PLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 25679, 31 December 1945, Page 3

PLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET

CANTERBURY V. WELLINGTON SOUTHERNERS SCORE HEAVILY (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Dee, 30. Batting on an easy-paced wicket against bowling that was never really dangerous, Canterbury finished the first day of the match -against Wellington yesterday in a strong position, having scored 318 at stumps for the loss of seven wickets. Rain before the game made the wicket soft, and during the day it showed little life. Canterbury’s score, though a solid one, was in the circumstances a little disappointing. Only 61 runs were scored in the morning, and, although 129 runs were made between lunch and tea, only 128 were scored in the last two hours of play, a period when the scoring rate could have been increased with safety against a tired team. R. C. “ Shand, Canterbury’s top scorer, made 75 in 225 minutes. It was a patient display, and, as in his big innings against Auckland, he made nearly all his' runs behind the wicket. K. F. M. Uttley scored a bright 47, and R. H. Scott, who started off very quickly but had a very dull half-hour before beginning to score at a fast rate again, finished the day with .67 not out.

The Wellington bowling was mediocre, and lacked variety. Buchan came out with the best figures, but." they rather flattered him, although towards the end of the day he was a verv much better bowler than, earlier in the innings. D. S. Wilson worked hard, and R. Allen, although lie did not take a wicket, impressed as a good slow bowler. K. Hatch bowled better than the others, in the morning, but was used sparingly later in the.day. C. V. Walter and W. McD. Anderson gave Canterbury a solid start, putting on 48 before Walter was bowled. Anderson was out soon after. He had given a chance at 19, but his 34 showed signs of some of his best form.\ L. A. Butterfield and R. C. Shand batted patiently after lunch, but Butterfield was caught by Mooney with the score at 115, and Cromb was out three runs later.

Uttley pleased the spectators with some forceful batting, and sent the score along quickly. At tea he had made 39 and Shand 49 of the total of 190. Uttley was out soon after tea, and Shand was joined by Scott, who made 35 in 38 minutes. . He hit a 6 off Allen and two successive 4’s off the same bowler. After batting for 225 minutes SJiand went for a big hit and was bowled. >

Scott and H. E. Denham added only 10 in half an hour at a time when Canterbury might well have taken risks to force the pace. Denham was then bowled, and towards the end Scott and T. Burtt were scoring quite briskly off the tiring attack. J. Ell and R. T. Barber were both conspicuous for good fielding. Throughout the day, however, the slip fieldsmen seemed to be a yard or two too deep possible chances frequently bouncing in front of them. Mooney too, quite regularly took the ball from almo.* on the ground. With the easy-paced wicket it would seem that Rice might well have had his slip fieldsmen considerably closer to the bat. Scores:— "CANTERBURY. ■■ —First Innings.—

C. Y. Walter b Wilson , ... 13 W. McD. Anderson b Buchan ... ‘34 R. C. Shand b Buchan ... 75 L. A. Butterfield c Mooney b Wilson ... ■.... 30 I. B Cromb c ■Wiren b Buchan ... 1 K. F. M. Uttley c Barber b Wilson 47 It. H. Scott not out ... 67 H. E. H. Denham b Buchan ... 2 T. Burtt not. out 14 Extras (byes 23, leg-byes 11," no-ball 1) ... ?35 Total (for seven wickets) 318

—Bowling Analysis. ,— 0. M. R. W. K. Hatch 25 7 54' 0 11. Buchan 30 10 54 .4 D. S. Wilson 32 6 62 3 H. B. Cave ... 15 3 40 0 H. R. Rice ... 5 0 11 0 11. Allen 24 5 62 ' 0