PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18927, 27 January 1925, Page 11

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH

PLAY ON BOWLER'S WICKET. AUCKLAND MAKE 348 RUNS. VISITOR'S SECOND INNINGS. FOUR OUT FOR TWENTY-SIX. The Plunket Shield match between Wellington and Auckland was continued at Eden Park yesterday, under conditions totally different from those which prevailed on the first two days. The wicket was then all in favour of the batsmen, but the bowlers had their revenge to a large extent yesterday. Heavy rain on Sunday night and yesterday morning soaked the pitch, and play could not be continued until about 2.30 p.m. There was only a small attendance of spectators. Auckland supporters were far from ■optimistic about the home team's prospects of getting the 222 runs required to equal Wellington's first innings total, and even in the first quarter of an hour or so, when the bowlers had difficulty in finding a foothold, their fears were justified. The drying wicket was greatly in the bowlers' favour. Thanks largely to a valuable seventh wicket partnership between Garrard and Postles, Auckland carried the total from 221 for two wickets to 346 before the last wicket fell. Under the conditions it was a good effort. Garrard made 44. Hiddleston accounted for four wickets altogether, at a cost of nine runs apiece, while Badcock, who got a lot of work on his deliveries, also took four. He bowled 41 overs during the innings. Wellington's fielding was considerably below the standard set on Saturday, and a number of good chances went begging. Wellington made a most disastrous start in their second innings, losing four wickets for 9 runs. Collins, who com-, piled 172 in the first innings, failed to score. At the conclusion of the day's play the visitors had 26 runs on for four wickets. Four Wickets in 50 Minutes. Snedden (10) and Smith (5) resumed batting, with Auckland's total at 221 for two wickets. Snedden got runs briskly at first. He commenced by cutting Badcock to the boundary twice in the first over, and followed this by swinging Hiddleston's first ball to the leg boundary. T1 :ie bowlers were troubled by the soft footing, and at first could not strike a length. Smith swung Hiddleston to the boundary in the bowler's second over, and brought" 252 up by driving him to the fence, making 10 off the over. After that the scoring slowed down, with the wicket drying. Badcock sent down a maiden to Snedden, and McGirr. who relieved Hiddleston, followed suit to Smith. In Badcock's next over Snedden was caught at short leg by McGirr. 257 —3 32. Dacre joined Smith, who reached the twenties by lifting Badcock to the boundary. Smith skied the next ball to midon and was missed by Berneau, but he skied the next to mid-off, where Doneghue made no mistake. 266—4—23. The wicket had become difficult and two batsmen went very cheaply. Gillespie filled the vacancy caused by Smith's departure. but before scoring he was caught in the slips by Baker off McGirr. 266—5 —O. When joined by Postles, Dacre opened out to Badcock, but was caught in the slips by Hiddleston the first time he faced McGirr. 271—6—5. Auckland had now lost four wickets for 50 runs in 50 minutes. Useful Innings by Garrard. Garrard was the next man in, and cut, McGirr's first ball to the boundary. When he was 7 he had a life, being missed off McGirr, and he showed his appreciation by lifting the next ball over the boundary for six. " He got the same bowler to the boundary a little later, and then Postles brought' 294 up with a single off Badcock. Garrard drove Badcock to the boundary, and 300 was hoisted 1 5 minutes after play commenced. Then Garrard again gave a chance, but it was missed. The bowling kept the batsmen on the defensive and runs came very slowly. At 305 Berneau came on in place of McGirr, but the partnership was unbroken at the tea adjournment, when Garrard was 28 and Postles 11. Just after play was resumed Garrard was dropped at* square-leg off Badcock. He reached 35 by driving Berneau to the off twice for two. A hundred runs had now been put on in ari hour and threequarters. Postles, who was scoring much more slowly than his partner, reached 14 bv getting Badcock through the slips for two. Hiddleston and Collins took over the bowling at this stage, and the scoring livened up a little. Postles got his first boundary by swinging Collins to the pavilion fence and next drove him for three. But Hiddleston then broke a productive partnership, Postles touching one to Baker in the slips. 342—7—26. The partnership had added 71. Allcott joined Garrard, only to go back to the pavilion, being caught at the wicket by James off Hiddleston, whose tally was now four Wickets for 36 runs. 342 —8- O. i Cooper joined Garrard, but Badcock dismissed the latter in his next over. The retiring batsmen jiad played a very useful "innings.—346—9—44. Plaver was caught, and bowled by Badcock first bail innincrs closed with Auckland 97 short of Wellington's first innings total. 346—10—0. . Wellington's Second Innings. Collins and Hiddleston opened Wellington's second innings with about 45 minutes to play, but Allcott brought about the dismissal of Collins with his fourth ball, the visitinc; captain being caught in the slips by Smith. o—l—o. Banks filled the vacancy but was not, comfort able and after getting three was snapped up in the slins by Player off Smith. o—2—3. . Berneau was next man in. but only saw out two balls, being then caught, at short leg by Postles off Smith. Baker suffered a similar fate, nutting his first ball to Horspool close in at mid-on. 94 —0. Smith's tally was now three wickets for 3 runs. ' : —' McGirr joined Hiddleston. who reached double figures and brought the total to 14 with a boundary off Smith. McGirr knocked two boundaries off Smith's last over and stumps were drawn for the day with the tci?.l at 26 for four wickets. Allcott. had sent down three maidens out of six overs. Details are:— WELLINGTON. First innings . - . . . . . . 443 Second Innings. Collins, c Smith. K Allcott . . . . 0 Hiddleston. not. out 13 Banks, c Player, b Smith . . . . 3 Berneau, c Postles, b Smith . . 0 Barker, c Horspool, b Smith . . . . 0 McGirr, not out 8 Extras . . . . . . .. 2 Total for four wickets . . . . 26 A UCKLAND.~ First Innings. Anthony, c James, b Hiddleston . . 100 Horspool, b Hiddleston . . . . 89 Snedden, c McGirr, b Badcock . . 32 Smith, c Donoghue b Badcock . . 23 Dacre, c Hiddleston, b McGirr „. 5 Gillespie, c Baker, b McGirr . . 0 Postles. c Baker, b Hiddleston . . 26 Garrard, b Badcock 44 Allcott, c James, b Hiddleston .. 0 Cooper, not out .. . . . . 0 Player, c and b Badcock , . . . 0 * Extras 27 Total 346 Bowling Analysis.—Badcock took four wickets for 110 runs, bowling 41 overs, Berneau none for 47 in 19 overs, "McG3" two for 75 in 26 overs; Collins none for 41 in 10 overs, Barclay none for 10 in 2 overs, Hiddlestone four for 36 in 14 overs*