MODERATE SCORING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20761, 2 January 1931, Page 12

MODERATE SCORING.

CANTERBURY BATSMEN FAIL.

HONOURS WITH WELLINGTON.

VISITORS' GOOD POSITION.

[nr TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CIIRISTCHURCH. Thursday.

The Plunket Shield cricket match between Wellington and Canterbury opened to day at Lancaste;- Park. The weather was beautifully fine and the ground in excellent order. Canterbury scored the indifferent total of 214, and Wellington has 194 runs on for the loss of three wickets.

Tho honours were clearly with A\ elling. ton. Indeed, tho Northerners played themselves into such a strong position that it seems unlikely that Cauteibuiy will be able to recover tho lost ground. Canterbury's weakness was in bowling, and it was unlucky for tho home team that Bead mot with an accident tho previous day and could not take part. Cunningham was brought in to fill tho gap, but he was right off form. Most of the other bowlers were unablo to strike a length, with tl;o result that tho batting task of tho Wellington men was made easy. Wellington, on the other hand, had a wealth of bowling talent, which made it difficult for Canterbury to get runs. While Canterbury made 214 in 4J> hours, during which 79 overs wero bowled, Wellington scored 194 in 2 hours 22 minutes against 55 overs. Tho total of 214 was disappointing for the strong Canterbury side, but it was much better than at 0110 time seemed likely. The dismissal of tho first three batsmen for an aggrcgato of 22 runs had a depressing effect in tho early part of tlie innings, and Canterbury never wholly recovered. Talbot and Pago and then Page and Cronib regained some of the lost ground with bright partnerships. Talbot's Fine Batting. Talbot was batting splendidly and it is doubtful if he has ever played sounder cricket against really good bowling. He had hard luck in playing a ball well outside the leg stump on to his wiekct. Page played just as sound cricket and might have been instrumental in giving Canterbury a larg3 total if ho had not had a swing at a ball that he should have played. Cromb's was easily the best innings of tho side, and he showed in unmistakablo manner that his batting against Auckland a week ago was not typical of his true form. Merritt wagged the tail to some purpose and his 33 was an exceedingly useful contribution. Blundell was Wellington's stock bowler and he filled the role most capably. With an easy action, he bowls a fast-medium ball with a splendid length and great accuracy of direction. The really loose balls that ho sent down during his 32 overs could be counted on the fingers of one hand. J. Newman's performance in taking four wickets for 36 runs, in 17 overs, was even more impressive. He is a left-hander of medium to fast pace off the pitch and, as he kept a splendid length and direction, the batsmen were kept well on tho defensive. Useful Change Bowlers. The other bowlers, though only changes, wero quite good, especially Crook and Massey. Indeed, cither would probably bo an opening bowler for Canterbury were he a resident of Christchurch. The Wellington fielding was high class, speedy returns to the wicket being a feature of the out cricket. The Wellington batting was aggressive and consequently attractive. This, of course, was assisted by inaccurate bowling. At tho start Dempster and James both showed a fine repertoire of scoring strokes. Dempster would not take tho slightest risk; he did not need to, as ther wero plenty of loose balls. James played brighter cricket, his scoring shots being well timed and having a lot of power behind them. A Bright Partnership. But it was the McGirr-Lowry partnership that provided the brightest cricket of tho day. In an hour they mado 112 by as fine a display of aggressive batting as ono could wish to see. 'lhey not only scored from loose balls but frequently they showed brilliant strokes from balls of quite good length and direction. As already mentioned, tho Canterbury bowling was very weak. Talbot was tho only one to keep a length and except for an occasional short ball ho bowled very well. He kept the batsmen much quieter than did any of the others. Indeed, the others, with the possible exception of Merritt, looked impotont. Scores :

CANTERBURY.—First Innings. J. L. Kerr, b Blundell . . . . . . 3 I. M. Hamilton, c James, b Masscy 5 A. W. Roberts, bJ. Newman . . 14 R. 0. Talbot, 1) McLeod . . .. 42 M. L. Pago, c James, b Blundell . . 28 J. Jacobs, bJ. Newman . . . . 0 I. B. Cromb, c McGirr, b ,T. Newman 58 S. G. Lester, bJ. Newman . . . . 4 W. E. Morritt, c James, b Crook . . 33 N. Dorreen, c James, b McLeod . . 8 W T . H. It. Cunningham, not out . . 0 Extras . . 19 Total . > • • * • • • 214 Bowling.—E. D. Blundell took two wickets for 94 runs, TL B. Masscy one for 21, R. Crook one for 17, J. Newman four for 36, E. G. McLeod two for 17. A. Newman none for 10. WEI.LINGTON. First Innings. C. S. Dempster, lbw, b Talbot . . 41 A. Newman, c Dorreen, b Cunningham . . . . . . . • • • 4 K. C. James, st Dorreen, b Morritt 32 11. M. McGirr, not out . . . . 57 T. C. Lowry, not out 48 Extras . . 12 Total for three wickets . . . . 194