CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 20986, 28 December 1931, Page 2

CRICKET

PLUNKET SHIELD GAMES OTAGO FACED WITH HEAVY TASK [Per United Press Association.! CHRISTCHURCH, December 20. Canterbury ran up a big score in tho Plunket Shield match with Otago today. Tho weather was again fine, with a north-cast wind. The wicket was a perfect batsmen’s paradise, very true, hard, and fast, and at thx end of the day looked as good as when tho match began. Heavy scoring was to bo expected. Tho batsmen were on top all day, but tho Otago bowling was sound and steady throughout a long and trying day. At no time was tho bowli.collared, and at tbo end of tho day, when some of tho Canterbury tail-cndcrs tried to force the rate of scoring, they invariably paid the full penalty of rashness. Until Canterbury had piled up a big score the batting was rather slow, but correct and solid against tho uniformly good howling. Kerr played a lino innings for his 89. Roberts and Talbot also played very well. Indeed, tho Canterbury batting throughout was remarkably good without being spectacular. Blunt bowled np to his best form, keeping an excellent length and turning the ball well, even on tho billiardtable xvickot, and none of the batsmen successfully took liberties Avitli _ him. Dunning, Avho did not take a Avickct, AA:as tbo unlucky boAvler of the day. He Avas very steady and accurate, and deserved a little luck that Avas denied him. Tho Otago men gave a magnificent exhibition of ground fielding, but there Avorc several catches dropped. Three or four of them Avero very difficult, but certainly three or four others, although they could not bo called easy, should have been hold. Some of these catches Avould have made a great difference to the total if they had been held. For instance, Cromh Avas missed Avhen he Iml scored only a feAV runs. He Avas tho first of the batsmen to follow a forcing policy of getting runs or getting out. 'lt happened that bo and others got some runs, but the end of tbo innings might have been greatly different if Canterbury had really needed runs. Scores:— OTAGO. First innings IGI CANTERBURY. First Innings. I. M. Hamilton IbAv b Blunt ... 16 J. L. Kerr c Badcock b Moloney ... 89 A. W. Roberts c HaAvkcsAvorth b Smith 77 R. O. Talbot c Moloney b Coupland 72 M. L. Pago c Elmes b Coupland ... 24 S. G. Lester run out 42 I. B, Cromb IbAv b Blunt .51 .1. L, Poavcll b Badcock 30 W. E. Merritt o Elmes b Coupland 20 R, C. Burns b Badcock 27 J. T. Buitoavs, not out 8 Extras 16 Total 472 BoAvliug Analysis.—D. Smith, one for 58; F. T. Badcock, two for 57; J. A. Dunning, none for 84; R. C. Blunt, tAvo for 71; C. J. Elmes, none for 41; D. A. R. Moloney, ono for 53; R. W. Coupland, three for 72.

WELLINGTON V. AUCKLAND

[Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, December 27. Tho second day’s play in the Plunket Shield match between Wellington and Auckland on Saturday provided some interesting cricket. In reply to Auckland’s 1(54 Wellington made 271. Dempster and Hepburn put on 69 for the second ■wicket, but hero Dempster, who had reached 40, stepped out and hit a slow one from M'Coy hard on the full, and was brilliantly caught by Mathcson at mid-on. Hepburn and Lambert carried the total from 83 to 143, when Hepburn, who had been at tho wickets for 122 minutes for 58, was bowled by Cleverley, who was rocking them down with the wind behind him. Ho caused a sensation by clean bowling Lowry and trapping James Ibw in tho same over. Six were down for 155 when Lambert and Crook added GG for the seventh wicket. At this stage Lambert, who had batted for 11G minutes for 77, was caught behind the wickets by liowntroo off M'Coy. The tail wagged well, Crook, Massey, and Newman all going for runs. Cleverley bowled really well in capturing six for 70 off 21.4 overs. Ho clean bowled Hepburn, Lowry, M'Girr, and Newman, got James Ibw, and had Griffiths caught behind tho sticks. M'Coy, the slow specialist, also did well in taking three for 43. An:’land at the drawing of stumps had scored 149 for the loss of three wickets. Whitclaw and Weir were both bowled early by M'Girr, but Postles was then joined by Vivian, and the pair put on 105 for the third wicket. After being at the wickets for 77 minutes for 39 Postles was caught in the slips by Crook off Massey. Joined by Gillespie, Vivian continued to paste tho bowlers, and was loft not out with 82 to his credit, including two G’s and ten 4’s. Tho youthful Parnell left-hander gave a delightful display of footwork, getting remarkable power into his drives and hooks. The match will ho resumed to-mor-row morning. Scores; WELLINGTON. First Innings. Dustin b M'Coy 7 Dempster c Mathosou b M'Coy ... 40 Hepburn b Cleverley 58 M'Girr b Cleverley V Lambert c Itowntrec b M'Coy ... 77 Lowry b Cleverley 2 James Ibw b Cleverley 0 Crook b Weir 30 Massey not - out 20 Newman b Cleverley 13 Griffiths c llowntroo b Cleverley ... 0 Extras 17 Total 271 Bowling Analysis.—Matheson, none for 71; Cleverley, six fer 70; M'Coy, three for 43; Lyon, none for 12; Vivian, none for 43; Weir, one for 15.

AUCKLAND. First innings Id Second Innings. Postlos c Crook b Massey 39 Whitclaw b M'Girr 7 Weir b M'Girr 1 Vivian not out 82 Gillespie not out 10 Extras 10 Total for throe wickets ... 149 Rowling Analysis.—M‘Girr, two .for 29; Massey, one, for 16; Griffiths, none, for 14;- Lambert, none for 40; Crook, none for 17; Newman, none for 23. HAWKE CUP MATCH [Pint United Press Association. l HAMILTON, December 2G. South Auckland sustained a Hawke Cup challenge from Manawatn to-day by a margin of live wickets. Manawatn in their second venture were all out for 133. Requiring 45 runs to win, the borne side got them for the loss of five wickets.