THE PLUNKET SHIELD

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 3 January 1927, Page 5

THE PLUNKET SHIELD

.WELLINGTON V. CANTERBURY

lIIDDLLSION AND 13 VDC OCX \TKL BIG &CORLO

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, 2nd' January. Wellington fully sustained its reputation as one of the finest batting sides that has ever played for the l'lunket Shield in its first innings on Saturday against. Canterbury,' a " supposedly . strong bowling side. Throughout the day they kept the local men in the field and scored at an average rate, of nearly! 100 runs per hour. At times they made the Canterbury bowling look third rate, and their total-'of' 488 seems likely to make a win in the match secure. . . The weather was ideal, the wicket looked perfect, and the outfield was fast. Under the circumstances* the winning of the. toss was decidedly an advantage, and the visitors had that slice of luck.' The strength: of the Wellington batting was not revealed till fairly iate in the day. After ; Worker's comparatively early. dismissal, Hiddleston and Kortlang, by very sound batting, took the edge oft the Canterbury attack, adding 105 rims for the partnership. After Kortlarig's departure, Lambert maintained a high standard of batting, arid Canterbury were lucky to get him run put. He really sacrificed his wicket and saved Hiddleston's. The latter called for a run and went for it. Lambert refused the' call, but .seeing that the los 3of one wicket was inevitable- unselfishly crossed, though ho had no chance of getting: home. ;V ' . ... After "the, century had ' been -passed, things came Canterbury's way. Dempsterleft at .207, Hiddleston at 224, M'Girr at 226, avid Hdllings at 240. With seven out for 240, the probabilities seemed to be that Canterbury would not have\a total of more than 303 to face. Then came tho surprise revelation of Wellington's batting. Badcock joined James, and at once* proceeded to make the bowling look second; rate. He hit the bowling all over the ground, not by uppish or reckless strokes, but by masterlyl strokes to every, point in the field, and rarely off the carpet. James also batted soundly, scoring at-a fair rate. :> Th'e-'speed of the : scoring. was. astonishing' Once a batsman..scored off.-every ball of two consecutive;, overs,- and. --.tent on to score off -i sevenballs in thonext over. In addition, the. two batsmen gave an exhibition: of running between the wickets'the' like .of which has rarely been seen at Lancaster Park. The. result was the two batsmen had the bowling worn out and the field thoroughly- -demoralised.- • The partnership put on 154 runs in an-hour and a quarter. *; '•• -.". ' ~ ■■■■■- ■"'-... •'•■, ■:.'■■. : .After James's departure ' the last two batsmen : stayed with Badcock long enough to allow 94 more runs to be hit oft in less than one hour. • Critics were agreed that no more: brilliant batting has'been seen in ■ Plunket Shield matches than Badcock's. He did not score off occasional balls. It was only an occasional ball from wtiich lie did not score. He turned defence into attack by scoring, off balls that ordinarily good batsmen would have been ' content simply to play; His off-driving was perfection,' _ and a anything under-pitched on the on'side was given full nieasure: of punj.iahmen't.'■.'.■■".■■..'. -■-. ,-..:\ ■■'-,'. ''. ... . , ,-•" | .Hiddleston .was. second!: only to Badcock in aggressiveness. .Ho did, however, leave a great- number "of, balls alone which might have been hit. James got his 56 bj» sound '■ cricket, but' was considerably .troubled by Sandman's slows. " • • .Canterbury's"out-cricket- was good until Badcock. and/James proceeded to knock it to pieces. Read had the best bowling figures, but in his second spell- with the -ball he lost hislength- and was expensive. Cunningham bowled well for long periods ■i?. ll.J\--, a?S0 Kad-bad-patches in which he failed to.keep'length: M'Beth. was a most accurate bowler, and -"most useful on the : day The .Canterbury.,fielding was below. Shield match standard, and it broke' down utterly .when Badcock and Co. put a real^tr^in.on it. -■ Following ; are the ""''<£,', ' ..1 ■.' . rf-jji' '•'' Innings. ' i; . '• wK°ib£ b r& : b Cunni^ ii 4. Kortlang, c and b Sandman . """ •• <« Lambert, run" out ' ••'•••'••'■ Dempster, c Boon, bßead '"" q M'Girr, „b M'Beth « i?^ S ' c,Booil.l> Cunningham":!""" 56 Holhngs, lbw, -b. MSoth . " Badcock, lbw, b Read ..." " ik Buee, c Cunningham, b Head"" 15 Henderson, not out '■-• "•"".'" ",0 Extras-.::.....■.,.■;;.;;;;;;;;;;;;;■• Total ....-...;.....;;,■........-..;.. "^ P t?Z I"iW7 AnalySJ?-~Eead'to°k foUi > tickets for 107 runs, Cunningham-two for 132 Sandman one for 95, M'Beth two for 93 Patrick none for lVGregory none for .17. ! OTAGp Y^: AUCKLAND ; NORTHERNERS^OOR SHOWING. ' Ti, ;4>, ."'.'^PNEDIN/lst January 'of ; U?ke^ S^ieM match- between took tod All?kla»d-Was begun:eCarfs- at.Uiook to-day, in,fine weather, and-on an gj* Auckland won the toss" iSowley and Mills being. sent in to bat. leffl y lßent first ball to nl:tv ■?i? T? c,%? ai a»oth'er couple came off the -third ball. The last ball he lifted dangerously to the=on, but it found a gap Torrance bowled at the other end, Mil breaking his duck with a a nice cut. Bowley brought ten up with an off-drive off the same bow er. With the total at 13, ±Sowley y who had scored 9, snicked Tor-,l-anee into the slips, and Blaniires brought ; off.a good catch. Cooper, the newcomer, .opened; his account with a. cut that yield',ea a brace.; Dickinson's next over to Mills ;wasji jnaiden. A ball from Dickinson was skied to the off from Cooper's bat, but it found an opening in the field, the batsmen .running a single. Two balls later Cooper pulled Dickinson hard to leg, Blunt bringing .off. a brilliant catch. 20—2—5 'Gilles■pie replaced Cooper, breaking his duck —A 1 I 1 T elt 1: lm Bir >Sle off Torrance's sixth ball. -•Gillespie early in Dickinson's next over cut the ball dangerously through ™ shps,: and it went away for a couple ihe batsmen were treating the bowline :J" tv respect, but scoring with nice shots. J-he batsmen were slow in bringing 30 up both Dickinson'and Torrance sending up maidens. Gillespie sent a ball from Torrance to Dickinson at point, and he snapped it up well; N 30—3—5. Prater, the incomer, just touched the. ball from Torrance, and two were run. Blunt replaced Dickinson, Prater, scoring a single and then three, but a few balls later the bats--man, who had shown more life than ths others, put his foot in front of one of Torrance's deliveries, and was given\out lbw.' 44t-4—B. Torrance had taken' three wickets for 20. Allcott replaced Prater. The first boundary of the match came from Allcott off Torrance,.and the hulf-century was brought up after 68 minutes' play. Oiily a few balls later AUcott: lifted Blunt to the on, and Zimmerman took an easy catch. 51—5—5. Dacre filled the vacancy, and survived a.; confident appeal for a catch behind the wickets. Dacre gained applause by lifting Torrance high to the' boundary.l A brace to Dacre off a luck;/ shot brought. 60 lip. Mills reached' 20 after 80 minutes', batting. Dacre settled down and played aggressively, but Mills played across' a full tosser from Blunt, and was skittled, flt-fr-29. Mills-had been batting for an hour and three-quarters. Gerrard partnered Dacre, arid- by turning Dickinson to leg brought 100 up. The luncheon adjournment came with the score at 108, Dacre having scored 39. Gerrard opened to Blunt on the resumption. With his seventh ball a "wrong 'u'nV Blunt skittled Gerrard. 110 —7—o. When Player, who then went to the wicket, had scored seven, he wa3 lucky in'getting a ball just over Dickinson's head in the slips, and a single was run. Dacre reached 50 by sending Alloo to the off boundary, after 70 minutes' batting. After a period of quiet play, Dacre drove a ball to the on and ran. Player declined to move, and before Dacre could reach the crease again the wicket was thrown down. Daere received an ovation on leaving the ground. 148—8—62. Matheson filled the vacancy, and drove Blunt to : the'off. for a single, Irat with the next ball he got from Blunt, he was bowled round the logs. 152—9—1. Rowntree addded a trio and then lifted one from. Blunt, Zimmerman running up in take a good, catch. Player had scored 18. 155—10—3. Tho innings had lasted 2 hours 47 minutes. Blunt aiid Knight opened for Otagc-, Matheson bowling-to Blunt. A square-cut

by Blunt for a single opened Otagb's account. Allcott took the ball at the other end, his first over yielding a single, and his next two overs Were maidens. Tha batsmen became more aggressive, and soon brought 30 up, and at 34 Player replaced' Mnthesou, Ins first over ' yielding fiva runs. The score reached 50 in. 47 minutes, ■Bowley replacing Allcott at the luncheon adjournment, when tho score was 58, Blunt having scored 41. At 00 Kni.™ht was let uft in the slips.'Seventy was brought up .with a single and four overthrows to Knight. The. same player brought hi--Sn Cr' e, Up *■? 30>y Piling Bowley. to leg." Blunt reached 50: a minute later. At 97 Matheson replaced Player, the over yield™S a', sl I ne; le- B1"nf! brought his score to CO, and 100 lip, by off-driving Bowley, but the next ball he drove right into Daere's hands. 101-1-60...." Tiie-innings had been in progress for 88, minutes. Cherry roplaced Blunt. Knight at 41 gave Allcott a chance m the slips, but the catch was bpt^,CC?P r 11153011 was bowling much better,, sending down three, overs for sit ru"s- .'-ie ' was then replaced by Player and Allcott replaced Bowley, Knight helping himself to three off' the former <o V^? i IS Score' up to 50 ia 121 minutes. With the score at 131, Cooper replaced Player. By careful batting the score was taken to 141, when Knight drove Cooper into Daere's hands, .the Auckland captain holding a-good catch. 141—2—58. Dickinson filled the vacancy, dispatching tho lirst ball he received to the boundary Matheson replaced Allcott, and after the addition of four got Cherry's wicket, lbw. "s—-3—22. Bowley was given a try at tin other end, the move proving a wise one' as Dickinson put his foot in front oC one from the coach and was given "put " 147-^-4—6. Shepherd brought 150 up by cutting Matheson. to the boundary.' Stumps were drawn with the score at 155. ; - .. AUCKLAND. • First Innings. Bowley, c:Blamires, b'Torrance ...'■ ■ <) Mills, b Blunt; ..;.......■ '-'. 99 Cooper, c Blunt, b■' Diekinsoii' '.'."' '■'.' ■ ■■•"5 Gillespie, c Dickinson, b Torranco "' '5 irater, lbw, b Torranee ..\ -.. s Allcott, c Ziminermaiij b Blunt ..... :; Dacre, run out . 6^ Gerrard, b 81unt .".....;..... ""■ ~ Q Player, not out ..:.: '.'.'.". 18 Matheson, b Blunt ..... ;!!!!""" >-i Rowntree, c Zimmerman,, b Blimt" 2 Extras .....;.......'. ......... 4 Total ;..,.:;.;...•.;...;._..'... : ;.-..1i Bowling Analysis.—Dickinson took one wicket for. 35 runs, Torrance three for 51 Blunt,five for 46, A; Alloo none for Id. . OTAGO. First" Innings. ' " Blunt, c Dacre, b Bowley ........",... 60 Knight, c. Dacre, b Cooper .V '..'. 58 Cherry, lbw,' b Matheson ..; 22 Dickinson,.lbw, b Bowley „'........ . a Shepherd, not out ;'..;.' 8 A. W.! Alloo, not out ............... 0 Estra .....................;. 1. Total for four wickets .."..;.:.'.'.... 155 Bowling Analysis.—^ilatheson took one .wicket for 40.runs, :Allcott none for 19, Player none for 37, Bowley two for 44, Cooper one for 13.-