EXCITEMENT OF A TWO-RUN VICTORY

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7412, 20 December 1930, Page 19

EXCITEMENT OF A TWO-RUN VICTORY

Great Cricket Matches Between Auckland And. Canterbury Are Recalled ,

HE first match ever played between the two provinces was an exciting one. It was played 57 years ago. Auckland

New Zealand had scored 400 runs —the innings was closed. In the face of a deficit of 2-13 runs, Auckland crumpled in its secovd innings, making only 87. This time Robertson took six wickets for 48 runs; A. M. Labatt took three for 32.

This season’s competition for the Plunket Shield will start on Christmas Day, with matches between Auckland and Canterbury, at Christchurch, and Wellington and Otago, at Wellington. The Auckland-Canterbury game has much more historic interest than the other, lot meetings of the cricket teams of these two provinces date back to the 1873-7'! season, and they were also the first to play for the Plunket Shield, 23 years ago, whereas Wellington and Otago did not start their series of cricket matches with each other until nearly 20 years after Auckland first met Canterbury. There have been many splendid matches between Auckland and Canterbury. In the appended article arc recalled the closest matches between the two provinces, and also the most one-sided games.

had not had a match

with any other centre since 18152, until, in November, 1873, it sent a team on tour south. Rain made the wicket in Hagley Park soft for the match with Canterbury, but E. T. A. Fuller, a fast bowler, was not dismayed by that fact. Auckland, which batted first, was all out for 90, Fuller taking five wickets for, 38 runs. Two men were run out. Canterbury could not. reach even that score; it was dismissed for 72, W. W. Robinson, a tall left-hand slow howler, getting four wickets for 22, and T. S. Sweet, a fast bowler who afterwards played for Canterbury, getting four for 23. In their second innings the Aucklanders scored 133. This time Fuller took seven for 47, and E. Fowler, who was really a wicket-keeper, three for 42. In the last innings Canterbury made the best score of the match,' 144, hut it was insufficient, Auckland winning by seven runs. Thirty years later came the most exciting victory in all the series. This match was played on the Auckland Domain, in January, 1904. Auckland, batting first, scored 162. C. Oliff, who made a name for himself as a slow bowler, but who also could bat very well at times, went in first on this occasion, and got the top score of the match, 52. When Canterbury went in Oliff proceeded to take three wickets for 57 runs, but F. Barclay did better, with three for 44. Canterbury’s score was 154, the best individual contributions being those of A. Sims and R. Strange, 37 each. Arthur Sims still serves cricket, by helping to get Australian teams to tour New Zealand. Auckland’s second innings yielded 174, D. Hay, who nearly a quarter .of a century

Another very big win by Canterbury at Lancaster Park was an earlier one. 'flic match of 1881-85 season was notable for the fact that P. Wilding, now a King’s Counsel, but then a breezy batsman and a deceptive slow bowler, took six wickets for 55 runs in Auckland’s first innings, and then scored 104 runs. Auckland made !)2 and 181; Canterbury got 347, and won by an innings and 74 runs. In the 1013-14 match, also at Lancaster Park, 11. B. Whitta, now sole selector for Canterbury, scored 147 runs in 11 10 first innings of the match. Witli 372 and 302 to Auckland’s 171 and 215, Canterbury won by 818 runs. 11. .1. Bead, with six wickets for 38 runs in the first innings, and W. 11. Cunningham, with six for 33 in the second, played important roles in Canterbury’s 342-run victory in 1021-25, once more at Lancaster Park. Canterbury, baiting first, scored 214 and 280; Auckland 88 and 7.8. First Match For Piunket Shield.

made Northamptonshire a first-class county, and who had been engaged, as Auckland’s coach—had a happy time with tlie Canterbury batsmen. Olilt took six for 37, Thompson four for 32, and Canterbury was out for SO. Auckland replied with 220. N, C. Sncdd.cn, who since then has represented New Zealand, and is now manager of the Auckland team and a selector of the New Zealand teaiii to visit England in 1931, made 70 before he was bowled by W. Carlton, the Victorian, who then was coach to the Canterbury Cricket Association, and whose nephew Tom, also a Canterbury representative in that period, has since played for both Victoria and South Australia. In the Auckland match a year earlier L. G. (“Chummy”) Hemus, one of New Zealand’s foremost batsmen, had scored 142. but this time he had to lie content with 34 and 11 in his two hands against Canterbury. Nowadays Hemus plays second-grade cricket in Christchurch.

W, E. Merritt, C. E. Evans, and It. .1. Read Waggled tlie tail merrily. A, 11. Anthony, the old Canterbury player, got the best howling analysis in that innings—four for 60. Auckland scored 198 (J. E. Mi 115.64). Merritt took five for 69 in that innings and Read four for 57. Canterbury showed evenness in its halting by scoring 251 in its second knock, M. L. Page's 76 being the best contribution. G. L, Weir got four for 48 that time. Left to make 297 to tie the match, Auckland made a great tight for tlie runs, and Merritt, in particular, was punished, but Reg Read bowled too well—be took five for 77—and the side was out at 286. I. M. Cooper scored 80, and G. C. Dacrc 76.

Auckland’s one victory over Canterbury in Christchurch by more than an innings was gained in the lirst match ever played for the Piunket Shield. It was played in Christchurch, but.at Ilaglcy Park, not Lancaster Park, in December. 1007. Canterbury held Uic shield, as the best team in New Zealand at the time Lord Piunket gave the trophy, but A. L. Bclf, Sussex allrounder and English Test match player, then coach to , tlie Auckland Cricket Association,'was too strong a reinforcement for I lie challenging side. Canterbury, which did not have a professional in its team, scored 190 and 211, Ilclf

Easy Victories,

Of the close matches which have been mentioned, Auckland lias won four and Canterbury one. For the biggest victories the figures go the oilier way. On six occasions the Canterbury - Auekland match lias been won by over 300 runs or by more than an innings, and four of the six arc on Canterbury’s winning list. The biggest win was that

Dan Reese took five wickets for G 1 runs with his left-hand bowling in