PLUNKET SHIELD

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 57, 8 March 1930, Page 11

PLUNKET SHIELD

WELLINGTON AT THE

WICKETS

UNPROMISING STAET

There, was a further touch of the sensational in the early proceedings of the Plunket Shield match, Auckland v. Wellington, at the Basin Eeservo today. The visitors had lost their first two wickets yesterday for eight runs, and Wellington to-day encountered similar disaster, the first two wickets falling for seven runs, both as the result of catches by Hunt, the Auckland wieketkeeper, off Matheson. Prior to this Auckland had proceeded only a little way with their innings when the, last man (Hunt) was injured by a ball from Henderson. He was compelled to retire, and at that the innings ended. Yesterday's score of 432 for nine wickets was improved only by a no-ball. M'Coy carried his bat for 68. Conditions for play to-day were good, except that the wind had changed round to the- north, and was of greater velocity. There was a good attendance of spectators. In the play prior to the luncheon adjournment Wellington fared badly, losing five wickets for 40 runs. HOME TEAM'S POOR START. Faced with the big hurdle of making 434 runs to lead on the first innings, Wellington commenced their innings at 11.31 a.m., Foley and Lowry being the opening batsmen, the captain taking the place which Dempster was unable to fill for this match. As was tho case with "the visitors, the innings opened -disastrously. Foley took strike to Matheson, who bowled with the wind, and the fourth ball was evidently snicked by Foley, as there was an appeal for a catch by the wicket-keeper (Hunt), this being uphold. 0 —1—0, Hollings filled the vacancy, and saw out the remainder of the over, after which Wensley took up the attack from the southern end.. A single by Lowry from the Auckland coach's first over started Wellington's account. Additions to the tally were few and far between, Hollings playing cautiously without scoring, while Lowry made occasional scoring strokes. At the end of eight overs, four of which were maidens, the score was five. In Matheson ,'s next over Lowry drove a ball to cover for a single, and Hollings then opened his account with a cut for one through the slips. Immediately afterwards Wellington's stocks fell again when Lowry was dismissed in exactly tho same way as Foley. The loss of two wickets for seven runs was slightly worse than Auckland's beginning. 7—2—6. THIRD WICKET. The newcomer was Boss, playing his first big game, and he shaped confidently, eventually "breaking his duck" with a splendid stroke to leg off Matheson, the ball travelling to the fence. Hollings was also settling down well, and ho helped matters along with a solid hit to leg for four off Wensley. Otherwise there, was little scoring, the fteldlmen being keen. Matheson's first nine overs had. cost only eleven runs, and from Wensley's first eight overs only six runs were realised. Before commencing- his ninth over Wensley, placed another man on the leg side, but Hollings succeeded in hitting a. ball through to the ropes. . Boss had a "life" in Matheson's next.over, when he snicked a ball into the:,slips, where Wensley .missed the catcti...' Matheson was getting, a lot, of assistance from the.Wind. The score was improved by seven runs in Wensley's next' over, Hollings making two good strokes; one to leg and one through the "gully," for three apiece, and Boss lifting a ball to leg for a single. This was the most expensive over to date, the bowlers making' the batsmen fight hard for runs. Both batsmen were shaping well, but in Matheson'3: next over a misshit brought about Hollings's downfall, the ball being cocked up and giving the bowler a simple catch. Matheson's figures were excellent —11 overs, 6 maidens, 11 runs, three wickets. The score board at this stage showed: 28— 3—16. Boss, now partnered by Cameron, made two further scoring strokes off Wensley, and these made the total 31 for an hour's batting. Boss subsequently turned a ball from MathcSoil to leg for two, which gave him double figures. There was still 'no variation' in the attack, and from the first ball of Wensley's twelfth over Cameron survived an appeal for a catch behind the wickets. The ball had apparently touched the batsman's pads. After this over Anthony took up the aLtack from Matheson, who in twelve overs had taken throe wickets for 13 runs. PLAY IN DETAIL. When play was resumed M'Girr bowled from the northern end, and M'Coy played out the over without scoring. Henderson was the other .bowler, and he had the assistance of a strong northerly wind. One of his deliveries was a no-ball, and his fifth struck the batsman, Hunt, who was compelled to retire from the field. The fieldsmen waited for some minutes, and then Allcott intimated that that was the end of the innings, which realised 433 runs. M'Coy carried his bat for 68, his performance being a most valuable one for the side. He was at the crease for 95 minutes. Wellington's most successful bowlers were Massey and Galliehan, although the latter's wickets were secured at fairly heavy cost.

Details:—

AUCKLAND. First Innings,

Mills, b M' Gin- 0 Anthony, c Cameron, b Massey .. 5 Weir, c James, b Massey 140 Gillespic, b Gallichan 26 Wensley, c Lowry, b Gallichan .. 26 Allcott, b Galliehan 41 Elliott, c Hollings, b Massey .... 30 Badeley, c and b Boss 32 M' Coy, not; out 6S Mathesou, -c and b Massey 47 Hunt, retired hurt 0 Extras.—Byes 2, Leg-byes 7, noballs 9 IS Total 433 Fall of Wickets. —One for 0, two for 8, three for 54, four for 93, five for 170, six for 238, seven for 301, eight for 331, nine for 431. BOT/LING ANALYSIS. O. M. B. W. M'Girr 17 8 37 1 Hollings 7 1 25 0 Massey 33 11 80 4 Henderson 15.5 0 55 0 Gallichan 41 13 101 3 M'Leod .... 16 3 44 0 Boss 14 2 50 1 Lowry 4 0 23 0 Massey bowled four no-balls and Henderson six. SLOW PROGRESS. Anthony's first over was a maiden, Boss being unable to scoro from it. Allcott then took over from Wensley (none for 20 in twelve overs). With this change Cameron ivas able to make his first scoring stroke —a three to squareleg. Tho Auckland captain's second over was scoreless and there was only a single from Anthony's second, the play still bsing very quiet. Wellington received a further set-back when in Anthony's next over Boss miss-hit a ball and the leather, cocked tip over the

wicket-keeper, was caught by Wensley. The outgoing.batsman had made a good stand under circumstances that wero none too good for '& young player in his first big representative match. 37 —1 —11.

. M'Leod joined Cameron, and opened with a single to cover. Suns were few and far between and eventually Cameron, in jumping out to Anthony, failed to connect and an appeal for stumped was upheld. 40—5—5. The luncheon adjournment was taken at the fall of this wicket. AFTER LUNCH. When play was resumed, Anthony, who was turning tho ball sharply, finished the over in which he had taken his second wicket before lunch. Alleott bowled from the other end, and M'Leod mado a single to leg, after which M'Girr, who had accompanied M'Leod, to tho crease fell to an appeal for a catch behind the wickets. The batsman appeared to bo very surprised at the decision. 41—6—0. Gallichan was next. A good hit to leg by M'Leod off. Anthony improved the score by four, and in Allcott's next over Gallichan also realised four from a stroke to leg. M'Leod added another boundary off Anthony, and in doing ro brought 50 up. The innings-had been in progress for 100 minutes. Both batsmen wero shaping confidently, and Gallichan succeeded in driving another ball to the fence, after which M'Leod made an off-drive- for three.' Matters wero looking up somewhat for Wellington, and the batsmen made further good strokes, each registering another boundary. and also netting two runs by moving smartly between the wickets. In fifteen minutes they had carried the score: from 41 to 72. At this point Alleott was credited with a maiden1 over. ONE HUNDRED UP. ; Proceedings quietened down, although runs came steadily, those from strokes by the batsmen being interspersed with leg-byes. At times the bowlers had the batsmen guessing, but the latter battled along and M'Leod reached 20 after the post-lunch' play had been, in" progress for 35 minutes. Just afterwards Gallichan straight drove a ball from Alleott to the boundary, and he, too, reached 20. With the scoro at -86, M' Coy replaced Anthony, who had taken two wickets for 24 runs in twelve overs, four of which were maidens. M'Leod met the change with an' off-drive to tho .fence, and followed up with a single. Gallichan also registered a single, and M'Leod -finished up the over by a boundary hit to leg, the over costing ten runs. Alleott kept going at the other end. Gallichan gained three ruiis from a stroke to leg. : M'Leod, afterwards brought the total up to 100 with a single to leg. The compilation of this total had occupied two*and a quarter hours. . PARTNERSHIP BROKEN. M'Leod and Gallichan kept going well, scoring freely off M'Coy. Gallichan passed 30 with a-boundary hit just after JM'Leod' had: also reached-' that mark. The Manawatu'player, who had been : shaping.' well, threw his wicket away in jumping out to a ball from M' Coy. . He failed to connect, and was bowled. Gallichan had made 34 in a confident manner; and his score included five fours. Tho partnership for tho seventh wicket had put on 70 runs in 45 niinutes, and M'Leod at this siago was 33. 111—7—34. Details:—. . ■ .. : . .'WELLINGTON. . First Innings. Foley, c Hunt, b Matheson ........ '.' 0 Lbwry, c .Hunt, b Mathesou 6 Boilings, c and b Matheson ...... .16 Ross, c Wensley, b Anthony .... ,11 Cameron,'st Hunt, b Anthony .... '5 M'Leod, not out ;33 M'Girr, c Hunt," VAUcbtt. ...... \O. Galliehaii, "b M'Cby ............ 3<t Extra's . ;..:.,.',..........-...... 6 Total foi" seven wickets .... 11l The report of the play, yesterday afternoon, is printed on ;page,ls.