PLUNKET SHIELD

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 20

PLUNKET SHIELD

Wellington Team Chosen A WISE SELECTION (By “Century.”) In choosing a youthful eleven to represent Wellington in the season s first Blanket Shield match against Auckland at the Basin Reserve from December 23 to 27,. the sole selector, Mr. K. H.. Tucker, has taken a step in the right direction. He 7 has obviously given thought to the necessity of building up the game for the future. His team, which was announced yesterday, is as follows:— K. C. James (Old Boys), captain. E. W. Tindlll (Midland). W. Dustin (Midland). M. O’Brien (Hawke’s Bay). J. Ell (Wellington). R. Morgan (Wellington). J. R. Lamason (Old Boys). E. D. Blundell (Wellington).' R. Crook (Kilbirnie). D. Freeman (Nelson). J. Newman (Nelson}, V. H. Du Chateau . (Old Boys) is twelfth man., The non-inclusion of R. Hatch; who bowled so well for Country against the Town recently, and the placing of Du. Chateau as twelfth man. will occasion a £ood deal of surprise, although Mr. Tucker’s reasoning is clearly evident, and indeed sound- .So far. as Hatch js concerned it is generally conceded that he is . slightly superior to Crook as a bowler, but as a batsman Crook is definitely the better man.. As it is, the bowling department is well catered for, but it was necessary to strengthen the batting, hence the wisdom of including the Kilbirnie player. By giving his preference to Ell, the selector could not have found a place for Du Chateau without dropping either Tindill, Dustin, O’Brien or Lamason, a procedure which,’ on performances, would have been unwarranted, especially in regard to the first three, and the selection of Lamason Is altogether wise as his experience and value as. a change-bowler are a distinct asset. On the whole the team is quite a sound one, and it should give a good account of itself. (OFFER ACCEPTED Wellington-Varsity Game Subject to the approval of the Wellington Cricket Association, the .University team intends to avail itself of the offer of the captain of the Wellington club to regard the start of the second innings last Saturday as a nullity and to commence afresh to-morrow. A question of rules arose when the Wellington captain declared late in the afternoon and sent the University team to commence its second innings half an hour before the time for drawing stumps. The position now is that Wellington’s first innings may be resumed or declared to-morrow.