CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1929, Page 20

CRICKET

•y "NOT CUT"

PLUNKET SHIELD

WELLINGTON UNBEATEN

OTAGO STILL HAS CHANCE

Although there is .still one match to be played bofore this season's Plunkot Shield series is completed, the indications aro that AVellington will retain possession of tho trophy. During the week the positions of the teams in the contest for tho Shield were detailed in "The Post," and these showed that Auckland has come through tho competition with the best average, while Wellington, with a smaller net avorage,' has been unbeaten in three matches,: two of which were drawn. Otago has managed to avert defeat in tho two matches which it has played, and in order to draw level with Wellington oni results it "must win the match with Canterbury next month. In the event of Otago winning the right to possession of the Plunket Shield will be decided on averages.. Should this be necessary Wellington and Otago will, of course,, be tho only provincos concerned. Auckland, although having the best average, is definitely out of the running on account of having had a defeat, and Canterbury is in the same' position. .:-, Wellington or Otago? • Possession of the Shield now rests, between Otago and 'Wellington, and taking a line through the performances of these two provinces it will be necessary for Otago to have an exceptionally big win over Canterbury if Wellington is to give up custody of the trophy. According to a message from Christchurch this week, the'matter of awarding the Shield; baa...been, referred to, members of the New Zealand Council, one of whom is reported to have saidthat the result of the Otago-Cauterbury j game is quite likely to affect disposal of tho Shield, particularly if ono side has an overwhelming win. In any: case, he added, no announcement would be made until ;after that match. It is recognised that the Otago-Canterb.ury j match must be taken into consideration, but in view of tho rules governing the competition, thero does not appear to be any need for a special announcement. The rules clearly state that in the event .of teams being equal • tho average system is applied, and if Otago beat Canterbury the only teams being equal will bo Otago and Wellington. Whichever of theso two'teams has the better not average, as explained in "The Post" this week, will win the Shield. Surely it would be out of order to consider teams which had suffered defeat when there are teams unbeaten.;. .-.,.-,. ■ ." • . Wellington's Players. The performance of the teams in the Wellington-Auckland match has already been dealt with in "The Post," special mention being mado of tho fine doublo in the batting department by Worker, splendid efforts by Dempster and'Hiddleston, good bowling by Henderson and M'Girr, excellent wicket-keeping by James, fin© fielding, and particularly good generalship on tho part of Lowry. There were many other features, and tho Aucklandcrs must be given h'ig¥ praise for their sterling part in tho game, with G. L. Weir doing domarkably in tho batting department. The fight which the Northerners put up in their second innings, tho fourth innings \bf;.-tlio match, was, a,.sterling one. ■•'■' .'.:':'h., Gr. L. Weir,6£. Auckland, has finished up with a remarkably good batting average in this season's Plunket Shield contest, having batted four times for an average of 131.00.: Next on the list is Worker, who more than justified his inclusion in the Wellington team for the match with Auckland. He has an average of 112.00 for two. innings. B. H. Bowley, the Auckland cor.eh, has the best bowling average— 18.35. He has taken 14 wickets. M'Ginis second on the list, and in'tho aggrogate Henderson. takes first place with 15 wickets. . ;Three batsmen have passed tho 250 niark in the matter of runs scored!this' season—Weir, 262, Dempster 255, and Lowry.2sl. : The.'-averages'; of. tho Wellington players ar>:— ','"■ .•. v , . '■.'.• ;'■■;:■;; BATTING.-

Hope did not bat. ..'-..■• *Not put. BOWLING. •'■■'• -"-■ Wickets. Kuns. Avc'

One Unsatisfactory Feature. From various sources it is gathered that the Wellington ' representatives fully deserved their success in Auckland, this being the first win scored by Wellington at Auckland in Plunket Shield matches. The winning of the toss was, of course, a stroke of good fortune for Wellington, but against that the visitors were unfortunato m some of the decisions given during tho progress of the match. It is stated that the umpiring was very unsatisfactory. In a review of tho first day's play tho Auckland "Sun" had the following to '' 'When E. do E. Worker was piling up his big score at Kden Park there was room for speculation as to whether the ex-Aucklander was going to prove the primary cause of a possible Auckland downfall in the Plunkot Shield. Tragic irony, indeed! But tho position dramatically changed lato in tho day whon the sensational dismissal ot several Wellington batsmen under most unusual circumstances set expert and jion-expert crickot opinion in a ferment i>t controversy. Threo batsmen were given out leg before wicket, Dempster end Hiddleston to a round-tho-wickot Cowler who is not ordinarily considered *> bo abl© to spin tho ball sufficiently fo gain such a difficult form of dismis»al. To add fi'esh fuel to tho flames of controversy, Worker was ruled to have sited his fotft when Eowntrda had ] whipped tho bails off—tho fourth debatable decision of the afternon. It was sertainly the start of a run of bad luck for Wellington, and the position was not helped when James was badly run out/Towards 6 o'clock, after havine at one stage scored over 2uo runs for two wickets, Wellington was actually fighting for runs." It was not only the' on the first day that decisions were open to question. James's dismissal lbw in tho second innings was said to bo a very bad decision, as the batsman hit the ball, and it went to the boundary... Apart from Hie umpiring, however, the match was really fine- from ©very point of view. University and Old Boys. There was quite a keen tussle for the Jsnel on the first innings in the Old

Boys-University match, which was concluded at tho Basin Reserve, and University, who had boon hard pressed on the previous Saturday at Kelbnrn Park, eventually succeeded per medium of n last-wicket stand by Vietmcyer and Greig. Old Boys, batting two men short in the secocd innings, made but a poor showing, and University were able to gain an outright win by seven wickets.

During University's first innings' objection was raised to a change which had been made -in the team. On the previous Saturday University fielded one man short, Iceeping a place for a' player on transfer from Auckland. This player did not put iv an appearance, and last Saturday nl'Leod, who had been on holiday, was included. It was contended by the acting-captain of Old Boys that University by completing their team in tho score-book oil tho previous Saturday had declared the full team, and that being so they could not change it, even though the now member of the side had not put in au appearance. Had - University not "declared" their team on the first day, they would have been quite in order in making tho change.. In any case, they were not committing a breach of tho rules. There is no rule to .cover tho case under notice, but a note to law 37, .which deals with substitutes, states: "Many disputes would be avoided if the captains, before tossing, exchanged lists of players." Institute and Wellington. In reply to Institute's big score of the previous Saturday, Wellington made a fine showing, and by playing out time they maintained their unbeaten record. A coincidence occurred during the course of the afternoon's play. When Westbrook was caught in the slips by Crook; the ball had previously passed through the hand of Prince. A few minutes laterJennings w'aa also canght in the slips by Crook after the ballhad been touched'by Prince. • During tho early stages of tho afternoon the batting display was good, but towards tho close of tho game Wellington had to play safe in order to secure a draw. Of the opening batsmen, Why to wns the most successful, reaching his century after two hours at the crease. Ho played confidently throughout his innings, and scored twenty-one 4's. During this season Whyte has proved himself a very soiind batsman, and well deserved his century. In a previous match he secured 99, and in tho Town v. Country match he had 94 runs to his credit. „.,.■'-■■■. ■ • :

Burton, the highest scorer for Wellington, carried Ms bat for. 121, after a steady, display over a period of .two hours, and a half. , Although' ho did not score quickly during the latter, part Of his innings^' he "played with a forceful Jb v at foY the first hour/and a 1 half, and collected twelve 4's and one 6.

The partnership between Cousins and Burton proved one of tho most interesting of the afternoon. With over an hour left to play, and only two wickets to^fall, Cousins went to the crease and played very quictjy, blocking most of the balls and scoring only from the safest. Notwithstanding tho efforts of both batsmen, the partnership ■ was nearly broken on two or three occasions. Luck favoured them, however, and despite: the efforts of the Institute bowlers, the pair held their wickets until stumps were drawn. Hutt and Petone, Undoubtedly the. most notable performance in the Petone-Hutt match, and the one that contributed most towards Hutt's decisive win, was the performance of L. Beard, who bowled practically unchanged throughout the afternoon. . After taking eight wickets for 37 runs in: the first innings ho went on to capture four for .57 in the second. The Hutt man bowled very-steadily, and had the batsmen, playing him carefully all tho time, even when, towards the closeof the match, he was losing some of his sting. Beard's continued success wth the ball this season is all the more pleasing in view of the doubts expressed at-the opening of the competition that his arm would stand up to a hard season's play. Except for a couple of overs sent ! down by M'Girr on the opening day, Watson had charge of the bowling from tho other end, and although .ho never appeared troublesome, the batsmen ■ could take few liberties with him. The Petone men scored freely, off Boss and Aldersley, the other bowlers tried.

Tho llutt; fieldsmen had "a- long day but, with the wickets falling regularly, they had plenty to keep them on the alert. Their display, however, was somewhat : disappointing. 'The placing of the field could have been improved, the batsmen frequently scoring in unguarded quarters of the paddock. Biggar kept wickets well in the first innings, but his work was not so good later in tho day. Petone failed badly in their first strike, when the slow-scoring batsmen failed to get going and those who attempted to score quickly were not allowed to go far. The second innings showed an improvement, and with two men absent Petone just managed to avert an innings defeat. A fine exhibition of stubborn batting by Smallwood, who. carried his bat throughout the innings,' formed the backbone of a score that was taken well towards the second century. The ex-Aucklander gets well over the ball, and his shots invariably give the impression that tho ball is going where he intended it should go. It is the. exception that he lifts a ball off the ground, but tho manner in which he dealt with a full toss from Watson showed that he can send a ball for six when the opportunity offers. . Mark Nieholls, who has roturncd to the Petone side after an absence of over a season, indicated-that he is still able to get runs and waste no time in doing so. After scoring 10 (not out) in the first innings he went in first wicket down in the second, and his partnership with Smallwood " realised just on 80 runs, 49 of which came off his bat. He gave no chances, but showed an inclination to hit heavily anything that was at all loose! Midland v. Kilbirnie. ; Despite the fact that in two attempts Kilbirnie failed to reach Midland 's first innings total, the conclusion of the match between these two teams on the Kilbirnio Kescrve on Saturday contained some interesting features. The outstanding event or! the game was, of course, W. A. Baker's remarkable bowling effort during Kilbirnie's second innings, when he took tho last nine wickets. It was not as if tho batsmen had lost their morale after Baker got his first few wickets,- for right up to the last man they all played with emlitablc freedom but Baker kept steadily on with his deliveries and sooner or later the batsmen would misjudge one. Baker showed he had the true temperament for a slow bowler, and he seemed quito unperturbed when he was hit, for a six, which happened more than once. Following the splendid example set by W. Ghristopherson tho Kilbirnie men went for the bowling in good stylo, and although beaten they deserved every credit for their bright display. Cliristopherson, who has his eye well in at present, rattled on 74 and was then caught when making a big hit. His cricket was delightful to watch. The promoted junior, Tindall, thoroughly earned his placed as Midland's wicket-kooper and he was very favourably commented on by tho members of both teams. The catch with which ho dismissed Ward was a smart piece of work and he allowed only one leg bye to pass during the second innings of Kilbirnie. Tindull was in Boys' League cricket last season, and on present form he is quite good enough, not only as a wicket-keeper but also as a batsman, to hold rank as a senior.

■..;.-.. . 1nn..M.0. ■ H.S.. Total. Avg. Worker." ....... 2 — 151 l 224 112.00 lames-:-..,~..... 4 1 109* lfiO 53.33 Lowry 5 - 134 20l , u0.20 Lsmason 6 1 89 220 44.00 Dcmpstor .... 6 — 77 235 42.50 Hlddleston .... 2 — 51 61 oO.aO Foley - 6 2 3S« 117 2!),25 M'Glrr V » — 56 76 25.33 Badcock•■:' ..... 2>--; — 30 41 ■ 20.00 notncrham .....5 - 45 101 .20.20 Hcnd6rson •.... 4 3 10 ;19 19.00 Hoar . .-. -2. 1 13* ■ V.t .13.00 Lambert 5 1 19 « H-Tu Rrowno 1 — " " T"

M'Glrr ......:....... n Henderson ............ I<> Lama son •• 1 Foley /- Lowry •> Iloar , :; Lambert li Hlddlcston : -I Hope ' Bodcock ' Rotherham j_... James ' Browne " Dempster • t • • Worker u 425 2!) 152 102 J75 42 ni. 81 IS4 0 II 12 28.33 25.00 :;i.oo M.oo :t3.00 1i0.r.0 42.00 Til.oo 81.00 !)2.00