PLUNKET SHIELD

Evening Star, Issue 23496, 9 February 1940, Page 8

PLUNKET SHIELD

OTAGO V. WELLINGTON WINDY CONDITIONS HOME SIDE BATTING The conditions were decidedly unpleasant at Carisbrook this morning when the Plunket Shield match between Utago and Wellington was begun. There was a strong north-west wind blowing across the ground and the temperature was anything hut summer-like. The attendance when play commenced was very small. The wicket appeared to be in splendid condition and full of runs. M'Leod, the Wellington skipper, called wrong when Moloney tossed the coin, and Otago batted. Before a ball was bowled the bails were blown off the stumps a couple of times. The umpires were Messrs G. M'Quecn and L. Delhi. Pritchard, Wellington’s renowned fast bowler, opened the attack from the railway end to Robertson, who turned the fifth and seventh balls nicely to leg for a couple each. Moloney faced Ashendon at the other end, and there was a slight delay while the sight board, which had been blown over by the wind, was re-erected. Moloney placed the second ball to the square leg boundary for the first four of the match. The Otago captain was shaping freely and Robertson, showing hie usual solid front, although the latter was not relishing Pritchard’s expresses. A series of singles raised 10 on the board, and a couple of overs later Moloney reached double figures, hut after adding a couple more he was much too _ late in getting down on a .fast, straight one from Pritchard, and his stumps were knocked back. 17—1 —l2. This happened with the last ball of the over and after 20 minutes’ play. Cutler joined Robertson, who was not sighting them too well. The Southlander began with a couple of wellplaced shots from which he scored a 2 and a single, bringing up 20. A turn to fine leg brought Cutler a rather fluky 4. The wind was bothersome, not only to the batsmen, but to the fielding side. Robertson brought his score to 10 and the total to 30 with a nice chop down the gully, an excursion down the pitch to retrieve the bails being his next move. Cutler was swinging a free bat, and netted three more from a leg glance and a pat through the slips. Robertson put an Uppish . one from Pritchard to Wrigley, at third slip, the ball landing just in front of the fieldsman.

At 37 Wilson relieved Ashendon, who had bowled five overs for 11 runs. Robertson scored a couple off the new bowler’s first delivery. Ashendon went on at Pritchard’s end. The effect of the wind on the ball was causing both batsmen to mis-time occasionally. AVith the third ball of his second over, AA’ilson bowled Cutler,' the batsman leaning across at a ball which appeared to come back on him. 42—2—13. Elmes was the newcomer, and a few snots of rain came down on the wind. Elmes played the rest of the over safely, but was none too comfortable when he faced Ashendon, whose sixth ball he cut into AA 7 ilson’s hands, from where it went to Pritchard, who held the catch. 43—3—0. This was not a very promising start, but worse followed- when Robertson touched the fifth ball of Wilson’s next over and was nicely taken at shortstop by Tindill, the wicket-keeper. 45 4—17. Fraser and Cameron were now together, and each opened his account in the same over, Fraser sweetly cutting Ashenden to the fence in the next. This brought up 50 in 69 minutes. Fraser quickly ran to double figures, and Pritchard returned to the crease in place of Ashenden, at the railway end His third ball knocked Cameron’s leg pin back, but it was a no-ball, and the batsman showed his gratitude by off-driving the next for 2, following it with a 4 in the same direction, bringing him to 10. Cameron, batting freely, got Wilson for 2 and 1, which brought 70 on the board. A little later Cameron swept Wilson to the leg fence and achieved top score." The wooden spoon was still hovering overhead, however. Cameron reached 26 with a drive past point, and off-drove the same bowler (Wilson) to the fence to raise 80. A couple of balls later Wilson clean bowled Fraser, and l five were down for 82 (Fraser 10). Wilson had now taken three-for 26. Chettleburgh opened with a quietlyplaced single to the on. Another single to the Grange man, and Cameron, going for a drive, missed and was bowled by Pritchard. 84—6—26. Toomey came in and opened with a single, later placing the Wellington express bowler to the rails on the leg side. Play was quiet, and at the luncheon interval the score was 96 for six wickets, Toomey 8 and Chettleburgh 4. Wilson had taken three for 27, Pritchard two for 44, and Ashenden one for 19.

Resuming after luncheon, weather conditions were no better, the cold wind causing the few, spectators to seek the shelter of fences. With only 4 runs added, Toomey touched one of Pritchards and it went out to M'Leod deep at third slip, who held an easy chance. 100 —6—ll. The 100 came up in 117 minutes. Leader had not long joined Chettlohurgh when the latter placed Pritchard tamely into the hands of Wrigley, who was fielding within 3yds or 4yds of the bat at silly-leg. 103—8—5. Mills joined his clubmate, Leader, who steered Pritchard twice past the packed slips to the deeply-set field in the gully. A bunch of schoolboys arriving at this stage increased the attendance by about 50 per cent. A lovely off drive to the fence by Lender welcomed them. The scoring livened up a little, several sjngles bringing up 120, 8 runs coming from an over from Wilson. Some smart singles, and then Pritchard got a quick one past Leader’s bat into his stumps. 124—A)—17. Lemin was last man in, and Mills got a 4 very fine to leg, following it with a couple to bring up 130. Some scoring shots by both batsmen were rather of the “ iffy ” type, but Mills reached double figures. Scores:— OTAGO. First Innings. G. .1. Robertson c Tindill b Wilson 17 D. A. R. Moloney b Pritchard ... 12 A. S. H. Cutler b Wilson 13 C. J. Elmes c Pritchard b Ashenden 0. H. R. Cameron b Pritchard 26 T. C. Fraser b Wilson 10 T. Chettleburgh c Wrigley b Pritchard 5 C. D. G. Toomey c M'Leod b Pritchard 11 V. J. Leader b Pritchard 17 G. H. Mills Ibw b Wilson 11 T. G. Lemin not out 3 . Extras 13 Total 138

• —Bowling Analysis. — 0. M. R. W. Pritchard 15 1 68 5 Ashendea 8 1 19 1 Wilson 12.3 3 38 4