PLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 81, 30 December 1929, Page 10

PLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET

WELLINGTON OPENS STRONGLY AGAINST i CANTERBURY CLOSURE APPLIED AT 366 FOR NINE WICKETS i : • ! • GREAT STAND BY DEMPSTER AND BADCOCK M.C.C. SECURE INNINGS VICTORY The 3500 spectators who viewed the match for the Plunket Shield between Canterbury and Wellington at the Basin Reserve on Saturday saw some very bright hitting by the local batsmen. Having first use of an easy wicket, the Wellington team made such good use of the ideal run-getting conditions that T. C. Lowry was able, when the ninth wicket fell at 3.45, to apply the closure. The feature of the Wellington total of 366 was the splendid stand made by Dempster and Badcock for the seventh wicket, which carried the score from 178 to 312, adding 134 in a little over an hour. Dempster went on to record his first century in Shield games, and was left unbeaten with 141 to his credit. Lowry, James, and Mackenzie all contributed useful scores to the Wellington total. Merritt had to bear the brunt of the attack for Canterbury, and the youthful googly trundler did really well in securing five wickets for . 133 off 204 deliveries. In a little over two hours, Canterbury lost five wickets for 142, Roberts playing a stylish knock for 54. Badcock and McGirr bowled well for the home team.

Lowry and Dempster opened the Welling ton innings. The spectators witnessed some bright cricket during ’the forenoon. Cromb and Simmonds, two tali fastmedium right-handers, took up the attack. but both batsmen were confident, - and 20 came up in a quarter of an hour. 'Dempster square-cut both bowlers to the pickets, and Lowry slammed one to the fence at square-lej. Merritt*came on in Cromb’s place and should have bad Lowry stumped in his first over, but the break also beat Burns, the Canterbury wicketkeeper. To show how fast the runs were coming it need only be said that the half-century was hoisted in a minute under the half-hour. With the total at 58 Dempster got a knock on the finger which had been damaged in the match against the Englishmen, and- had' to temporarily retire, James coming out in his place. Lowry Falls. / After having been at the wickets for an hour for 28 runs, Lowry was snapped up at the wickets by Burns off Merritt, • whose seven overs had only cost 18 runs. The Wellington captain had been very restrained, only three fourers figuring in his score. He had, however, assisted to give the side a good start. 73—1—28. Lamason joined James and brought DO up by lifting Merritt for six over the square-leg boundary. The next ball he cut square for four. The first hundred eame up in 95 minutes. In Lester’s next over Lamason plneed the first ball into Cromb’s hands at first slip. The Old Boy had rattled his 17 runs on in quick time. 100 —2—17. Airey Fails to Score. Airey, the tall left-handed Wellington colt, was all at sea to Merritt and after feeling at a couple had his bails removed with a beauty. 100—3—0. Mackenzie came next, and the University player infused a bit of life into the play. With the total at 114 Powell badly missed? James at deep mid-on off Merritt. , The Canterbury fielding was anything but good, many catches and ground shots being allowed to go begging. In Merritt’s fifteenth over Mackenzie went out to one and 'Was beaten by the break, but Burns was also fooled and the ball went through for _a couple of byes. James and Mackenzie both got Merritt away to the long-leg boundary, bringing 130 in sight. , Mackenzie Sparkies. Mackenzie was using his feet well in getting out to Merritt’s slows, and he was equally at home to Simmonds, whom he cut to the pickets. The University man jumped out and drove Merritt to the fence at long-on. and got five for the next stroke, Page taking a shot at the wickets from midoff which missed and went to the boundary. In Merritt’s nineteenth over James, who had shaped well for his 39, touched one from Merritt and was well taken behind the sticks by Burns. 174—1 —39. Dempster resumed his interrupted innings, arriving to see Mackenzie run into the thirties by turning Simmonds to leg for three. Bad Error of Judgment. With the score at 157, Mackenzie’s bright innings bad an unfortunate termination, ns he was badly run out through Dempster refusing to answer a call. The University man played one from Merritt to Page at deep mid-off, and called for the run. Dempster refused the call, and a good return by Page to Burns saw Mackenzie just fail to get home with a dive. The outgoing batsman had given a sparkling display for his 31, which included one fiver and three fourers. The luncheon adjournment was taken with the score standing at 158 for four, Dempster and McGirr being at the wickets. Another Scalp to the Wicketkeeper. Upon resuming after lunch the crowd had swelled to about 3500. A cover-drive by Dempster off Harris travelled fast to the benches. After being dropped at second slip by Simmonds off Harris, McGirr was neatly taken behind the sticks by Burns off Simmonds. 178 —6—lo. Badcock in Aggressive Mood. Badcock livened proceedings by flashing Merritt past cover to the boundary, and off-drove him for three. Jadcock brought 200 up for 185 minutes play by skying Merritt to mid-off, Pugj'failing to judge a running catch. ..tins were now coming freely. Dempster swung on to one from Lester, and lifted it to the benches at square-leg, and Badcock pulled a short one from Merritt to the pickets. Dempster brought 220 up by stepping out and banging one from Merritt on the full toss to the fence at extra long-on. Badcock ran into the twenties by powerfully pulling one from- Merritt to the fence at mid-on. Dempster was playing in his very best style. He pulled Lester to the fence at mid-on, and crisply cut the next ball square for four, reaching the seventies. At 233 Talbot relieved Merritt, but the runs continued to come. Badcock smacked Lester to the track at long-leg, 1 and then banged him to long-on for four. Facing Talbot. Badcock hooked one to long-leg, and belted the next delivery to the fence at square-leg. It was bright cricket. Cromb had a turn in Lester’s place, but Dempster pulled him to square-leg, reaching the eighties. Badcock Hits a Sixer. Badcock aroused enthusiasfn by hitting Talbot for six over the fence at mid-bu. At 269, Merritt replaced Talbot, who had been expensive. Badcock reached his half-century in 45 minutes by driving Cromb to the benches at extra, long-on, and repeated the stroke off the next ball. The partnership had now yielded a hundred runs. , , Badcock was in merry mood. He banged Merritt to long-on for four, but should have been caught at long-off off the next ball. He continued to play dashing cricket, hitting two fourers to leg off Cromb. He was rapidly overhauling Dempster. ~ End of Prolific Partnerslup. Harris had a turn, but Dempster twice drove him past cover to the pickets, reachin” the nineties. The 300 was greeted with applause, and Badcock then hit Merritt to the fence at long-on. In the same over the ex-Englishman was well caught at mid-off by Page. Badcock had >een at the wickets for 55 minutes for his

78, which were made in sparkling fashion. In all he hit one sixer and fourteen fourers, and had assisted Dempster to put on 134 runs for the seventh wicket in five minutes under the hour. 312—7 — 78. Merritt had now taken four wickets for 118 runs. Dempster Reaches the Century. Applause went up from all round the ground when Dempster recorded his first century in a Plunket Shield match by cutting Harris dangerously close to Cromb at first slip, the ball travelling through to the sight-screen. He had been at the wickets for 140 minutes. Lambert did not last long. After scoring a single, he was caught behind the wickets by Burns off Merritt, making the fourth catch the Canterbury wjfcket-keep-er had taken. 322—8—1. (1 Joined by Henderson, Dempster continued to sparkle. He cut Merritt for four, and treated Harris similarly. He again drove Merritt past coyer to the ropes, bringing 140 up, and repeated the stroke in the same over. The Institute crack had now taken off the brake, powerfully off-driving Harris to the pickets. The Closure Applied. With the total at ,366, Henderson, who had made four, was bowled by Lester. 366—9—4. The tea adjournment was taken at 3.45, the board showing nine down for 366, Dempster being 141 not out. Lowry, the Wellington captain, declared the innings closed at the interval. Good Bowling by Merritt. Merritt once again proved that he is Canterbury’s only bowler of class. Though freely punished by Badcock, he troubled all the batsmen, and came out with the good tally of five wickets for 133 off 34 overs. Badcock (twice). Lowry and James were all dropped off the slow bowler. Lester kept a good length in capturing two \for 45 off 128 deliveries, and Simmonds,'. Harris, and Cromb were steady without being dangerous. Burns did fine work with the gloves, taking four neat catches, but he missed a couple of stumping chances. The catching of the Canterbury fieldsmen was very weak, several easy chances being dropped. Dempster once again proved that he is as brilliant a batsman as this country has ever produced. He was at home to every class of bowler throughout his long innings, and seldom made a faltering stroke. A Bad Start. Cromb and Allen opened the Canterbury innings at 4.5 to the bowling of McGirr and Badcock. With 8 runs up, Allen was clean bowled by Badcock. B—I—2. Roberts came next, and with the total at 24, Hope took the ball from Badcock. Off the first ball of Henderson's second over( Cromb was badly missed by Lamason at point. In Hope’s third over, Roberts drove one between cover and midoff to the fence, and then turned the Petone express to the track at long-leg. In Henderson’s next over, the Riccarton man turned another to the pickets at long-leg. He seemed to like the fust stuff. With the total at 43, Lambert took the ball from Hope. Cromb brought fifty up in as many minutes by turning one from Henderson to the long-leg boundary. Roberts then square-cut Lambert to the fence and brought 60 in sight by hooking the next delivery to long-leg for three. Roberts reached the thirties by placing Henderson down the gully to the track. At 66 Badcock had a turn in Lambert’s place, and the change met with immediate success, McGirr taking a smart catch at mid-off which disposed of Cromb. The Old Boys’, batsman shaped brightly for his 25. 66—2—25. The partnership had added 58. Page, the Canterbury captain, who did so well against the English team at Christchurch, came next. A Hundred Up. Roberts brought 100 up for 90 minutes’’ play by cutting Badcock square to the fence. McGirr took the ball from Hope, and Page drove the first ball from the Hutt bowler straight into Badcock’s hands at cover. 102—3—17. Talbot joined Roberts, who by this time had reached his half-century. Roberts, who had been at the wickets for 90 minutes, then popped one from McGirr towards Lowry at point, and the Wellington captain threw himself to take a good catch. The Riccarton man had given a very bright display for his 54, which included six boundary strokes. 10 1 4 —54.’

Harris, a left-hander, followed, and arrived to see Talbot bang McGirr to the fence at square-leg and drive the next ball to the sight-screen, bringing 120 in sight. When 130 appeared the Wellington cantain made another change, Lambert taking the ball from Badcock. The change worked, as Harris skied one to Lnmason behind the sticks. 124 —5 —4. The Old Collegian. Lester, then joined Tnlbot. nnd Henderson came on in MeGirr’s place. Talbot hanged Lambert to mid-on for four, bringing 130 up. The next ball Tnlbot nulled into Airey’s hands nt deep mid-on. but the fieldsman had the sun in his eyes and the ball went off his hands to the benches for four. Lester prettily glided Henderson to the pickets at long-leg. and at 6 o’clock the pair were still together, the score at drawing of stumps being 1- to for five. Talbot being 20 and Lester 8. Badcock and McGirr howled particularly well for thp Udo. THE SCORES WELLINGTON. — First I nnings. T. C. Lowry, c. Burns, b. Merritt 28 C. S. Dempster, not out 141 K. C. James, c. Burns, b. Merritt 39 J. R. Lamnson, c. Cromb, b. Lester 17 W. F. Airey. b. Merritt 0 R. H. C. Mackenzie, run out 31 H. M. McGirr, c. Burns, b. Simmonds ■ 19 F. T. Badcock, c. Page. b. Merritt 78 H. M. Lambert, c. Burns, b. Merritt 1 M. Henderson, b. Lester 4 Extras: Byes 5. leg-byes 7, noballs 5 17 Total for nine wickets 366 (Innings declared closed.)

Fall of wickets: Oue for 73, two for 100, three for 103, four for lt>4, five for 157, six for 178. seven for 312, eight for 322, nine for 366. Bowling Analysis.

CANTERBURY.—First Innings. I. B. Cromb. c. McGirr, b. Badcock 25 P. Allen, b. Badcock _2 A. W. Roberts, c. Lowry, b. McGirr 54 M. L. Page, c. Badcock, b. McGirr 17 R. O. Talbot, not out 20 C. M. Harris, c. Lamason. b. Lambert 4 S. G. Lester, not out '. 8 Extras: Byes 5, leg-byes 1, noballs 6 12 Total for five wickets 142 Fall of wickets: One for 8, two for 66. three for 102, four for 107, five for 124. Bowling Analysis. O. M. ' R. W.

Webb. The match will be resumed at 11 o’clock this morning, when some further good cricket should be seen, as Canterbury still have some able batsmen to come to the crease.

0. M. K. W. Cromb 8 0 46 0 Simmonds .. 24 -t 61 1 Merritt .. .. 34 3 133 o Lester .. 16 3 45 Harris .. 13 0 45 6 Talbot .. 3 0 ' 19 0

McGirr .. 10 2 33 2 Bailcock .. 12 z 18 2. Hope 7 0 33 0 Henderson 9 3 . 23 0 Lambert 1 23 1 Umpires: Messrs. A. Francis and C.