PLUNKET SHIELD MATCHES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 152, 24 December 1926, Page 9

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCHES

WELLINGTON v. OTAGO TO-MOBEOW.

A start is to bo made to-morrow afternoon with this Reason's series of cricket matches for the Plunket Shield, Wellington and Otago meeting at the Basin Reserve, and Auckland and Canterbury at C)iristeh,urch. The Oiago team arrived from the South this morning, and was to engage in practice at the Basin Reserve this afternoon. Last season Wellington were beaten by Otygo at Duiiedin, and the southerners are hopeful of repeating the performance on this occasion, although they are without the services of some of their principal players, notably Galland and M'Mullan. Galland has been suffering from an injury, and, although he lias made the trip to Wellington, he will be unable to play. The Wellington team is regarded as one of the strongest on record, and if the conditions are suitable for batting it should be capable of a very fine performance. Form in the match is bound to weigh, with the selectors of the New Zealand team for England, and on that account the progress of play will be followed •with added interest. The match is to commence at 2 p.m. to-morrow, and will be continued at 11 a.m. on Monday and played to a finish. It is probable that progress reports of the Can-terbury-Auckland match will be displayed at the Basin Reserve. The teams are as follow:— ' Otago.—B. O. Blamires (captain), J. Shepherd, B. C. Blunt, A. W. Alloo, K. Cherry, L. Green, I-I. C. Alloo, G. 18, Dickinson, R. C. Torrance, C. Zimmerman, and A. Knight. Wellington.—"W. S. Brice (captain), J. S. Hiddlcstou, R. de B. Worker, B. J. Kortlang, C. S. Dempster, T. C. Lowry, H. M. M' Girr, A. M. Hollings, F. T. Badcock, K. James, H. Lambert, and M. Henderson. One player is to fill the position of twelfth man. In the event of Otago requiring a twelfth man. N. Conradi .will be on hand. Mr. W. A. Bow-land is manager iof tho visiting team. AUCKLAND v. CAXTEBBURY. The Auckland-Canterbury Plunket Shield match is to be commenced at Lancaster Park at 2 p.m. to-morrow. The teams are as follow: — . Auckland. —From tho following: C. C. Dacrc (captain), C. Allcott, E. H. Bowley, I. W. Cooper, R. E. Frater, J. P. Gcrrarcl, H. D.'Gillespie, H. Wilson, A. M. Matheson, J. 11. Mills, A. S. Player, and B. W. Rowntree. Canterbury: W. R. Patrick (captain), C. G. Crawford, G. B. Gregory, C. Oliver, M. L. Page; A. Cox, B. Read, D. Sandman, J. T. Burrows, W. Cunningham, and M. Boon. SHIELD HOLDERS.

Plunket Shield, first awarded to Canterbury in '1907, has been held as1 follows:—

Canterbury.—Until December, 1907. Auckland.—l4th December, 1907, to 28th January, 1911. Canterbury.—2Bth January, 1911, to 10th February, 1912. Auckland. —10th' February, 1912, to 29th January, 1913. Canterbury.—29th January, 1913, to 26th December, 1918. Wellington.—26th December, 1918, to 22nd January, 1919. Canterbury.—"2nd January, 1919, to 2nd January, 1920.

Auckland. —2nd January, 1920, to 10th January, 1921. Wellington. 10th January, 1921, to 34th January, 1922. Auckland.—24th January, 1922, to 29th January, 1923.

Canterbury.—29th January, 1923, to 23rd January, 1924. Wellington.—23rd January, 1924, to 9th February, 1925.

Otago.—9th February, 1925, to 23rd February, . 1926. Wellington.—23rd February, 1926, to date.