. Harris, J. L. Powell, G. A. J. W. fiKmmonds, S. G. Lester, L. B. Cromb, R. C. Burns, P. Allen, with J. L. Kerr as twelfth man. Wellington: T. C. Lowry (captain), C. S Dempster, M. Henderson, H. M. McGirr, K. C. James, R. H. C. Mackenzie, J. R. Lamason, H. M. Lambert, F. T. Badcock, W. F. Airey, R. W. Hope, with W. J. R. Christopherson as twelfth man. The umpires will be Messrs. A. Francis and C. Webb. . Play will commence at 11 a.m., ana luncheon will be taken from 1 p.m. to 145 p.m., and afternoon tea from 3.45 to 4 p.m. Stumps will be drawn each dav at 6 o’clock. ... . . Messrs. W. S. Brice (Wellington) and N C. Sneddon (Auckland), the two New Zealand selectors who have been watching form in the Otago-Auckland shield match at Auckland, will arrive from the north to-day. RANGITIKEI V. CHRISTCHURCH COLLEGIANS. Dominion Special Service. Marton, December 27. The Christchurch Old Collegians easily defeated Rangitikei in a match which was played to-day. After the home team’s meritorious win over Wanganui in the Hawke Cup match its performance was disappointing, scoring only 69 in the first innings and 136 in the second. The visitors won with eight wickets in hand. Later the visitors left for Dannevifke in continuation of their tour. Scores are as follow: — RANGITIKEI.—First Innings. Marsh, b. Ball 0 J.' H. Marshall, b. Burrough .... 6 A. Staples, b. Burrough 6 D. Cameron, c. and b. Ball 2<j P. Burke, c. Hamilton, b. Burrough 0 W. Hayward, c. Harrison, b. Ball .. 4 B. V. Innes, b. Ball 10 D. Sladden, b. Talbot 1 A. P. Smith, not out 6 A. D. F. Smith, b. Burrough .... 1 M. Lyon, c. Harrison, b. Burrough .. 0 Extras 10 • Total 69 Bowling Analysis.—Burrough took five wickets for 21 runs; Ball, four for 27; Talbot, one for 10. COLLEGIANS. —First Innings. J. Burrough, 1.b.w., b. Staples .. 57 C. K. Jackson, c. Innes, b. Sladden 48 T. Harrison, b. Staples 9 A. Cottrell, st. Marsh, b. Staples .. 2 G. L. Talbot, not out 31 K. Hamilton, 1.b.w., b. Staples .... 0 R. Williams, st. Marsh, b. Staples .. 4 K. Murray, c. Cameron, b. Smith .. 1 J. Hallwood, st. Marsh, b. Staples .. 0 J. E. Ball, run out 4 W. Lyon, st. Marsh, b. Staples .... 2 Extras Total 160 Bowling Analysis—Smith took no wickets for 43 runs; Lyon, none for 23; Sladden, one for 28; Staples, seven for 52; Fullerton Smith, one for five.

RANGITIKEI.—Second Innings. T. Marshall, b. Hallwood 11 A. .Staples, b. Talbot 4 W. Hayward, c. Ball, b. Hallwood .. 11 R. Marsh, b. Hallwood 1 D. Cameron, b. Burrough ........ 52 P. Burke, c. Talbot, b. Hamilton .. 23 Innes, st. Jackman, b. Burrough .. 0 Lyon, run out 4 Sladden. not out : 20 Smith. 1.b.w., b.-Hallwood 4 Fullerton Smith, b. Talbot ........ 1 Extras 4 Total • 136 Bowling Analysis.—Hallwood took four

wickets for 48 runs; Talbot, two for 17; Burrough, two for 25. COLLEGIANS. —Second Innings. Cotterell, b. Lyon 6 Jackman, c. and b. Lyon 3 Talbot, not out 10 Burrough, not out 22 Extras 7 Total for two wickets 48 Bowling Analysis.—Lyon took two wickets for 12 runs; Smith, none for 16; Sladden, none for 5; Staples, none for 8. M.C.C. v. OTAGO By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, December 27. The following team has been selected to represent Otago against the M.C.C. team on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday next: — A. W. Alloo (captain), R. C. Blunt, V. Cavanagh, Clark, G. R. Dickinson, J. Dunning, S. Elmes, A. Galland, A. Knight, J. McMullan, P. Monk, and D. Moloney (twelfth man). The Wellington team which played Auckland left by the ferry steamer last night to undertake a series of three matches in the South Island. They will play a one-clay match against Ashburton to-day; will meet South Canterbury at Timaru on Monday and Tuesday; and will play the Canterbury junior representative team for the Brabin Cup at Christchurch on January 1 and 2. B. D. Hankins, the captain and wicketkeeper of the team, will not be available for the matches against Ashburton and South Canterbury, and in these games L. J. Brabin, the manager of the team, will keep wickets.