PLUNKET SHIELD

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 36, 12 February 1936, Page 19

PLUNKET SHIELD

WON BY WELLINGTON

PLAYING FOR TIME

FINE PARTNERSHIP

CENTURY TO LAMASON

Although Auckland defeated Wellington on the first innings in the deciding Plunket Shield match, which was concluded at the Basin Reserve yesterday afternoon, the latter province takes -possession of the shield. The points prior to the match were: Wellington 16, Auckland 12, a position which necessitated an outright win on the part of \ Auckland if the shield was to be won, hut, this not being achieved, the final award was Wellington 18 points, Auckland 16 points. Four points were allotted to the latter-pro-vince for a first-innings win, and two to Wellington for averting an outright defeat. ' Auckland's prospects when play opened yesterday were not particularly bright in view of the limited time, and as the day advanced they became progressively less. Despite the fact that Auckland carried their overnight score of 97' to 235 in 103 minutes, it was clear that, failing a sudden collapse on the part of the local team, the best the visitors could do would be a win on the first innings. The Wallace-Postles partnership produced 77 runs, the latter's escape, when 3, proving most costly. Garrard (40) and Pearson (27 not out) were the only other batsmen to make a stand. Griffiths, with five wickets for 90 runs, was perhaps flattered by his average (he sent down some very loose balls in the closing period), but nevertheless he was responsible for the dismissal of four of Auckland s most valuable batsmen in Townsend, Wallace, Postles, and Garrard. Parsloe, on a wicket not wholly "suited to him, though it wore remarkably well, took three wickets for 50 runs. PLAYING FOR TIME. With a deficit of 83 runs on the first innings Wellington's primary object in the initial stages of the second innings was not the making of runs but the taking of 'steps to preclude any possibility of an outright win by Auckland. As a consequence play was, for a very considerable period, extremely dull. It was only with the advent of Lamason, after the dismissal of Moloney and Ell, that the game assumed any measure of attractiveness at all. Lamason certainly attacked the bowling, and though his 127 was not flawless it was a decidedly bright and valuable effort. McLeod scored 94 runs but his performance, though solid, was the result only of safetyfirst tactics. His partnership . with Lamason produced 210 runs, one of the largest third-wicket stands made in shield cricket. The record is 222 made by S. G. Smith and N. C. Snedden, of Auckland, against Hawke's Bay in the 1920-21 season. ■ The most successful Auckland bowler was Garrard. Considerable use was made of him. He sent down 31 overs, but he kept at it steadily, and ended the day with the creditable analysis of four wickets for 95 runs.. The Auckland attack generally in the second innings seemed to lack variety. Townsend and Andrews did not repeat their success of the first innings. Cowie, after bowling 13 overs, strained himself. The Auckland team obviously felt the1 absence of Vivian. One distressing feature of the match was the number of dropped catches. Both sides failed to accept many opportunities, and as a consequence not only did several batsmen have "lives," but the bowling rfigures in.some cases appeared rather poorer than they actually should have been. Wellington's success was the first since 1932, and the eighth since the inception of the competition. • PLAY IN DETAIL. When "The Post" went to press yesterday McLeod and Lamason were at the wickets with ..the position just a little ominous for Wellington. Lamason ran into double figures quickly as the result rather of some lucky strokes than sound batting, although he hit two good 4's off Garrard. With the total at 81 Townsend came back again in place of Andrews and Lamason drove his last ball for 4. Both batsmen had now scored 20 runs apiece, McLeod's being the ' result wholly of singles which had taken him 95 minutes to compile. Lamason had scored his at the rate of two a minute. Cowie relieved Garrard and McLeod raised an ironical cheer by driving his first ball for 4. A single by the same batsman brought the century up after 110 minutes' play. The advent of Lamason had lent some-sparkle to the game, but Mcr Leod's scoring medium was still singles. Postles, the Auckland captain, at 110 had a turn with the ball, going on in place of Townsend, from whose 13 overs 27' runs had resulted. The score was now rising materially,. due to the aggression of Lamason, who was not afraid to open his shoulders when the occasion offered. The score, when the tea adjournment was taken. stood at 128 for two wickets. " Schnauer, the Auckland manager and twelfth man, fielded after the interval for Cowie, who had strained himself. With but two hours left for play and Wellington obviously content to remain at the wickets, Auckland's chances had dwindled to nothing, though Wellington's actual lead was at this stage only 45 runs. Lamason reached his fifty in 51 minutes. He had hit seven 4's. Garrard and Andrews replaced Cowie and Townsend. McLeod, though ' still taking no chances, was now opening out a little, and was given a round of applause on reaching his fifty. OPENED HIS SHOULDERS. Lamason opened his shoulders to Townsend, who had been brought back to relieve Andrews, hitting his first three balls for two successive 4's and a single. McLeod, when 52, was dropped off Townsend by Postles at mid-off and Wallace a few minutes later missed a falling ball from Lamason (77) at square-leg off Garrard. The Wellington captain was now attacking the bowling and scored the first 6 of the match when he lifted Garrard over the boundary fence. Another 4 and a single by Lamason saw 200 reached in 169 minutes, Lamason being 92 and McLeod 57. At 207, Postles, using a new ball, took over from Garrard, who had sent down 23 overs for two wickets. Lamason, with a single off Postles, reached his 100 in 95 minutes. He had hit eighteen 4's and one 6. In an endeavour to effect a separation changes were frequently made-in the attack, but without avail until with the score 'at 263.Lamason (127) was caught behind the stumps by Edmonds off Garrard. 263—3—127. GREAT INNINGS. Lamason's innings, though not chanceless, was a bright spot in an otherwise dull afternoon's cricket. He hit eighteen 4's and one 6, and was at the crease for two hours. The partnership had yielded 201 runs, McLeod then being 82; Garrard.had bowled 26 overs, five maidens, and taken threewickets for 78. . Morgan joined McLeod, and these two took the total to 287, when McLeod was bowled by Hook at 94. 287 —4—94. McLeod had been very stodgy in the early stages, but in- the later period showed much more enterprise. He hit six 4's, and batted three and a quarter hours. Blandi'ord did not survive long. He banged Hook for 4 and in the next over, in attempting to hook Garrard, skied the ball for Edmonds to take an easy catch. 289-74—4. Garrard's analysis was four wickets for 88. Gallichan, who had followed Blandford, was dropped when 3 by Andrews at first slipl off Garrard. Morgan (20) and Gallichan played out time, stumps, being drawn at 5.45 p.m. to enable the

Auckland team to "connect "with" the ; train. AUCKLAND. First innings 235 WELLINGTONFirst innings ' *„„...... 152 Second Innings. Moloney, b Garrard ............. 29 McLeod, b Hook 94 Ell, st Edmonds, b Garrard ...... 4 Lamason, c Edmonds, b Garrard . 11l Morgan, not out < 20 Blandford, c Edmonds, b Garrard 4 Gallichan, not out ■ s Extras: 20 byes, 4 leg byes, 1 no-ball ■ ■ - • %> Total for five wickets 308 Fall of Wickets.—One for 55 two for 62, three for 263, four for 289. five for 298. BOWLING ANALYSIS. O. M. R. W. Cowie 12 • 2 34 - Townsend 21 6 53 — Andrews ....... 23 5 48 — Garrard ~. 31 5 95 4 Postles 5 - 29 — Hook .5 + 24 1