Plunket Shield Sensation

Evening Star, Issue 20987, 29 December 1931, Page 11

Plunket Shield Sensation

Blunt Bats All Day For 315

The Crown of His Brilliant Career

Otago Piles on 555 for Nine Wickets

[Per United Press Association.]

WELLINGTON BEATS AUCKLAND SIX WICKETS TO SPARE [Phi United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, December 28. The Plunket Shield match between Auckland and Wellington concluded at 4.35 this afternoon m a victory for Wellington by six wickets. Auckland made a valiant effort to save the game by scoring 285 in the second innings, A feature of the match was the brilliant innings played for Auckland by Vivian, who increased his overnight score of 82 not out to 165. Old cricketers present unanimously voted his to be one of the most brilliant innings over seen at the Basin Reserve. His loot and wrist work were nearly perfect, and lie timed his strokes beautifully, hitting sixes off M'Girr and Newman and treating all the bowlers with care-frco impartiality. He was at the wickets for 190 minutes,, and received an ovation on returning, after being bowled by M'Girr. The next highest score on the Auckland side was 39 by Postles. M'Girr bowled well for Wellington in taking four for 61 off twenty-three overs.' Newman captured two for 58 off twenty-eight overs. Massey, Lambert, and Crook also secured a wicket apiece. Requiring 179 runs to win, Dempster and Dustin gave Wellington a splendid start by putting on 119 for tho first wicket. Here Dempster, who bad readied 07, fell Ibw to Vivian. Ho bad been at ttie wickets for 72 minutes, and hit nine 4’s. M'Girr and Lambert assisted Dustin to hit off the runs required to give Wellington a win by six wickets. Dustin was left unbeaten with 63. Scores:— 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 Ibw b Crook ... 14 Hay b Lambert 5 Lyon b M'Girr 18 M'Coy b Newman 0 Matbeson c James b Newman ... 1 Cleverley not out 9 Rowntree run out 7 Extras 19 Total ... ... ... 285 Bowling Analysis.—M'Girr, four for 61; Massey, one for 31; Newman, two for 58; Griffiths, none for 20; Lambert, one for 58; Crook, one for 38. WELLINGTON. [first innings 271 Second Innings. Dempster Ibw b Vivian 67 Dustin not out 63 Hepburn b Cleverley ,1 M'Girr c and b Weir 15 Lambert b Weir 19 Crook not out 4 Extras 13 Total for four wickets ... 182 Bowling Analysis.—Cleverley, one for 30; Weir, two for 22; Matbeson, none for 18; Vivian, one for 75; Lyon, none for 10; M'Coy, none for 14. WELLINGTON TEAM AGAINST CANTERBURY [Pk* United Prbm Association.] WELLINGTON, December 29. The Wellington Plunket Shield team versus Canterbury at New Year will be: —Lowry, Dempster, Dustin, Hepburn, M'Girr, Lambert, Crook, James, Massey, Henderson, Newman. • Lamason is twelfth man.

CHRISTCHURCH, December 28,

In the Plunket Shield match to-day Otago made one of the greatest batting recoveries ever known in New Zealand cricket. They began the day with a deficit of over 300 runs, but piled up the magnificent score of 555 runs for nine wickets, leaving Canterbury a formidable task on the fourth day to escape defeat. The chief contributor to Otago’s fine total was R. C. Blunt, who was unbeaten when stumps were drawn with a score of 315. Ho has already made a Plunket Shield record score, an d good judges who saw him to-day declared that his batting was the finest ever seen at Lancaster Park. It was Blunt’s most brilliant achievement in a brilliant cricket career. Going in at 11.50 with the score at one for 49, he saw 506 runs added to the total. His performance today easily eclipsed

bis previous best efforts, and he produced scoring strokes which surprised oven his greatest admirers, of whom ho has many in Christchurch. Ho lifted two or three balls into tho deep field when it was safe to do so, but otherwise his runs came from shots along the carpet in front and behind the wicket. His off-driving was specially fine, being executed with effortless ease, and his timing of his strokes on the leg side was uncanny. Ho gave a chance at 128, and was actually caught off a uo-ball, but there was no other blemish in his long innings. Badcock, who opened with Cherry, also scored a meritorious century, but his effort was overshadowed by Blunt’s brilliance. The value of Badcock’s knock was that it took the edge off tho bowling, and laid tho foundation for Otago’s big score. Hight from the start Badcock went for the bowling, frequently making runs from balls that many good batsmen would have simply played. He took risks, but tho balls he lifted were generally to chosen parts of tho field. His strokes were well timed and executed with a lot of power behind them. Next in order of merit was tho effort of Hawksworth, who kept his end up while Blunt scored until tho partnership had added 150 runs. Of tho Canterbury bowlers, Burrows was the steadiest, keeping a good length with few loose balls. Crorab bowled well early, but later lost both speed and length. Tho ground fielding was far below Otago’s display on Saturday. Scores:—

CANTERBURY. First Innings ... 472 OTAGO. First Innings IGI Second Innings. R. Cherry c Page b Cromb ....... 13 F. T. Badcock c Powell b Cromb ... 105 11. C. Blunt not out 315 A. Knight c Hamilton b Burrows ... 9 W. A. Priest c Hamilton b Burrows 0 C. J. Elmes Ibw b Talbot 24 D. Smith b Burrows 15 J. A. Dunning Ibw b Burrows ... 5 D. A. R. Moloney c Pago b Merritt 5 W. D. Coupland b Burrows 13 W. Hawksworth not out 16 Extras 35 Total for nine wucketsl ... 555 Bowling Analysis.—Cromb, three for 125; Burrows, four for 68; Merritt, one for 134; Talbot, one for 78; Lester, none for 47; Roberts, none for 54; Page, none for 14.