PETONE'S PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 47, 24 February 1934, Page 20

PETONE'S PLAN

!' The ■ feature: ofi Petpne^s' first' innings ' against the weakened .Wellington team was the fine display given by Roberts. ■ Although quite a- free batsman, Roberts "generally prefers to send the ball tp/the boundary along-the ground rather than' over it;, but Jthis time he hit four 6's, Resides six. 4 'p in..making his 73. Roberts, was'largelyriiristrumontal in raising the score from' 262 for nine wipkets, to, 362, . , BL.I!. Nicholls contributed, a\useful 35, no.t-oiit. The performance.;.of .the pair ~'was ■ the more striking in that .they: were'in a new ro]e'., as. tail.-endors.,... „ - ..'■'-,'.'.' . ... • . ■'.. .■ From a point of view of tactics,- the ?etone-Wellington, match was of interest. W. S. Brice, recognised as a clever leader, hoped to:make a big score in a hurry, and let Wellington have an hour or more's batting before stumps were drawn. .*What. v .> militated against the succesr of this plan, was M. F. Nicholls's slow display." Nieholls started well, in-company -with Allcott, but later slowed: down t0.".".- scoring mainly by singles. Although-he deserves praise for his'good score, he would have been more helpful to his side had he made his runs in faster time. ■ ..-'..

Allcbtt > (39), W. S. Briee (31), O'Leary.. (23), and ].[ Rotherhani..(20) made their-runs in quick-time, particularly Brice and Bbtherham. ■W,eliingtonvbo ! wling:,was surpris-: ingly good, considering the; absence of the : side's principal trundi'efs; Cousins and ■E. Wiren ■' started off rather uncer-' tainly, but later settled down,1 to a

steady length^ Fay and Duff also bowled we.ll. Caldwell (five for 79) deserved his success. . ■