PLUNKET SHIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21068, 30 December 1931, Page 10

PLUNKET SHIELD.

WIN FOR CANTERBURY. MARGIN OF THREE WICKETS. BLUNT REACHES 338 NOT OUT. KERR HIGHEST FOR VICTORS. [nv teleghai'ii.—riiKss association,] CIIRISTCHURCII. Tuesday. Canterbury won the Pluriket Shield match against Otago to-day after a bitter struggle to get the 279 runs required for victory. The number was made with three wickets in hand, but the Canterbury batsmen had to fight, hard all day. The weather was again perfect and conditions were ideal. Tho wicket wore well and the outfield was fast. Blunt and Hawksworth increased (dago's total to 509, adding another ."54 runs to the overnight total before llawksworlh's defence at. last failed. The total of 279 runs which was set Canterbury to win was so high for a fourth innings that it' looked an even chance whether tjie side could reach it. The issue could hardly ever be said to have hern in doubt, however, as Canterbury never looked like failing to gel lhe runs.

As in (lie first innings Kerr was topscorcr. this time with 86. It was on invaluable knock for his side. His batting was at times painfully slow, but such tactics were probably justified by the condition of the game. Kerr's defence was very sound and he waited patiently for the loose ball. He gave one chance at 68.

Cromb's 46 came at a crucial time in the innings and his partnership with Lester, which added 82, really made the game safe for his side. Cromb showed the soundest defence and would not be tempted to take risks. Page's 26 was a bright spot in the drab batting. lie seemed not at all overwhelmed by the importance of tho occasion and soon showed that tho bowling could be hit. There was general disappointment when he was run out in trying a risky extra run. Earlier in the innings Hamilton played more enterprising cricket than in his first knock. • Otago's out-cricket was worthy of all praise, and the southerners fought a losing battle with fine tenacity. Tho bowling was exceedingly accurate and never became loose at any time. This made rungetting very difficult. It is true, however, that Canterbury's rock batting made tho bowling look better than it was. Badcock kept an immaculate length for the whole forty-five overs he bowled, but it only kept runs down, as the batsmen had little difficulty in playing him. Dunning was very steady, but took only one wicket. Towards the end Coupland bowled in a manner that suggested he might with advantage have been tried earlier. Of the others Blunt looked most likely to get wickets. Otago's ground fielding was admirable, as proof of which Canterbury took four and a-lialf hours to grt 279 runs. Following are the scores:— OTAGO. First Innings 161 Second Innings. R. Cherry, c Page, b Cromb . . . . 13 F. T. Badcock, c Powell, b Cromb 105 R. C. Blunt, not out 338 A. Knight, c Hamilton, b Burrows . . 9 W. A. Priest, c Hamilton, b Burrows 0 C. J. lilmes, llnv, b Talbot . . . . 24 I). Smith, b Burrows 15 J. .\. Dunning, lbw, b Burrows . . 5 D. A. R. Moloney, c Page, b Mcrritt 5 W. D. C'oupland, b W. Hawksworth, lbw, b Merritt . . 2i. Extras 41 Total £B9 Bowling. —Cromb took three wickets for 144 runs, Burrows four for 68, Merritt two for .143. Talbot one for 78. Lester none for 47, Roberts none for 54, Page none for 14. CANTER BUHV. First Innings 472 •Second Innings. I. M. Hamilton, lbw. b Badcock . . 30 .}. 1.. Kerr, v Smith, b Blunt 86 A. W. Roberts, b Dunning .... 9 If. O. Talbot, lbw, b Blunt. .. .. 6 M. L l'age, run out 26 I. B. Cromb, c and b Coupland . . 46 S. (t, I.ester, b Coupland 26 J. T.. Powell, not out 14 W. E. Mcrritt, not out 30 Extras . 6 Total for seven wickets . . . . 279 Bowling.—Badcock took one wicket for 82. Smith none for 32. Jiluiit two for 55, Moloney none for 0, Dunning one, for 42, Elmes none for 24, Coupland two for 14.