AUCKLAND V. CANTERBURY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 5, 7 January 1928, Page 7

AUCKLAND V. CANTERBURY

AX EVEN GAME (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Oth January. To-day saw Auckland struggling for a first iuniujfs lead in the second Plunket Niicld minch of the season ;iguinst Canterbury. Canterbury, batting lust, scored 2-14, and Auckland replied with 152 for six wickets. Gregory at times was a little uncertain, especially to Bowley,. and lie was run out when ku called lot- an impossible run. Hamilton was strong on the leg side, but in attempting to get a ball from Authony round to leg he went leg before wicket. M. L. Page did not strike form, and was caught oil a weak shot. J. .Newman (Hampshire professional) was trapped beautifully by Bowley. He went out to one ball almost before it was bowled, and ISowley dropped it short. Newman had to get back to play it, and sent an easy catch to G. L. Weir at square leg. W. E. Merritt proved that tributes to his batting on the 'English tour were not undeserved. His innings was one of the brightest of the day. U. E. Evans gave a sterling display in scoring 40, and R. .Read infused plenty of freedom into the game while he ran up 21). He was out to a magnificent one-handed catch by Dacre. Anthony exercised fine control over his length, and made judicious use of both spinners. He has hardly ever bowled better in Plunket Shield cricket than he did to-day. Bowley obtained every bit of assistance the wicket afforded him, and bowled with brains. Auckland's first innings was remarkable chiefly for good batting by J. E. Mills and I. W. Cooper, and excellent bowling by Merritt and Newman. Bowley started off brightly, but was deceived when a ball from Merritt stopped a little, and he returned an easy catch. Cooper played bright cricket, clean and powerful driving being a feature, but he paid the price for going forward to Merritt once too often. Mills, who is not out with 50 to his' credit, batted patiently and solidly, hitting only loose balls. He gave one chance when 34. Merritt took little time to find his length, but once he found it the crowd were not left wondering how he had succeeded in England. Us varied his breaks and mixed in the googly judiciously. A googly beat Anthony from the time it left the bowler's hand. Newman impressed the crowd by his steady and accurate bowling. He bowled unchanged for about an hour and a half, and at the end was just as likely to secure wickets as he was at the start. There could have been improvements in the fielding of both sides. Detailed scores: CANTERBURY—First Innings. G. K. Gregory, run out 07 I. H. Hamilton, lbw, b Anthony — 27 J. Jacobs, b Bowley '....■ 1 M. L. Page, c Dacre, b Anthony 0 J. Newman, c Weir, b Bowley 24 D. .C. Nixon, c Scott, b Anthony .... 13 W. Hayes, b" Anthony 0 W. 13. Merritt, c and b Weir 37 0. K. Evans, c Player, b Dacre 40 R. Read, c and b Dacre 29 J. M'Ewin, not out 2 Extras * Total , 244 Bowling Analysis.—Anthony, four wickets for 66 runs; Dacre, two for 12; Bowley, two for 06; G. L. Weir, one for 2.4; Garrard, none for 19; Player, none for 17; Matheson, none for 36. AUCKLAND.—First Innings. E. 11. Bowley, c and b Merritt .... 2!) J. E. Mills, not out 50 A. Anthony, b Merritt 0 C C Dacre, b Newman 1" T. W. Cooper, b Merritt 40 H. D. Gillespie, b Merritt 0 D. R. Garrard, b Read 0 Extras 8 Total for six wickets 152