A FIGHTING FINISH

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 83, 2 January 1930, Page 16

A FIGHTING FINISH

EXCITING ENDING TO PLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET MATCH WELLINGTON WINS By' 19 RUNS M.C.C. v. OTAGO;- WOOLLEY STRIKES FORM The concluding day’s play in the Plunket Shield cricket match between Wellington and Canterbury at the Basin Reserve on Tuesday furnished as thrilling a finish as has ever been recorded in the long series of fights for the shield. On a slightly worn wicket, the Canterbury batsmen rose to the occasion in resolute fashion, and so dashingly did they perform that there were several stages throughout the day when it appeared as if the southerners were going to win comfortably. In 290 minutes, they scored 388 runs, and just failed in a splendid uphill battle to reach their objective by 19 runs. R. 0. Talbot, who scored 113 runs in 105 minutes, and A. W. Roberts, S. G. Lester, and W. E. Merritt, all of whom exceeded the halfcentury, played cricket of a brand which will long be remembered with delight, and which, if oftener indulged in, would go far to make the game in this country as popular as is Rugby football. Wellington gained an 8-point win under the new Plunket Shield method of scoring points, but the Canterbury team left the field with as much honour as did the local eleven.

Requiring 307 runs to wiu and with 102 on for the loss of two wickets, Roberts (52) and Page (14) resumed Canterbury’s second innings at 11.5 on Tuesday morning. McGirr bowled with' the northerly breeze behind him, sending down a maiden to Roberts. Nine came from Badcock’s opening over, both men getting him away to the boundary. The first ball of. Badcock’s second over saw the end of the Canterbury captain, who attempted to turn one on the short side to leg, but missed it and was bowled. 111—3—19. A Fruitful Partnership. Talbot joined Roberts, who was 56, and opened by turning McGirr prettily to the long-leg boundary. Roberts ran into the sixties, and Talbot moved along with forceful shots off McGirr, an offdrive travelling fast to the ropes. Four byes off McGirr brought 130 up. Both men were playing confidently. Roberts banged one from Badcock to extra forward cover, Lowry making a vain attempt to stop the hot’ shot with his feet. At 136 Henderson took the ball from McGirr, whose fourteen overs had resulted in 39 runs and one wicket. Talbot got the left-hander away twice for a couple, bringing 140 in sight, and Roberts then forced Badcock to squareleg for three. A beautiful off-drive by Talbot beat McGirr at mid-off and Airey at long-off and rapped the fence hard. At 147 Lambert had a try in place of Badcock, and with a big slam to longon for a single Talbot brought 150 up for 135 minutes’ play. Talbot then banged Lambert to longleg for four, Airey making a vain race in an endeavour to cut off the boundary. End of a Resolute Knock. .At 160 Roberts’s enterprising innings came to an end, the Riccarton man pulling one from Lambert into Airey’s hands at deep square-leg. He had been 1 at the wickets for 155 minutes for his 60, which included nine fourers, and had shown the best batting form of any man on the Canterbury side. 160 —4—60. Harris arrived to sec Talbot slain one from Lambert to” the fence at long-off. The Old Boys’ left-hander did not last long, as after he had reached five he skied one from Lambert to Dempster at deep square-leg. 175 —5—5. A Determined Stand. ;• Lester came next and arrived to see Talbot lift one from Lambert out of the ground on to Rugby Street, and pull one in the same over to the ropes at long-leg, twelve coming from the over. After having been at the wickets for an hour, Talbot reached his half-century and then guided one from Henderson through the slips for four, bringing 200 up for 175 minutes’ play. Hope here took the ball from Henderson, whose twenty overs had resulted in 45 runs and one wicket, and Badcock relieved Lambert, who had sent down nine overs for 40 runs and two wickets. A couple of . byes off Badcock saw the Canterbury first innings total of 209 passed. • Lester hooked a short one from Hope cleverly to the long-leg boundary, and slack fielding by Hope gave Talbot three for a stroke to micT-on off Badcock. Lester then slammed Badcock up against the pickets nt long-off, bringing 220 in sight. Talbot Sparkles. Talbot brought 230 up and ran into the seventies by patting one from Hope down the gully to the track. The Old Collegian was shaping like a batsman in form. He next powerfully off-drove Hope to the ropes, and hooked him to the fence at long-leg. reaching the eighties. At 246, Lambert relieved Badcock, and Talbot aroused enthusiasm by lifting the Old Bov for six on to the track at longon. This brought 250 up for 20a minutes’ play. . • McGirr here came on again with the wind, but Talbot banged him to the pickets at long-off, reaching the nineties. Lester was moving along nicely. He patted Badcock through the slips for a couple, and lifted the next ball to the ropes at extra long-on. Talbot got a painful knock from one of McGi it’s rearers, but took his revenge by hooking the next ball to long-on for three.

A single to Lester off Lambert saw a hundred for the partnership in 58 minutes.

A Brilliant Century

A burst, of cheering went up when Talbot reached his century by turning 11cGirr to the fence at square-leg. He had put the runs on in brilliant style in 105 minutes. He showed his gratitude by liftTii" Lambert over the fence, at long-on, and then banging one to Airey at deep

square-leg. The fieldsman managed to get one hand on the ball, but could not hold it, four resulting.

Talbot seemed a trifle reckless after reddling his century, as he banged the next ball into Badcock’s hands at cover, the fieldsman making a brilliant catch. Talbot had been at the wickets for 105 minutes for his 113, which were made iu finished style. In all he hit three sixers and eleven fourers, and was equally at home to all the bowlers. It was the most dashing innings of the match. Ho had helped Lester to add 115 for the sixth wicket in 120 minutes. 290—6—113. Upon resuming after lunch, Lester had the Riccarton colt, Powell, as partner, and the latter opened with a single off Lambert. Henderson bowled with the wind. Tliree Hundred Up. The 300 came up after’ the innings had been in progress for 230 minutes, and Powell then banged Lambert to the fence at long-off. At 304, Powell lashed out at one from Lambert, and was well taken by Hope at mid-on. 304—7 7. With 105 runs wanted to win, Merritt joined Lester, who was 42. \ Merritt got two for a stroke through the slips off Lambert, and then banged one to the ropes at square-leg. At 310, Badcock relieved Lambert, but Merritt banged the Old Boy twice to the ropes at long-leg, causing Lowry to swing a. couple more men out in that direction. The Canterbury men were making a splendid fight of it on a worn wicket. Henderson was bowling very steadily, and it was difficult to score off his fast deliveries. Interest flared up afresh as 320 was hoisted. Badcock had five men well out to leg. At 328, Hope took the ball from Henderson, and Lester was applauded when he drove one from the Petone express bowler to the ropes at long-off, bringing 330 up, and reaching his half-century in 110 minutes, I Nlerritt aroused great enthusiasm by off-driving Henderson to the fence, swinging the next ball to the ropes at squareleg, and slamming the following delivery to the track at long-on. Facing Hope, he hooked one to leg for a couple, and placed one down the gully for a single. Lester then turned Hope to the boundary at long-leg, and off-drove him for four, reaching 60. This brought 350 up. Lambert then relieved Henderson, but Merritt banged all the bowlers about freely. Lester smacked one from Lambert past cover to the fence, but the next ball clean bowled him. Lester had given a sterling display for his 64, which included seven fourers. 363—8—64. Score Creeps Up. With 46 runs required to win, Burns joined Merritt, and Henderson took the ball from Hope. Merritt reached the forties by forcing Henderson to the fence at square-leg. Merritt had a narrow escape of being run out through going for a second run off a shot to point off Henderson. He turned the next ball to leg for a couple, and ent the next square to the ropes. He was playing as coolly and confidently as a veteran. There was hearty applause when he stole a single off the last ball of the over, and again had the bowling. Merritt Reaches the Half-Century. Merritt reached his half-century in 48 minutes. After scoring three, Burns was caught at the'wickets by James off Henderson. 380—9 —3. With 29 wanted for victory, Simmonds, the last mau, joined Merritt, who banged Lambert to square-leg for two, and placed him in the same direction for a single. Amidst the greatest excitement, the pair shoved the score along by singles until 388 was reached. Here, to the intense disappointment of the crowd, who were keenly enjoying the exciting finish, Merritt failed to connect with a straight one from Lambert, and fell 1.b.w., leaving Wellington victorious by the narrow margin of 19 runs. Merritt was only at the wickets for 58 minutes, but in that time he put on 57 rung, and made them in a fashion which clearly proved that he is not only a great bowler but a batsman. The ease with which he punished Badcock and Henderson was a treat to watch. In all he hit nine fourers. Lambert Takes Bowling Honours. Lambert camo out with far the best bowling figures of flic six bowlers tried by the Wellington captain. Off 130 deliveries. lie secured six wickets for 102 runs. He kept his slows well up to the batsmen, and tempted them against their better judgment to their own undoing. Henderson bowled steadily in taking two for 80, off 32 overs, but neither McGirr, Badcock, nor Hope troubled the batsmen greatly. THE SCORES WELLINGTON. First innings, nine wickets for 366 (innings declared closed.) Second innings 250 CANTERBURY. First innings 209 Second Innings. Cromb, b. McGirr S Allen, c. .James, b. Henderson .... 17 Roberts, c., Airey, b. Lambert .... 70 Page b. Badcock 19 Talbot, e. Badcock. b. Lambert .. 113 Harris, e. Dempster, b. Lambert .. 5 Lester, b. Lambert 04 Powell, c. Hope. b. Lambert 7 W. 13. Merritt, 1.b.w., b. Lambert .. 57 R. C. Hurns, e. James, b. Henderson 3 G. Simmonds, not out 1 Extras: Byes 7, leg-byes 13, noballs 4 21 Total '.. 3SB Fall of Wickets. —One for 12, two for C 7. three for 111, four for 160. five for 175, six for 290. seven for 304. eight for’363. nine for‘3Bo, ten for 38S.

. I’lic gate takings for the three days of the mateli amounted to about £330, of which £lBO ivas taken on Saturday, £llO on Monday, and about £<lo on Tuesday.

Bowling Analysis. O. 51. It. W MeGilT .... 17 1 51 1 Badeock 20 0 66 1 Henderson 32 10 80 *» Lowry 4 0 18 0 Hope 9 1 44 0 Lambert 21. 3 102 6