THE PLUNKET SHIELD.

Evening Star, Issue 13145, 29 December 1908, Page 3

THE PLUNKET SHIELD.

OTAGO v. AUCKLAND. FIRST DAY'S PLAY. Merit Board.—Wilson 144, SiedebeTg 39, Howden 33, Hopkins 21 (a stylish display). I Bowling.—A. M. Howden, 7 wickets for 87 runs; Wordsworth, 1 wicket fox nil. [Feom Our Spectu. Correspondent.] AUCKLAND, December 28. The Otago - Auckland representative cricket match for the Plunket Challenge Shield was commenced here to-day in glorious weather, and in the presence of about 2,000 spectators. The wicket is of Port Albert soil, and is being used for the first time in representative cricket. Fcara were expressed early in the day that the wicket would not wear, but it has lasted to-day, giving the batsmen a perfect wicket, which played true to the drawing of stumps. The following is the personnel of the teams: Otago.—C. G. Wileon (captain), H. G. Siedeberg, G. G. Austin, C. C. Hopkins, A. H. Fisher, P. Williams, R. Torrance, K. Howden, M. Rutherford, C. Wordsworth, and F. Ayles. Auckland.—A. Hadden (captain), A. E. i Relf, G. Cummings, W. Brooke-Smith, A. j M. Howden, L. G. Hemus, W. Robinson, T. R. Mason, S. P. Jones, E. Mae'Cormick, and E. V. Sale. Mr G. Pram (Otago) and Mi- A. Sands (Auckland) were the umpires. Otago won the toss, and Wilson decided to bat. Going to the wickets in company with Howden. he scored -3 by a lute cut .' off Relfs first ball. He continued by faultless play to make runs, his total 1 mounting up more quickly than his partner's. Some of Wileon's strokes were very fine, particularly his straight drives. When the score reached tlie century he lost his partner, who pnt up a very soft one off his brother, A. M., into Sale's hands. He had three lives while compiling his total of 33. Hopkins joined Wilson, and played polished cricket for his 21 runs, giving about the most stylish display of the day. . He was unlucky in colliding with Mason, • the incident causing him to "be run out. Sicdeberg joined Wikon, and the total i continued to mount up. Siedeberg's 6core was mainly composed ot runs made on the leg side. At one period of the after- . noon play slowed down considerably, five | consecutive maidens being sent down. The . vpectators were calling on the players to !'" Wake up ! " At the afternoon tea adjournment the score stood at 264 for threo wickets. Wikon then nlterod the order of batsmen and sent in tho hitters, counselling those already in to go for the bowling. Play had previously been cautious, tho keenness of the- field and the quality of tho bowling preventing liberties being taken hy the batsmen. With the change of policy wickets fell rapidly, Howden being the destroying element. Fisher made liis runs quickly, but the recent importation of the Otago Association, Ayles, stayed a long time tor his 3 runs. When the 6tate of the wicket is- considered Howden came out with a fine average, securing seveni wickets for 87 runs. He kept a good length and managed to get a good deal of work on, -the ball breaking in from the leg. Relf also bowled well, better than his figures indicate. He was dropped twice behind the stumps. Wikon's innings of 144 has been the talk of local cricketers, who speak highly of his line display of batting and of his resource. Auckland's first innings has commenced in a disastrous maimer for the local team, Jones being bowled first ball by a very fast delivery from Wordsworth, which caught the top of the middle stump. The Auckland team are confident that if the weather and wickets hold they can reach Otago'6 total. The position is now creating great local interest, which will culminate on Wednesday. Should Auckland make any sort stand to-morrow tho probability is that the match will not finish in the three days allotted to it. The scores for to-day's play are as follow : I Oxago.—First Innings. # | Wilson, st Robinson, b Howden 144 Howden, c Sale, b Howden 33 Hopkins, run out ... .... 21 Siedeberg, c Cummings, b Relf _ .„ 39 Austin, b Howden ... - .. 12 Wordsworth, b Howden... „. ... ... 4 Rutherford, lbw, b Howden 11 Williams, b Howden ... .„ „. „ 17 Fisher, c Sale, b Howden „ 19 Aylee, not out ... ... 3 Torrance, lbw, b Cummings ... ... 9 Extras - 26 Total „„....„ ... _ 338 BOWLIN'G ANALYSTS. Runs. WicketsRelf ... „ _ 65 1 Howden ... .„ ... 87 7 Cummings ™ ... ... 40 1 Maeon „ ... .„ ... 44 0 Hadden „ ... 44 0 Brooke-Smith 17 0 .Sale .„ 15 0 Auckland.—First Innings. Jones, b Wordsworth „ .„ 0 MacCormiek, not out ... .„ 0 Robinson, not out- ~ ~ « ~. 0 Total for one wicket «. w. 0