BIG CRICKET FIXTURE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 152, 26 December 1923, Page 8

BIG CRICKET FIXTURE

;WEt:U.NQTON SCORING WELL

•" HfDDCESTON'S FINE TOTAL.

"Ideal weather conditions and the prospect of. further good pricket, with the chance that Wellington might break ne.\v ground in the matter of Plunket SBield records, attracted a large crowd toJ the .Wellington College ground this rnorning to see the continuation o£ the annual match.; between 'Auckland and advantage oJ a gciod wicket and fine weatner, the local batsmen/ made,'' a very fine showing yesterday,' and when stumps were drawn twoy wickets had fallen for 263, the notou't batsmen being Hiddleston (who had compiled 150) and Orr (who, by pat. ient cricket, had brought his tally to 36). The storm overnight had had no noticeable effect on the wicket, which was wearing remarkably well, sufficiently wiell to'fefle'cLtlije greatest possiblo credit o4' "Butlge" ' Brewer, the very efficient gfymndsmnn at the Basin' Reserve. The pwturesque grounds looked at their best in? the bright" sunshine, and the important cricket fixture made an ideal hdliday attraction. Play opened bright- . ly' this morning, both the not-out batsmen playing freely. After adding thirteen to his fine total, however, Hiddlestqjh placed^ one into. Gillespie's hands,' anjd a very fine innings was brought to>a close.) ■- His- total included twenty stots to,..the boundary and one' over tijp fencg,; J> He,.\Y.as J accorded an ovation/ as£he returned ;to the pavilion. Orr continued -to-' -bat - freely, and his- score 5 OVATION TO HIDDLESTON.

When play was resumed this morning, Wilson opened the attack to.-Orr, who sent the leather to the off boundary off the third ball, and the sixth he hooked round to the leg. Another single . saSv Hiddleston face Wilson, and he scared a' single' off the-last ball of the over, 'which had produced 10 runs. Smith went oh" at--'-{fie-northern end, and sent 'dawn a maiden to Hiddleston/ Three singles'were scored off Wilson's next 1 ovjr> When ;48 Orr tipped one off Smith's second over, but Rowntree failed to hold the leather. It was the , batsman's second chance. A series of singles brought 280 up on " the score „_ board. Hiddlestone drove Smith to the boundary, and relieved a rather dull five minutes. Orr brought his total up to 50; with a single through the slips. He ha/d batted for 125 minutes. Shortly afterwards, however, he lost Hiddleston, who was caught. nicely by Gillespie on . the leg..-off:> the sixth ball of \Vilson's ' fojirth over. Hiddleston had scored 163 in*: 225 minutes, and had given a masterful display. 289-3-163. "

, PLAYS CAREFULLY. 4'he Wellington captain, D. C. Collins, repjaoed ;Hiddlestbn, and Orr drove \ Sniith to tKe b'oniidarjv" bringing up 290. "•Hg followed suit''with" the next ball. Collins opened his score with a single off Smith. ' This brought 300 up, after v 235 minutes at the crease. Orr", who x was batting nicely,'; sent, a boundary shot through ' the slipsj; and. made his_,t!otal ( 6i; Collins was" shaping nicely,'" Although he w?,s content to play with care. He'T'Scofed his first' f our: after" being "at 1 the crease for 20 minutes, his total for that period .bcingfnine. A minute later On: Jyas-dismissed, being snapped up by r ' Jtowntree. off Smith, when his total was .69. He had batted for'l4s minutes, and Jiad sent the ball to the boundary on nine.occasions. .'317-4-69. Dempster was next,,and sprang out to Smith, but was- unable to pass the j field. Oft' the bowler's next over he adopted similar tactics, and they proved his downfall. He sent a hot one high to Snedden, who brought off a fine catch. 321-5-1.

; SIXER TO M'GIRR.

. M'Girr was the incoming batsman, and he opened with a single off Smith. At this stage Snedden replaced Wilson (two for 102) at the southern end, and after scoring a four he gave an easy chancel.at; leg to Smith, who failed to h^oid iC M'Uirr pleased the crowd a little later by. hitting Smith over the fence for six.

C M'Girr, in characteristic style, continued to make things merry, and he reach-ed-25 after being at the crease for twelve minutes. Collins, who had been showing more restraint, found Snedden to his liking, and a. nicely-placed boundary brought his total to 20, after 45 minutes, aid the grand total to 350. Smith succeeded in quietening M'Girr for a spell, although the Hutt skipper took a chance once or twice.. Collins placed Smith to tfie leg "boundary, "and brought up 370, His own- total being 27. M'Girr went out to. Smith, who was bowling a dangerous 7' ball, and miss-hitting badly, he g%ve th&' field a chance. Irving went fgr it, but failed to get up in time. Collins livened up matters a little by scoring two boundaries in succession off Snifth, one. tp/the . leg and- ono to 'the off. At -382' Alcott went on in place of Snedden (none for 50). With the score at 385, M'Girr skied one of Smith's, deliveries, and' this time Irving made no mistake. M'Girr had batted for 35 minutes, and hacl^ scored 36, including fives fojrrs and A one six. 385—5—36. £Bernavc was the next to appear, and h| did-"nob seem too comfortable to Smith, who had been bowling all thi« morning. The Hawkes Bay man shaped Wetter off Smith's second over; however, and scored 10 off three successive balls, showing a liking for^the leg side. The fourth' century appeared after 320 minufes at _tb".e:\crease, and an > umpire visits the pavilion for a new ball, the third used during the innings. . ■ ■ 'Beraau-andi.Collins settled down to" score., fairly- freely, -and an overthrow to the boundary gave the former a five on't-ttt&nr.-BCOre'Sneet,' his total- toeing brought up to 20. At 413, Caere, who had bowled „an over _on the first day, replaced. Smith .(four for 131), and Bernau nqfcpliectr a- single to leg-off his third "ball."' ;j Collins sent his fourth t6J the boundary. Another four brought Collins's total; up to 50. He had been atr the crease- for ninety minutes. Collins was finding Dacre to luV liking, and was scoring well on the off side. With three. 4's in succession he brought the total to. 438;< three runs past the fine total of 435 scored by Wellington in last year's "match with Auckland. At this stage M'Leod replaced Allcott (none foij 83), and the change was effective, Beinau being "caught behind the wickets when his total was 30. The grand toSal was 447 for seven wickets, and the lirHcheon adjournment was ■ then taken. Details are as follow :—' "" ; ; '; " WELLINGTON. First- Innings. J.VS. Hiddleston, c Gillespie, b Wilson 163 W;J A .'B..Hker,;st-Eountree, b Smith 29 B:; J. -Kortlang, C; Gillespie, ' h ( Sviison'^r:. .:......:.:. 33 G r ";Orr, c Rpuniree, b Smith 69 'D£ C. Collins; "not out „....;.......'. ,67 S/j Dempster, c Snedden, b Smith 1 HlrfMf,il4Garr.; o;lrvingpb Smith ... 36

E. H. L. Bernau, c Rountree, b M'Leod 30 Extras [„,.' 19 Total for seven wicket 3 447 Fall of wickets.—One for 74, two for 135, three for 289, four for 317, five for 321, six for 345, seven for 447.

After lunch Smith resumed the attack, and Collins and Holland each scored a boundary. M'Leod bowled from the southern end again, and each batsman scored freely. At 2.30 the score was seven wickets for 480.

0. Wilson 22 Allcotfc 22 Smith 30 Snedden* 14 ■M'Leod 5 Irving.. 3 Dacre .........: 4 M. 1 3 l 5 1 0 0 1 X, W. 102 2 83 0 131 4 50 0 24 1 '13 0 25^0

BOWLING.