Analysis, Averages

Northern Advocate, 22 January 1947, Page 3

Analysis, Averages

Plunket Shield

The final Plunket Shield match el the season starts on the same day as the fourth test match between Australia and England. It brings Wellington and Otago together at Dunedin on January 31. Wellington must beat the southerners outright to annex the shield at present held by Canterbury from last season, or the trophy will go to Auckland, whom Wellington beat on the first innings in the first match at Christmas.

Auckland has been very lucky in getting into a favourable position after its reverse. , The outright defeat of Otago was gained in the last over of the match, when Cowie scored the necessary runs. Ho was the last man on the batting list.

Against Canterbury, Auckland was down on the first innings but profited from a tricky wicket after rain and finished up a comfortable winner outright. SEVEN CHANGES Wellington beat Canterbury outright rather comfortably and on form should account for Otago just as easily. Seven changes have been made in the team for the final match next week, however, due to doubt to the ending ol the holidays and the fact that some of the players arc not available for the trip to Dunedin. The match will be followed with much interest. Hadlee is the man who stands between Wellington and the shield. . Toinls scored to date for the shield are: Auckland 18, Wellington 1 £ Canterbury 4. Ctago 2.

Eight points are awarded for an outright win, four for a win on the first innings, two for a loss on the first innings and none for an outright defeat. SUTCLIFFE S DOUBLE SUCCESS B. Sutcliffe, the Auckland colt, heads the provincial batting averages for the season to date with the fine figure ul 34.75. He has also scored the most runs. Hadlee is second on the list with an average of 60 for four innings. The Wellington all-rounder, D. S. Wilson, occupies a conspicuous first place on the bowlers’ chart. His 10 wickets have cost him an average of 11.8 runs, an outstanding performance.

Sutcliffe is next with seven wickets at a cost of 17.4. J. H. Parks, the Sussex professional playing with Canterbury, has taken the most wickets, his tally of 19 being one more than Cowie's. Thirteen batsmen have an average of belter than 30 and 14 bowlers haec captured more than live wickets. Their averages are:—

HATTING Av. 84.75 B. Sutcliffe (A.) Ins. N.O. 5 1 H.S. Ill 4 " W. A. Hadlee (O.) 4 0 lie 240 GO no A. W. Roberts (O.) 4 1 no 4 170 58.67 C. Dempster (W.) V J. Scott (A.) . 2 5 0 1 104 79 112 207 56.00 51.75 D. D. Taylor (A.) 5 t 98* 205 51.25 F. B. Smith (CM 5 0 lOU 212 42.40 R. H. Scott (C.) . 5 0 80 200 40. OC D. S. Wilson (W.) 4 n 90 157 89.25 W. Wallace (A.) 5 0 80 178 85.GC I. B. Cromb (C.) 5 0 78 177 25.40 E. W. Tindill (W.) 4 0 91 128 21.50 .1. A. Ongley (W.) 4 0 98 124 21.0G

bowling O. M. R. w. Av. D. S. Wilson (W.) G8 17 118 10 11.8 B. Sutcliffe (A.) G1 20 122 7 17.4 H. B. Cave (W.) 8(1 10 185 10 18.5 128 48 250 n 19.5 85 24 198 10 19.8 A. McDougull 1 O.) 82 20 171 8 21.4 2M.0 R. O'Neill tW.) . 74 23 138 0 ,T. H. Parks (C.) . 248 87 448 19 2.1.0 .]. Cowio (A.) ... 204 429 18 23.8 T. Burtl (C.i ... 1 lli.5 22 200 2-1.2 or> 10 loo 0 R. H. Scott (C.) . 158.5 44 383 1M 27.9 C. Burke (A.) .. 133.2 M0 292 10 42.0 A V. Wiles (A.) 133.2 :;<> 290 1