THE PLUNKET SHIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18601, 8 January 1924, Page 9

THE PLUNKET SHIELD.

AUCKLAND MAKES 258.

VISITORS' SECTJND EFFORT.

A GOOD RECOVERY.

171 FOR FIVE WICKETS.

The Plunket Shield match between Canterbury and Auckland was continued at Eden Park yesterday. When stumps were drawn on Saturday Canterbury had made a first innings score of 110, and Auckland had three wickets down for 63. The weather was dull and threatening, and there was a fair attendance. The wicket was favourable to the batsmen. The feature of the batting was the partnership established between Smith and Snedden, the pair patting on 133 runs. Smith, who played a finished innings fo» 76, received an ovation on returning to the pavilion. Snedden played a good innings for 68 runs.

Canterbury made a poor start in its .second innings, when Gregory was dismissed for 2, but with the association of Oliver and Blunt a splendid partnership was set up. At the drawing of stumps, a few minutes before six o'clock, owing to the failing light, Canterbury had made a good recovery, compiling 171 runs for the loss of five wickets, Blunt being not out with a score of 72. Blunt is credited with a " life," leg before wicket, before he had scored, but there.was no appeal. The ground fielding of both teams was good.

Messrs. Johnson and Turton wore the umpire?.

Smith, not out, 11, opened the batting •vith Snedden, to the bowling of Mcßeth and Cunningham. A splendid partnership was set up between the English cricketer and the Auckland captain, who carried the score from three wickets for 63 runs to 196 runs, when Snedden was caught by Oliver off Read. Dacre came in and opened unco.nfoitably to Mcßeth, the bowler having the batsman " feeling " for the ball' With the score at 212, Smith played one straight back to the bowler, Read, who accepted the catch. Smith had been batting two hours for his runs. Burton came fin, to see Dacrt caught by Talbot off Read, after compiling: 7. Gillespie was the incoming batsman, and after surviving four balls, was smartly stumped off Sandman without poking. Allcott, the incomer, was given a life early at point, but survived, and at the luncheon adjournment Auckland had compiled 222 runs for the loss of seven wickets.

The Afternoon Session. Resuming after the luncheon adjournment, Burton and Allcott were associated in partnership against the bowling of Mcßeth and Sandman. The wicket was playing well, though still a trifle slow, the batsmen playing confidently. With eight wickets down for 2*2, Sandman got Allcott leg before wicket. Wilson joined Burton. Buns came steadily from both batsmen.

Burton took a chance when he essayed to pull Sandman round to the leg boundary. He missed the ball and the wicket-keeper missed a chance of stumping. Mcßeth wis bowling well, keeping a good length and varying his pace. The batsmen were, however, well set, and Burton brought up 250 by straight driving one from Mcßeth high Over the bowler's head to a safe gap in the field. At this stage a change in the bowling was made, Read taking the ball from Sandman. Wilson soon after played a ball \ from Mcßeth into the hands of Read, fielding at first slip. Nine wickets were down for 254 runs when Rountree, the last man, joined Burton, but only four runs had been scored when Burton was out leg before to Mcßeth, who had taken four wickets for 76 runs.

Canterbury's Second Innings. Canterbury opened their second innings at 3 o'clock, with Blunt and Gregory. Allcott bowled from the Dominion 'Road end) Blunt playing him with' a defensive bat. The first wicket fell early, Gregory being dismissed- with the score at 4. Young filled the vacancy. Dacre created a round of cheers for smartly stopping a crisp off drive by • Young off Wilson, who was bowling well. Allcott, bowling over the wicket, had Blunt playing cautiously. Huns- came slowly, mainly in singles, off both batsmen, until Blunt broke the sequence, placing Wilson nicely to the on for two, good fielding saving a possible boundary. Blunt off drove Wilson to the terrace. Young was playing carefully, while Blunt was batting with more freedom. Canterbury's prospects were not bright when Allcott broke through Young's defence, and two wickets were down for 26. Patrick came in, and v/it-i the association of two of Canterbury's best batsmen, hopes were entertained that a recovery would be effected before a separation was brought about. The batsmen justified the confidence, playing careful cricket, and scoring freely off anything loose. . Misfielding cost Smith several boundaries. After a few balls, the Canterbury captain failed to get fully on to a well-pitched ball from Smith," Burton taking a good catch low down.

A I/seful Partnership. Three wickets were down for 45 rnns when Oliver partnered Blunt, with Canterbury's prospects receding. Allcott had bowled six maidens out of 10 overs. The Canterbury colt played with caution, surviving a maiden over from Smith, who had bowled three maidens out of five. Blunt, facing Allcott, also played cautiously. Oliver opened but to drive Smith, but Dacre saved with a fine stop, the same batsman repeating the stroke with eater success. At the afternoon tea- adjournment at ■"> o'clock Canterbury had compiled 49 runs. ■ Resuming, runs came steadily from the batsmen. The light at this ' stage was bad. Oliver took a chance for a short run, just getting back to his crease as the wicket-keeper, Rountree, took the return. Blunt, still batting brightly, brought his half century up with a boundary. The partnership between Blunt and Oliver was promising, both batsmen scoring freely, Blunt in particular displaying fine driving power. At 93 Anthony relieved Smith, Oliver off-driving him to the boundary, repeating the shot to cover for a single, a smart stop saving a possible boundary. Oliver was batting briskly, scoring nicely with good strokes in front of the wicket, with an occasional laic cut. In an effort to break up the partnership Dacre relieved ) Allcott, Oliver on-driving . the new bowler's second for three. The partnership at this stage had put on 67 runs, compiled at a critical time. Oliver was swiftly catching up on Blunt, who had been losing the bowling. Canterbury now had a fighting chance, made possible by the fine stand of Oliver and Blunt, who had carried the score from 45 rugs to 129. Snedden took the bowling. Oliver had a "life," hitting up one from Snedden dangerously close to Smith, at fine slip. When the score had been brought up to Auckland's first innings total, Oliver, jumping out to drive Snedden, failed to connect, and before he could get back to his crease was stumped by Rountree. Oliver had batted magnificently for his score of 72, the partnership having been responsible for 111 runs, the score neing 156 runs. Sandman partnered Blunt. With the score at 171. Sandman was clean bowled bv Allcott. 'Boon came in, and Wilson was given h turn bowling. At this stage the captains conferred with the umpires respecting the light, when it was decided to draw stumps for the day, with the score at 171 runs for five wickets.

I The match will be resumed to-day at 11 a.m. The following arc the detailed scores:— CANTERBURY.—First Innings, 110, AUCKLAND.—First Innings. Anthony, c Oliver, b Mcßeth . . 1 . Fraier, lbw, b Sandman . . .. 24 Irving, c Blunt, b Mcßeth .. . . 25 Smith, c and b Read .. .. 76 Dacre, c Talbot, b Sandman . „ . . 7 Sneddon, c Oliver, b Read .. . . 68 Burton, lbw, b Mcßeth . . ~ 19 Gillespie, st. Boon, b Sandman .. 0 Allcott, lbw, b Sandman . . », . 7 Wilson, c Read, b Mcßeth . . . . 16 Rountree, not out . . . » .. 1 Extras ~ ... .. 14 Total 258 Bowling Analysis.—Mcßeth, 16.4 overs, 1 maiden, 76 runs, four wickets Read, 13 overs, no maidens, 63 runs, two wickets; Sandman, 13 overs, no maidens, 53 runs, four wickets; Cunningham, 12 overs, 3 maidens, 35 runs, no wickets; Patrick, 5 overs, 1 maiden, 17 runs, no wickets. CANTERBURY.—Second Innings. Blunt, not out .. 72 Gregory, lbw, b ' Allcott . . . . 2 Young, b Allcott 8 Patrick, c Burton, b Smith . . . . 7 Oliver, st. Rountree, b Snedden . . 72 Sandman, b Allcott 6 Boon, not out . . . « . . . . 0 Extras .. . . .. • . 4 Five wickets for . . ■. * . . 171 Bowling Analysis.—Allcott, 19 overs, 7 maidens,' 23 runs, three wickets; Wilson, 6 overs, no maidens, 20 runs, no wickets; Smith, 15 overs, 3 maidens, 49 runs, one wicket; Anthony, 5 overs, no maidens, 19 runs; Dacre, 4 overs, 1 maiden, 15 runs; Snedden, 4 overs, no maidens, 25 runs, one wicket.

OTAGO'S NEXT CONTEST. WELLINGTON TEAM CHOSEN. TWO WANGANUI MEN. [by TELEGRAPH.PRESS association.] WELLINGTON, Monday. The following team has been chosen to represent Wellington against Otago in the Plunket Shield match to commence at Dunedin on January 18:Collins, Hiddleston, Kortlang, McGirr, Orr (Wanganui), Dempster, Brice, Baker, Holland (Wanganui), Henderson and James. Bernau is not available.

TOPIBING CRITICISED. ASSOCIATION TO ACT. [BY TEI.EGBAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Monday. At a meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association this 1 - evening dissatisfaction was expressed in connection with the umpiring in the Plunket Shield matches held locally. Mr. C. G. Wilson, chairman, said that he was not satisfied with the umpiring. He thought it was the duty of the association to see that immediate improvement was effected. He movedthat at the next meeting the question of paying senior umpires he taken into consideration.