CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 20993, 6 January 1932, Page 2

CRICKET

PLUNKET SHIELD CANTERBURY'S PLUCKY FIGHT A RECORD PARTNERSHIP DOUBLE CENTURY TO PAGE [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January 5. The Plunket Shield cricket match between Canterbury and Wellington ended to-day in a win for Wellington by 277 runs on the first innings. A feature of the play was the magnificent stand mad© by Roberts and Page for the fourth wicket in Canterbury’s second innings. Canterbury had scored 276 in the first innings, to which Wellington had replied with 553. At the drawing of stumps on Monday night Canterbury had lost three wickets for 157, Roberts and Page having carried the score from 57 to 157. Resuming this morning in a northerly gale Roberts and Page not only created a record for the fourth wicket, but established a record for any wicket in Plunket. Shield matches by carrying the score from 157 to 335 before Roberts, who had scored 181, was caught by Massey in, the slips just after the luncheon adjournment. The partnership had added 278 for the fourth wicket. Roberts had been batting for 154 minutes, combining the soundest of defence with a pleasing variety of scoring shots, including thirteen boundaries.

After Roberts’s dismissal Pago was joined by Lester, and the pair made another fighting stand, which added 104 runs for the fifth wicket, carrying the score to 439. Page did most of the scoring. He reached his century in 227 minutes, and then began to open out on the bowling. The 400 came up in 315 minutes with both men going strongly. The Canterbury captain continued to play breezy cricket, reaching 150 in 262 minutes. With the total at 439 Lester, who had reached 31 ; stopped one from Lambert, but the spin on the ball caused it to run back on to his sticks. The partnership had added 104 runs in fifty minutes.

_ Partnered by Bellamy, Page continued to _ give a glorious display of rapid scoring, and ran to his double century in 307 minutes. To signalise this he lifted a ball from Lambert out of the ground, but in attempting to repeat this lie lifted the next delivery in Dempster’s hands right on the boundary at long on. Ho hit three 6’s and twenty 4’s. Merritt had a lot of fun. He kept creeping up the pitch to Lambert’s slows, and it was difficult to bowl a length to him. After hitting up 17 in as many minutes he skied one _ from Henderson, and was caught at mid-on. The Canterbury captain declared the innings closed at the tea adjournment, when the score stood at 526 for eight wickets, and Wellingon were left with 250 to get to win in 116 minutes. Dempster and Dustin put on 42 for the first wicket, of which Dempster claimed 32. Hero Page had an over for the first time in the match, and off his third ball had Dempster brilliantly caught by Bellamy at mid-on. Dustin and James were together when rain set in at 4.50 and put a stop to play. Details:—

CANTERBURY. First innings 276 Second Innings. Kerr Ibw b Newman ... 6 Hamilton c Dempster b M'Girr ... 12 Cromb b Lambert 11 Roberts c Massey b Newman ... 181 Page c Dempster b Lambert ... 206 Lester b Lambert 31 Powell c M'Girr b Lambert ... 1 Bellamy not out 20 Merritt c M'Girr b Henderson ... 17 Burns not out 4 Extras 37 Total for eight wickets (declared) 526 Bowling Analysis,—Crook, none for 47; M'Girr, one for 45; Newman, two for 88; Lambert, four for 179; Henderson, one for 59; Massey, none for 56; Lowry, none for 15. WELLINGTON. First innings 553 . Second Innings. Dempster c Bellamy b Page ... 32 Dustin not out • 13 James not out 0 Total for one wicket 45

Bowling Analysis.—Cromb, none for 22; Burrows, none for 10; Merritt, none for 13; Page, one for 0.