PLUNKET SHIELD

Northern Advocate, 21 January 1935, Page 8

PLUNKET SHIELD

AUCKLAND WELL PLACED , WELLINGTON AVERT FOLLOWON. 'ward AND McLEOD bat well. [Special to “Northern Advocate.” J AUCKLAND, This Day. .• "Auckland’s prospects of winning * the Plunket Shield match against Wellington assumed a rosy hue at Eden Park after Saturday’s play. ; Their opponents had to struggle hard . to avert a follow-on, and they accomplished it by only four runs. This struggle quickened the interest in the afternoon’s play. At one stage the -visitors had lost five wickets for 168, -but sterling batting by McLeod, "Ward and Tricklebank saved Wellington from again going to the 'crease. The home side, with a lead ’of 146, made an excellent start in their second venture. Mills and ■Whitelaw, the opening pair, remain- ( ing at the wicket to put on 74 runs. { Auckland thus has a lead of 220 runs.

After Lunch. The resources of Townsend, McCoy l and Cowie® were of no avail in the ‘ first hour after lunch, a preponderance of singles—smartly run whenever the opportunity was .presented—adding another 40 in as many min;utes. McLeod twice picked Townsend off his legs to send him to the boundary, and he ran on 30 runs to reach the sixties while Ward added 18. One hundred and fifty-two appeared, to which the third wicket partnership had contributed 83. A ■double change in the bowling. Bush and Vivian, had the effect of enlivening the game, for McLeod drove ■ "Vivian into the sightboard for the ’first six of the match, and runs came . Consistently off Bush. In his next over Vivian, sent another tempting one down to McLeod, but the turn in it trapped him, and he drove a catch to Whitelaw at mid-off which was accepted. McLeod had contributed 69 at an opportune time, and the partnership had increased the total from 69 to 165. .. Townsend Gets Lamason. : Lamason, the most successful batsman for Wellington in Plunket Shield fixtures this season, joined Ward ((37), and Townsend took over the ■ ball again. His fifth delivery Lamaj son pulled off his legs to Vivian, fielding just off the pitch on the on side, and five wickets were down for 168. The advent of Rainbird quickened interest, for the colt has had a meteoric promotion to the first-class game. He had played but one match in senior club cricket, and it was his two centuries in the Auckland Domain at Christmas that revealed him ■as a likely “find.” The youngster started off confidently with nicely -placed singles. That was the end of him, however, for he played over a good length one from Townsend that turned in from leg and took his iniddle pin. ' Wellington had the possibility of a follow-on facing them now, being still 230 to the bad. It was strengthened in the next ten minutes when | Edmonds held a long hop from Cowie which Morgan had touched. Tricklebank made Cowie, at forward shortleg, duck when he banged a full tqsser from Townsend into the outfield for a single. Next ball the catch nearly trapped Ward, who cocked it just out of Vivian’s reach. Ward then recorded his half century by placing Townsend well for a brace and swinging him for another. The coach was presenting no difficulty now and with 200 on the board Bush took over from him.

“Dad” Weir Barracked. • ■ “Don’t you want a bowl, Dad?” a hillside critic called, giving expression to the spectators’ idea that Weir might be tried. “Dad,” as he has been dubbed, joined his colleagues in a “bowl” of tea instead, for the adjournment came after another over from Bush. The score was then 213, Ward being 61 and Tricklebank 16. With an hour for play Mills and Whitelaw, though not taking any undue risks, found no difficulty with the Wellington bowlers, and put on 74 runs without being separated. Blundell, Tricklebank, Griffiths and Lamason tried in vain to separate them, and only on two occasions were the batsmen in danger. Early in his innings Whitelaw pulled a full tosser from Tricklebank to square leg just over McLeod’s head, the fieldsman misjudging the flight, while just before stumps he drove one back hard and high to the break bowler, Griffiths, which the latter failed to hold. Mills made amends for his first failure by a stylish display, and his partner, too, was not as dull as in many stages of his making performance on Friday.

TODAY’S PLAY BATSMEN UNPERTURBED. RUNS COME STEADILY. [Special to “Northern Advocate.”! AUCKLAND), This Day. With a lead of 146 on the first inhings, Auckland were in a strong position, and they quickly improved it. The opening bowlers were Lamason and Blundell. Whitelaw got most of the bowling, rapidly overhauled Mills, and passed him in the 60’s. Griffiths and Morgan were tried, but the scoring rate did not slacken. Blundell replaced Lamason, but

Mills swung a full toss from him to the fence. Whitelaw needed 6 for a century, and Mills needed 16 when they were separated. Mills was never comfortable in an over from Tricklebank, and the last ball clean beat him.

Whitelaw reached his century with a single off Rainbird, the seventh bowler tried. Shortly after he gave two chances, one to Lamason, who failed to hold a hot return, and the other when he was nearly bowled by Griffiths. Three runs later he survived an appeal for l.b.w. Auckland, at lunch, were 346 ahead, and may declare the innings closed before tea. Scores:—

Whitelaw banged McLeod to square leg for a couple to reach 150, and when he snicked Lamason to the boundary 300 was on the board. Two wickets then fell quickly, Whitelaw hitting up to Rainbird at deep midon in trying to force the pace, and the very next ball Vivian returned to the bowler to give him another wicket: 302—4 —26.

At 2.45 p.m. the score was six wickets for 343 runs. WELLINGTON. First Innings. E. W. Tindill, st Edmonds, b Townsend 9 R. A. Whyte, c and b Townsend . 29 J. Ell, b Cowie H S. Ward, b Cowie 61 E. G. McLeod, c Whitelaw, b Vivian 69 J. A. Lamason, c Vivian, b Townsend 2 W. Rainbird, b Townsend 3 R|. Morgan, c Edmonds, b Cowie 2 W. Tricklebank, c Sale, b Townsend 47 E. D. Blundell, b Cowie 8 B. Griffiths, not out 2 Extras 12 Total 255

AUCKLAND. First Innings 401 Second Innings. J. Mills, b Tricklebank 84 P. E. Whitelaw, c Rainbird, b Lamascn 155 G. L. Weir, c Morgan, b Lamason 34 H. V. Vivian, c and b Lamason . 26 L. F. Townsend, not out 33 V. Sale, b Lamason 4 Bush, c Blundell, b Moi'gan .... 2 Wallace, not out 1 Extras 3 Total for G wickets 343

Bowling Analysis. O. M. R. W. Townsend 27 7 89 5 Cowie 27 6 61 4 Vivian 8 2 22 1 Bush 13 5 28 0 McCoy 16 2 43 0