THE PLUNKET SHIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13625, 19 December 1907, Page 6

THE PLUNKET SHIELD.

HOW IT WAS WON. AUCKLAND " VASTLY SUPERIOR." [by telkgbafh.— correspondent.] Chbistohurch, Wednesday. The cricket reporter of the Press writes as follows concerning the last day's play of the match for tho Plunket shield: — If ever a side was. deserving of a win Auckland deserved the victory they gained over Canterbury to-day. A couple of seasons back the Northerners did not occupy a very high cricketing position among the other provinces, but they set to work in earnest to improve their play, and that they have admirably succeeded must be admitted by all who saw tho match on Saturday and Monday. They not only won the match by a most convincing margin, but tho play all through demonstrated most conclusively that the Aucklanders arc vastly superior to Canterbury at the present time. The weather was again perfect for the game, and taking the threo days as a whole tho conditions could not have been improved. The gamo right through has been played in tho most friendly spirit, and tho Canterbury men showed by thcii spontaneous and hearty cheers at the conclusion that they fully recognised that they had been beaten by a better team. Canterbury's batting to-day did not impress on© with the idea that they had been dismissed cheaply and were capable of hotter things. Orchard (51) was the only bright spot, though Cuff, notwithstanding a cramped style, played very soundly, and he was still unbeaten at the finish. Orchard played capital cricket, and demonstrated that he is a greatly-improved batsman. Ho met tho bowling with good defence, most of his runs being made by beautiful strokes, and it was only his inclination to bit that brought about his downfall. Whitta showed a good deal of defence in getting his 19, but his refusal to run the easiest possiblo singles was almost ludicrous, and the onlookers were quite sarcastic about it. Boxshall reached double figures, out then picked the wrong ball to hit, and paid the penalty. " Of the Auckland bowlers Hadden came out with the best figures, though that does not say that he bowled the best. On the contrary he was rather erratic both id his length and direction, but he kept fast, and the batsmen got themselves out. The Auckland fielding was a d. cided improvement on that of Canterbury's liret innings, and they gave a splendid display of ground work and catching alike." ,'•"'.../' AN INTERVIEW WITH KELP. Relf, the Sussex professional, would have been move than human if he had not said he was very pleased with the result of the match. As this match was his first interprov'ncial engagement he was diffident about expressing an opinion • on. the standard of the provincial teams, but ho did not consider it, from what he had seen, equal to the English county standard. He thought it would be an excellent idea to send a team Home. Relf has optimistic views of the future of cricket in New Zealand. There are people who believe that football and not cricket is New Zealand's national game, and that the temperament of the New Zealander is against his rivalling the Englishman and the Australian in cricket. "But why should it be so?" asked Relf. "You have here splendid climatic conditions for cricket, much better than they hare in South Africa, and even better than they have in Australia. The grounds too are excellent. Hagley Park, on which' the match was played,, is as good as 1 want to play on, and the man who prepared the -wickot understood his business. There are first-class grounds in Auckland, and I under- ! stand nt Dunedin and Wellington. With good training, why shouldn't you play criok<Sif .'-'.„ Re'iF has done much to help Auckland \to j win the shield, but lie does not mind sayI ing thit for the sake of cricket in New Zealand he hopes it will not stay there very long. Jt is a splendid idea, he thinks, and to get the best results it should be won by one province aftor another.