PLUNKET SHIELD

Evening Star, Issue 21934, 22 January 1935, Page 4

PLUNKET SHIELD

AUCKLAND'S BIG SCORE

WHiTELAW ESTABLISHES A RECORD [Per United Press Association' ] AUCKLAND. January 21. With attractive batting and steady bowling, Auckland played itself definitely into a winning position when the Plunket Shield cricket match against Wellington was continued at Eden Park-to-day. The wicket remained good, althonght it began to show signs of wear in tlio last hour of play. Auckland carried its second innings score to 431 for seven wickets when Vivian declared. The Wellington bowling was completely mastered, most of the batsmen throwing away their wickets in forcing the pace. P. E. Whitelaw, who scored a century in the first innings, established a record for Plunket Shield matches by following with 155. He and J. E. Mills scored 184 for the first wicket, and later L. F. Townsend gave an aggressive display for 90 not out.

Wellington batted after tea and has lost four wickets for 85 runs. With only six wickets in hand, the visitors are still 492 short of Auckland’s total. Over an hour of delightful batting was provided by Mills and Whitelaw when they resumed Auckland’s second innings. Whitelaw had two or three uncomfortable overs facing Lamason, but Blundell presented no difficulties. Mills reached 50 in eighty-five minutes. With Griffiths on in place of Blundell, 100 was raised two minutes later, Whitelaw taking )iis score to 50 after the next hall. Both attacked in superb fashion, the total mounting from 100 to 150 m twenty-six minutes. The slow spinners of Griffiths and Morgan were no more effective than the mediumpaced deliveries of Blundell and Lamason, but Tricklebank and M'Leod put a temporary check to the scoring. A cross wina seemed to help Tricklebank, and both Mills and 'Whitelaw at times found themselves struck on the pads by balls which they attempted to play. Both batsmen were nearing the 100 mark, but finally a ball from Tricklebank broke through Mills’s defence and bowled him. 184—1—84.

Joined by Weir, Whitelaw, after 155 minutes’ batting, reached bis second 100 of the match —the first time that two separate hundreds had been scored by a batsman in one Plunket Shield match. The Wellington players joined in the ovation that his fine display fully earned. At 115 Whitelaw drove a hard catch back to Lamason, but the bowler did not hold it. By lunch the total was 240 (Whitelaw 133, Weir 20). After lunch the batsmen attempted to force the pace still further, and in attempting a big hit off Lamason Weir was caught by Morgan. 266 —2—34. Vivian, who was aggressive from the start, drove two glorious 6’s off Blundell and Lamason. Whitelaw, still batting confidently, reached 150 in 207 minutes. Immediately afterwards he lifted Lamason to Rainbird at deep midon, and a magnificent innings ended. He hit sixteen 4’s. 302—3—155.

Vivian sent back a simple catch to Lamason off the next ball. 302—4—-26.

Three batsmen sacrificed their wickets in going for runs. ,Sale jumped out to a short ball from Lamason and was bowled, 330—5—4.

Busli then hit a simple catch to Blundell on the on side off Morgan, 341—6 2, and Wallace was bowled in hitting across a turning ball from Griffiths. 363—7—9.

• Meanwhile Townsend was hatting vigorously, playing delightfully free shots in front of the wicket. Ho scored 50 in 35min, but later both he and M'Coy were unaccountably subdued for a period. Townsend livened up in an attempt to reach the century before tea. Ho attacked all the bowlers and drove Lamason for a fine 6 over extra cover, but after 84miu batting lie was still 10 short of three figures at the adjournment. Ho hit nine 4’s and one 6.

WELLINGTON’S SECOND STRIKE. The almost impossible task of scoring 578 for a victory in the fourth use of the wicket faced Wellington when Whyte and Tindill opened the second innings to Cowie and Bush. The innings had lasted only ten minutes when a ball from Cowie whipped in suddenly, left Whyte standing, and took his ofl stump clean out of the ground. 9—l—B.

With the shine off the hall, Vivian and Townsend took over the attack. After half an hour Ell was unable to remain patient for long. Stepping out to Vivian, he played right over a wellflighted ball and was bowled. 36—2 10. Cowie and Bush bowled again, and 50 appeared in 72min. M'Coy and Townsend were next tried at opposite ends to those from which they had previously bowled. M‘Coy was erratic, but in Townsend's first over Ward was out to a fine diving catch by Vivian at short mid-on. 75—3—17.

The wicket now appeared to be wearing a little, and Townsend, taking full advantage of it, trapped M'Leod Ibw sis minutes before the drawing of stumps. 83—4—4.

Lamason and Tindill played out time. Details AUCKLAND. First innings 401 —Second Innings P. E. Whitelaw c Rainbird b Lamason. 153 J. E. Mills b Tricklebank 84 G. L. Weir c Morgan b Lamason ... 34 H. CL Vivian e, and b Lamason ... 26 L. F. Townsend not out 90 V. S. Sale b Lamason 4 R. G. Bush c Blundell b Morgan ... 3 M. Wallace b Griffiths 9 A. W. M‘Coy not out 20 Extras 8 Total for seven wickets (innings declared closed) 431 —Bowling Analysis.—

WELLINGTON. First innings 255 —Second Innings.— R. IT. Whyte b Cowic 8 E. W. Tindill not out 36 J. Ell b Vivian 10 S. Ward c Vivian b Townsend ... 17 E. G. M'Lood Ibw b Townsend ... 4 J. R. Lamason not out 2 Extras 8 Total for four wickets 83

0. M. R. W Blundell ... ... 37 5 101 0 Tricklebank ... 20 2 66 ] Lainason 32 3 109 4 Griffiths 12 0 6(1 1 Morgan 8 0 62 1 M'Leocl 6 0 14 0 Rainbird ... 2 0 6 0