RECORD SCORE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 7

RECORD SCORE

AUCKLAND V. OTAGO 445 FOR THIRD WICKET (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, January 1. A world record third wicket partnership of 445 runs between W. Carson and P. E. Whitelaw was the predominating feature of Auckland's first innings yesterday in the Plunket Shield match between Auckland and Otago. There was no play today because of rain, but when • stumps were drawn yesterday Auckland had five wickets down for 550, to which total Carson had contributed 290 and Whitelaw 195. Auckland's innings did not start very promisingly, both Dunning and Weir being bowled by Silver, and with two wickets down for 25 runs, the position for Otago looked fairly good. It was then that Carson and Whitelaw became associated, however, and with a perfect wicket to assist them and nothing in the bowling to worry them unduly, they settled down to steady scoring that was to last almost the whole of the day's play.

Whitelaw's batting was restrained, but right from the start Carson set about the bowling in a workmanlike fashion and let no opportunity of scoring pass. The young left-hander laid about him in vigorous fashion, putting a great deal of power into his shots, and he reached his first 50 in 45 minutes. Auckland's 100 came up in 83 minutes, and after he had been in for 136 minutes Carson completed his century. The batsmen brought up 200 after 156 minutes, and when a light, misty rain commenced to fall they found conditions even more to their liking, Whitelaw reaching his century shortly after Carson had made 150. Whitelaw's 100 took him 198 minutes.

Auckland's total came to 300 shortly afterwards, and successive changes of bowling failed to shake either the confidence or the scoring power of the batsmen. The partnership had realised 300 in 190 minutes, and the pair continued to pile up runs until Carson, who was batting as powerfully as though he had been in for only a few minutes, reached the 200 mark in the short time of 210 minutes, his second century having taken only 74 minutes. HARD CHANCE GIVEN. When Whitelaw was 138 he lifted a hard shot to Chettleburgh at mid-off, but the fieldsman failed to hold it, and almost simultaneously Carson broke 250. and the partnership mounted to 400. With his score at'29o Carson appeared to have a good chance of breaking the record individual score for Plunket Shield cricket, but he drove a ball from Dunning hard to mid-off, where Silver held a great catch. Carson scored 38 4's. The partnership of 445 broke not only the previous Plunket Shield third wicket record of 222, established by S. G. Smith and N. C. Snedden for Auckland against Hawke's Bay in 1920-21, but also created a new record for any partnership in Plunket Shield matches, and set a new world's record for. the third wicket, the previous being that of 389 made by Ponsford and McCabe for Australia against M.C.C. at Lord's in 1934. Whitelaw was unfortunate in not securing his double century, as he wanted only five runs when he was completely beaten by a "wrong W from the slow bowler, Groves. He hit one 6 and twenty-one 4's. Wallace batted confidently for his 31 not out, but Vivian returned a catch to Dunning when he was 10 and stumps were drawn with five wickets down for 550.

The bowlers had a bad day. Conditions were against them certainly, but the bowling lacked sting, and the scoring mood of Carson and Whitelaw made it look even less dangerous than it was-. AUCKLAND. First Innings. Whitelaw, b Groves 19 r > Dunning, b Silver 0 Weir, b Silver H 1 Carson, c Silver, b Dunning .. 290 Wallace, not'out, 31 Vivian, c and b Dunning 10 Extras ' '.• ............ 13 Total, for five wickets 550 Bowling: Silver,took two wickets for 143 runs, Dunning two for 113, Groves one for 112. Badcock none for 56, Elmes none for 59, McGregor none for 33, Knight none, for 5, Chettleburgh none for 16.