HOLIDAY CRICKET

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 27, 2 January 1931, Page 8

HOLIDAY CRICKET

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCHES. WELLINGTON v. CANTERBURY. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 1. The match between Wellington and Canterbury began to-day at Lancaster Park. The weather was beautifully fine and the ground in excellent order. Canterbury scored an indifferent total of 214 and Wellington have 194 runs on for the loss of three wickets. The honours were clearly with Wellington. Indeed, the northerners played themselves into such a strong position that it does not seem likely that Canterbury will be able to recover the lost ground. Canterbury’s weakness was in the bowling. It was very bad luck for Canterbury that Read met with an accident the previous day and could not take part. Cunningham was brought in to fill the gap, but he was right off form. Most of the other bowlers were unable to 6trike length, with the result that the batting task of the Wellington men was made easy. Wellington, on the other hand, had a wealth of bowling talent, which made it difficult to get runs. The difference is very apparent when it is mentioned that while Canterbury, made 214 in 4£ hours, during which 79 overs were bowled, Wellington scored 194 in two hours 22 minutes against 55 overs. The total of 214 was a disappointing one for thestrong Canterbury side. The Wellington attack brought to light an array of bowling talent that has rarely been seen in a provincial team. Blundell was stock bowler, and he filled the role most capably with an easy action. He bowls a fast medium ball with splendid length, and great accuracy of direction, and really loose balls that he sent down during his 32 overs could be counted on the fingers of one hand. J. Newman’s performance of getting four wickets for 36 in 17 overs was even more impressive. The Wellington fielding was high class their speedy returns to the wicket being a feature of their out cricket. The Wellington batting was aggressive, and consequently attractive. This, of course, was assisted by inaccurate bowling at the start. Dempster and James both showed, a fine repertoire of scoring strokes. Dempster would not take the slightest risk. He did not need to, as there were plentv of loose balls. James played brighter cricket, his scoring snots being well timed, and having a lot of power behind them, but it was the McGirr-Lowry partnership that provided the brightest cricket of the dav. In an hour they made 112 by as fine a display of aggressive batting as one would wish to see. They, not only scored from loose balls, but also frequently showed brilliant strokes from balls of quite good length and direction. Detailed scores are as follow: CANTERBURY.

First Innings. Kerr, b Blundell 3 Hamilton, c James, b Massey ... 5 Roberts, b J. Newman 14 Talbot, b McLeod 42 Page, c James, b Blundell ... 28 Jacobs, b J. Newman 0 Cromb, <» McGirr, b J. Newman 58 Lester, b J. Newman 4 Merritt, e James, b Crook 33 Dorreen, c James, 1> McLeod ... 8 Cunningham, not out 0 Extras 19 Bowling analysis.—Blundell, 2 wickets for 94; Massey, 1 for 21; Crook, 1 for 17: J. Newman, 4 for 36; McLeod 2 for 17; A. Newman, none for 10. WELLINGTON. First Innings. Dempster, 1.b.w., b Talbot ... 41 A. Newman, c Dorreen, b Cunningham . 4 James, st. Dorreen, b Merritt ... 32 McGirr, not out 57 Lowry, not out 48 Extras 12 Total for three wickets ... 194 OTAGO v. AUCKLAND. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Jan. 1. Ideal cricket conditions prevailed for the opening to-day of the Plunket Shield match between Otago and Auckland. The wicket, however, lacked life, and if the bowlers got no assistance from it, the batsmen found it scarcely more helpful. Late in the afternoon it livened up to some extent. Auckland won the toss and elected to bat At 5 p.m. the last wicket fell with the total at 331. Considering the poor showing by the Otago bowlers they were lucky to get the visitors out for less than 400. Blunt was the only one who was troublesome. Postles and Mills opened for the visitors, Dickinson and Badcock bowling. The scoring was slow. Two hundred appeared after three hours 20 minutes. Detailed scores are as follow: AUCKLAND.

First Innings. Mills, l.b.'W.j b Blunt 25 Postles, run out ... . IbU Vivian, c Moloney, b Blunt ••• 4 Weir, 1.b.w., b Blunt 12 Thakabau, b Blunt ‘ Allcott, not out 114 Wensley, b Blunt 4U ilatliieson, l.b.iv., b Blunt ... o McCoy, st. Hawksworth, b Blunt 0 Cleverley, 1.b.w., b Blunt ... 0 Hunt, b Alloo 1 Extras 4U Total 331 Bowling analysis.—Dickinson, none for 54; Badcock, none for 42; Lemm, none for 65; Blunt, 8 for 99; Elmes, none for 39; Alloo, 1 for 12. INCORRECT REPORT. Per Press Assoication. DUNEDIN, Jan. 1. A report has been circulated that Dickinson will not be available if selected for the cricket team to tour England. This, however, is incorrect, and has been spread without the slightest authority. SECOND TEST MATCH. AUSTRALIA v. WEST INDIES. "SYDNEY, Jan. 1. Ideal cricketing weather prevailed for the second Test against West Indies. There were 22,058 spectators. Woodfull won the toss and elected to bat. Sealey was made twelfth man of the West Indies team. A quarter of an hour’s play saw only three runs on the board. Then Jackson, after earning applause for several artistic glances, was brilliantly caught in the slips. Bradman and Ponsford both had narrow escapes from being run out, the visitors’ fielding being very keen. Bradman scored the first four of the day when he swept Constantine to leg. Then facing the same bowler Bradman survived a confident leg before appeal. Two boundaries by Bradman and one by Ponsford raised 52 in 62 minutes. Thrill followed thrill for after being missed in the slips Bradman was caught behind the wickets. Kippax notched two from the first ball he received. In the next over the fieldsmen appealed for caught and bowled against Kippax, and the captain, Grant, ran up to congratulate the bowler, Francis,

but the umpire said “no.” The visitors appeared dumbfounded. The sensations continued after lunch, Kippax being brilliantly caught at midon in the first over and. Ponsford snicked one dangerously through the slips-to the fence and surviving an appeal for leg before. The century appeared after 136 minutes, Ponsford’s 60 taking 146 minutes. McCabe and Ponsford added 71 by slow cricket before the former fell a victim to Scott. Thunderous applause gx-eeted Australia’s victorious captain. After the tea adjournment the scoring livened up the total of 200 appearing in 201 minutes. Ponsford. reached his century in the same time. The next item of interest was a hundred partnership made in 81 minutes. With the bowlers tiring the batsmen used the long handle. Woodfull reached 50 in 114 minutes and Ponsford 150 in 271 minutes. Both were unconquered at stumps, Ponsford having played a sterling innings, which included 12 fours. There was an innovation at the match, loqd speakers being installed round the ground and musio broadcast during the day. From the same source it was announced that Bartlett, who left the field after catching Kippax, had broken his finger and would tajje no further part in the match. Detailed scores are as follow: AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. Ponsford, not out 174 Jackson, c Francis, b Griffiths ... 8 Bradman, c Barrow, b Francis ... 25 Kippax, c Bartlett, b Griffiths ... 10 McCabe, lbw, b Scott 31 Woodfull, not out 58 Extras 17 Total for four wickets 323 Fairfax, Oldfield, Grimmett, Hurwood and Ironmonger have still to bat. CANCELLED TOUR. MELBOURNE, Jan. 1. New Zealanders resident in Melbourne are disappointed that no Australian cricket team is going to New Zealand. It is stated that a New Zealand representative had personally interviewed most of the leading players and it is believed that this action had a great deal to do with causing the Board of Control to withhold its sanction. It is felt that the proper course was first to obtain the permission of the board. SYDNEY, Jan. 1. Arthur Mailey, of “googly” fame, writing to the Sun newspaper, says that it is hard to understand why the Board of Cricket Control turned down the invitation to send an Australian team to New Zealand. A good number of the younger players had signified their willingness to make the trip and the New Zealand Council was prepared to pay all expenses. No official reason so far has been furnished by the board. THE BRADMAN INCIDENT. Mailey, commenting on the Bradman incident, says that Bradman returned to Sydney from Melbourne with a grin on his face, but minus £SO. He adds: “There is a strong feeling among cricketers that Bradman either broke his agreement or he did not. Therefore, he should have been fined £l5O or nothing. The general opinion is that the board’s decision is most astounding.” Bradman declined to comment beyond saying that liis offence was no worse than Grimmett’s, who also sold the serial rights of his cricket experiences. LONDON PAPER’S COMMENT. LONDON, Dec. 31. The Daily Telegraph states: “One can only sympathise with the officials charged with the duty of disciplining Bradman. The 1912 Board of Control made itself extremely unpopular when Trumper, Hill, Armstrong, Cotter and Ransford objected to conditions. “The present board had to face the problem of finding a punishment which would save the authority’s face without infuriating the public, so it tactfully, but not very courageously, decided to compromise. l “As Bradman must have made ten times as much out of his book it is not surprising that lie emerged from the judgment hall with a broad smile.” His friends argue that Bradman has just as much right to publish the storv of his life as Grimmett had to publish his book on bowling. sso