AUCKLAND RETAINS SHIELD

Evening Star, Issue 22890, 23 February 1938, Page 5

AUCKLAND RETAINS SHIELD

DEFEATED IN FINAL MATCH WELLINGTON WINS ON FIRST INNINGS RACE AGAINST TIME FOR OUTRIGHT VICTORY [Pee United Peess Association.] 0 WELLINGTON, February 22, The last day’s play in the Blanket Shield match of the season between Auckland and Wellington was by no means the least, and a game that at one stage appeared likely to be little more than a formal affair before the declaration of Auckland as shield winners, due to the loss of practically two days through bad weather, finished full of interest and provided the large crowd with many thrills as Wellington raced against time in an effort to force an outright win against the accurate fast bowling. At stumps Wellington had lost five wickets for 129 runs —l7 short of the required 146, the game thus resulting in a win for Wellington on the first innings.

Under the system of points allocated, takes two for a loss on the first innings, and with an agf regate of 18 points, retains the Plunet Shield.

The honours of the match were definitely with Wellington, The powerful Auckland batting side was dismissed for 156 in the first innings on a widket that admittedly favoured the bowlers, but on a comparatively easy wicket to-day Auckland fell in the second knock for 212. With the exception of Scott, who fully lived up to his reputation as a decidedly promising, if somewhat ungainly, batsman, and Postles, who plodded away laboriously for three hours and a-half for 49, the batsmen never really mastered tha bowling, which was particularly steady and which was backed up by keen fielding. Possibly the Wellington public expected a great deal more than was possible from Auckland in view of the huge scores piled up against Otago and Canterbury, hut the fact remains that the side could he, and was, beaten, and in doing so Wellington recorded a highly creditable performance.

The features of to-day’s play were the accurate bowling of Pritchard, Blundell, and Lamason, and Scott’s very useful innings. The match was a veritable triumph for Pritchard, who followed up his four for 27 in the first innings by taking three for 33 in the second, when all his victims were clean bowled. The halls which dismissed Whitelaw and Carson were such that they might have brought the downfall of much greater batsmen. In shield matches this season Pritchard has taken 15 wickets for 227 runs at an average of 15.1. A graduate from country cricket, Pritchard is an example of talent that exists, but often goes unrecognised, in minor association games, Lamason cam© through the game with flying colours, captaining the side ably and following up solid knocks by a fine piece of bowling in Auckland’s second innings.

Blundell was responsible for one of the sensations of the game. His over immediately after the resumption of play after the tea adjournment yielded three wickets for one run and abruptly terminated Auckland’s innings. By no stretch of imagination a graceful hat, Scott revealed himself as a clever run-getter having a wide range of shots, all of which he exploited effectively. He gave one chance to the slips when 67. Postles was very slow, hut as events turned out his knock saved his side. His stay at the crease of three and a-half hours held up Wellington’s hopes of an outright win,' There were 26 singles in his 49.

Both Wallace and Carson gave attractive displays. Tindill’s stumping of M'Mahon was one of the smartest pieces of work seen at the Basin Reserve for many seasons. M'Mahon reached forward to glide a ball to leg, dragged his foot across the line and in a flash Tindill, who took the hall beautifully, had whipped off the bails.

With on© or two beit©r hitting batsmen Wellington might have secured the necessary runs for an outright win, hut it was no easy task endeavouring to clout bowlers of the calibre of Cpwie, Carson and Simpson to the fence. All bowled steadily, and by placing the field well out Postles confined most of the scoring to singles. Auckland’s fielding was patchy, consistently good ground work being offset by dropped catches, two chances going begging. Details:— AUCKLAND. First innings 156 Second Innings.' Whitelaw b Pritchard r-v? -8 Postles b Lamason ...j .... 49 Wallace c Pritchard b Parsloe ... 28 Carson b Pritchard ... ... ; 25 Mills b Pritchard >... ■...; ... 4 Scott not out ... ...! ;...; (.... 74 Matheson b Lamason :..., 1 Edmonds b Lamason ... -...• 10 Cowie c Tindill b Blundell ... 0 M'Mahon st Tindill b Blundell 0 Simpson c Lamason b Blundell 0 Extras :... .... >.. 13 . Total -.... ..... 212 •—Bowling Analysis.—

WELLINGTON. First innings ■••• ;•••; :•••: >•• 223 Second Innings. ' Rice b Simpson r...: 31 Parsloe c Edinonds b Cowie ...• 28 Moloney run out 20 Ell b Simpson ... ... ... w 10 Donnelly c Scott b Carson ...: 12 Lamason not out ;•••: 9 Pritchard not out >.. : 6 Extras ...: :•••: :••• 13 7 Total for five wickets r... 129

0. M. R. W. Pritchard 16 4 33 3 Blundell ,.. 19.7 6 55 3 Parsloe .... 9 — 35 1 Lamason .... 16 2 34 3 Griffiths ... 2 —. 17 — Donnelly ... 3 — 10 — Maloney ... 3 — 15 —

; ,—Bowling Analysis. —■ 0. M. Rw. Cowl© 9 1 30 1 Matheson ... 6 i— 28 — Carson 1 1 35 1 Simpson •...■ 5 — 23 2 SHIELD POINTS. The final shield points are:— Auckland ... .. 13 Otago ... . 16 iWellington 12 Canterbury; > 0