PLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 20986, 28 December 1931, Page 10

PLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET

CANTERBURY V. OTAGD BLUNT AND BADCOCK IN SCORING VEIN AN INSPIRING PARTNERSHIP IPur Uhitbd Press Association] CHRISTCHURCH, December 28. The weather was fine when, with a deficiency of 311 on tho first innings, Badcock and Cherry opened Otago’s second innings against Canterbury in the shield match. Badcock quickly opened out, and hit Cromb for 3 and Burrows for 4. Cherry was more restrained. Merritt replaced Burrows, and Badcock continued to bat beautifully, though he gave a hard chance, which Talbot dropped. He reached 30 with a single off Merritt. Tho partnership ended when Cherry tipped one from Cromb which was held by Page in the slips. 49—1—13. Blunt opened with a cover drive for 4 off Merritt, and the 50 was hoisted after 45min. Talbot replaced Cromb, but the batsmen continued brightly, and Merritt proved expensive. Lester also failed to keep them quiet. The 100 went up in 70min. Blunt was shaping confidently. Badcock was now 77 and Blunt 34. One wicket for 129. Brisk cricket continued, with frequent boundaries, despite keen fielding. The runs were coming at the rate of one hundred an hour. Badcoob reached his century after 105 minutes’ enterprising batting, and immediately went for a hit. He paid the penalty, and was caught by Powell off Cromb. His partnership with Blunt provided 127 runs. Knight was the newcomer.

Badcock’s display was one of the finest seen on Lancaster Bark. He took 105 minutes to get his century. It was a faultless display of enterprising batting. He exploited every shot in masterly fashion, and hit ten boundaries. Details;— CANTERBURY. First innings ... ... 472 OTAGO. First innings ... ... 161 —Second Innings.— Badcock c Powell b Cronib 105 Cherry c Page b Cromb 13 Blunt not out 75 Knight not out ...' 9 Extras 9 Total for two wickets ... 311 WELLINGTON V. AUCKLAND VIVIAN'S BRILLIANT 165 WELLINGTON, December 28, Against the bowling of Massey and Crook Vivian resumed his innings with Gillespie this morning as though there had been no break since Saturday, quickly running into the 90’s. The weather was fine and the wicket was holding well. In Crook’s third_ over Gillespie was out leg before wicket. 166—4—14. Hay followed. A lusty drive off Massey gave Vivian 99, and a single to leg off Crook gave him his century in even time, earned by brilliant, forceful batting, with no chances given. It was the young batsman’s first Shield hundred, and he \ as warmly applauded by the largo attendance. At 177 Lambert replaced Crook. His fifth ball beat Hay. 178—5—5. Lyon, the incomer, adopted a purely defensive attitude, although Vivian kept the score moving, bringing 190 up by swinging Lambert to fine leg for his third 6. Newman then relieved Massey, and M'Girr replaced Lambert. Vivian reached 120, bringing the 200 up with a brace to leg off M'Girr. The innings had been in progress 175 minutes at noon. Lym reached 10 after batting thirtyfive minutes. The cricket was slower than previously, Vivian seeing little of the bowling, _ although continuing to execute scoring shots, most of which were rut off for singles. An uppish shot over the bowler’s head off M'Girr gave the batsman 2, the ball dropping clear of the fieldsmen.

Lambert replaced Newman, and the partnership was broken soon afterwards, having added 64 in fifty-three minutes. Though a slow scorer, Lyon played a valuable part. 242—6—18. Newman came on again, Vivian hitting two successive 4’s off his over. Another change saw Lambert relieve M'Girr. Vivian reached 150 after 195 minutes, pulling Newman for 3; but the next nail accounted for Matheson. 255—7—1. M'Ooy was out the same over without scoring. 2558 —0. Vivian then opened out, refusing singles, except at the finish of overs. He lifted M'Girr out of the ground for his fourth 6, the crowd enjoying tho display. Attempting another big hit, ho was clean bowled. He received a great ovation for his chanceless display of vigorous hatting, lasting 208 minutes, witli four 6’s and eighteen 4’s to his credit. 269—9—165. Rowntree and Cleverley hatted stubbornly till the lunch adjournment, when the score was 279 for nine wickets. Details:— WELLINGTON, First innings ... 271 AUCKLAND. First innings ... 164 Second Innings. Postles c Crook b Massey ... 39 Whitelaw b M'Girr 7 Weir b M'Girr 1 Vivian b M'Girr 165 Gillespie Ibvv b Crook ]4 Hay b Lambert 5 Lyon b M'Girr 18 Matheson e James h Newman ... 1 M'Coy b Newman 0 Cleverley not out 8 Rowntreo not out 2 Extras 19 Total for niuo wickets ... 279