STUBBORN BATTING

Northern Advocate, 3 January 1936, Page 2

STUBBORN BATTING

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH CANTERBURY DIG THEMSELVES IN BATSMEN ON THE DEFENSIVE. [Special to '‘Northern Advocate.”! AUCKLAND, This Day. gTUBBORN batting tactics were the order of the day at Eden Park yesterday, when the Plunket Shield match between Auckland and Canterbury was commenced. The visitors had first use of the wicket and batted all day for a total of 274 for five. Runs came at the rate of less than one a minute. Matheson and Cowie took up the attack again after lunch, and the batsmen carried along with singles until Kerr slammed Matheson to the fence to reach his 50, after 130 minutes. Hadlee placed Cowie three times to the on for two, and brought the 100 up. Vivian then came on in place of Matheson, and a little later he replaced Cowie with Townsend. Vivian, in his second over after lunch, brought Kerr’s innings to a close with a slowflighted ball which completely beat the batsman. 114 —2—62. Only two more runs had been added when Townsend’s leg trap brought about the dismissal of Hadlee. Vivian at short mid-on snapped up a low catch. 116—3—19. Dull Play. Townsend and Vivian continued the attack, and at 3 p.m. the total was 132 without further loss. There was a period of mostly dull play, relieved by Roberts twice getting Townsend to the boundary, and later the same batsman reached 20 by pulling Vivian high to the square leg boundary. There were ironical cheers from the hill when the batsmen went up the pitch and off-drove Vivian in turn for a single. The batsmen carried on their stonewall game, hitting orlly when the bowlers tossed the ball up gently. There were repeated bowling changes in an effort to separate the pair, but they were still there' at the tea adjournment, when Canterbury had 174 runs on for the loss of three wickets. On the Defensive. Roberts and Cromb were content to play on the defensive, and the slow rate of scoring drew ironical comment from some of the crowd. Roberts proved the more enterprising of the two batsmen. Play progressed slowly to the afternoon tea interval, when the score board showed 174 for 3 wickets, Roberts being 40 and Cromb 18.

Roberts reached his 70 on resuming. He was then dismissed leg-before by Vivian, the batsman attempting to hook a short ball —187-4-50. O’Brien and Cromb added 67 for the next wicket before the former was stumped. 254-5-31. At stumps the score was 274 for 5 wickets (Cromb 62 not out, Cobden 8 not out). TODAY’S PLAY. Under perfect conditions the match was resumed at Eden Park before a small attendance this morning. The spectators’ patience .had been tried to the point of boredom yesterday. Vivian, spin bowler, and Cowie, fast bowler, presented a well contrasted attack,, and it was not long before the Cromb-Cobdeni partnership was broken. Cromb was snapped up behind the wicket by Hayward off Cowie, the Auckland keeper gathering in The ball cleanly, which he had often failed to do previously.—292—6 —7O.

Cobden batted consistently to bring 300 up. A poor return by Mills prevented a likely run out. With Cobden continuing to shape well, Townsend was brought on. Cobden went down the pitch to the coach, lifting one dangerously to long-on. When he assayed similar tactics against Vivian, Cobden lifted the ball high to Whitelaw near the boundary, and a good catch was held. Cobden had batted brightly.—3lß—7—3B. Merritt was immediately in difficulties from Townsend, and fell to the coach’s leg trap without scoring. Two balls later Jackman was dismissed in the same way. Graham played the last ball of the over safely, but Townsend brought the innings to a close a little later, clean bowling him. —322 —10 —2. Canterbury had batted one hour to increase their score by 68. Indifferent Start.

Auckland made an indifferent start, losing two wickets in the first half hour. Roberts and Graham were the opening bowlers, and when Cromb took the ball from Graham, after three overs, the batsmen were hard put to it to keep their wicket intact. Postles was trapped by Cromb as Soon as the latter came on. He swung a full toss to the boundary, and then popped a short one to Cobden at short leg. Mills had a life when dropped by Delaney off Roberts in the slips. Weir, after an unsuccessful. leg appeal, was bowled by Roberts two balls later without scoring. The score, at lunch, was 22 for two wickets. Roberts and Merritt took up the Canterbury attack when play was continued, and both batsmen gathered singles. Whitelaw had sent' Merritt twice for a brace. The Auckland pair played cautiously in an endeavour to consolidate. After one hour’s play only 29 runs were up.

Graham had a short turn with the ball, in place of Roberts, and then Cromb changed Merritt round to the Kingsland end and went on himself at the other. The batsmen continued to play a defensive role, and there was applause when Whitelaw turned one to the leg boundary to bring 40 up. The Canterbury attack was well backed up with good ground fielding, and Jackman was doing his work attractively at the wicket.

CANTERBURY. First Innings. Kerr, b Vivian 62 Delaney, c and b Vivian 31 Hadlee, c Vivian, b Townsend 19 Graham, c Hayward, b Cowie 79 Roberts, 1.b.w., b Vivian 50 O’Brien, st. Hayward, b Vivian .. 31 Cobden, c Whitelaw, b Vivian Butterfield, not out 8 Merritt, c Whitelaw, b Townsend , 0 Jackman, c Vivian, b Townsend .. 0 Graham, b Townsend 2 Extras H Total ' 322

AUCKLAND. First Innings. Postles, c Cobden, b Cromb 8 Mills, not out 7 Weir, b Roberts 0 Whitelaw, not out 3 Total for 2 wickets 18 G. 0. ALLEN NEXT ENGLISH CAPTAIN (Received 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, January 2. The “Daily Telegraph” reports that G. O. Allen will probably take over the captaincy of Middlesex County cricket team in place of Robbins, who, although reappointed captain, finds that business prevents him from playing regularly. Allen can thus gain experience in leadership, which at present he lacks, and «'o remove objections on that scores to his leading England against Austra ia. It is understood that Robbins wiV. be able to go to Australia if selected. •

Bowling. 0. M. R. W. Cowie 32 7 65 1 Matheson 29 11 41 0 Postles 4 0 6 0 Weir .... 6 1 21 0 Townsend 42 10 80 4 Vivian 56 13 98 5