PLUNKET SHIELD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21993, 27 December 1934, Page 11

PLUNKET SHIELD

DAJY OF SURPRISES AUCKLAND AND CANTERBURY f WICKETS FALL CHEAPLY FAST BOWLERS EFFECTIVE [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION*] CHRISTCHI7RCH, Wednesday The second day's play in the Plunket Shield cricket match between Auckland and Canterbury was full of surprises. The last five Auckland wickets fell cheaply and the side was out for the modest total of 279. Canterbury fared even worse, however, and at the end of the day was all out for 230. The weather was very similar to that of the previous day, an overcast sky, with an exceedingly boisterous easterly wind, which turned quite cold toward the end of the day. The wicket was very hard and fiery and the fast bowlers bumped high at times, completely puzzling most of the batsmen. The running between the wickets was shocking on the part of many of the batsmen, and Bellamy and Kerr, in an otherwise good partnership, threw away nearly as many runs as would have given the side a first innings lead. The early stage of to-day's play was marked by an unexpected collapse of the later Auckland batsmen. Auckland's 246 for five wickets that ended the first day's play was only increased to 279. This result was brought about mainly by the fine bowling of Andrew's and Koberts, helped by two unexpectedly good slip catches. None of the remaining batsmen was happy to the bowling, and Matheson alone reached double figures. Fine Bowling Andrews and Roberts both bowled Exceedingly well and they looked to be absolute masters of the batsmen during the remaining part of Auckland's innings. They were backed up by good fielding all round. The Canterbury batting was disappointing. The first shock came when Cromb, after getting a two, tamely turned an off ball into the slips. Then Oliver, after getting 13 in very slow and laboured style, returned to the pavilion with the board showing 56 for two wickets.

A stand by Bellamy and Kerr put their side in an excellent position. Both played very sound and careful cricket for a time and occasionally Bellamy found the fence with high-class strokes, his off-driving being particularly fine. Kerr also, after an uncertain start, played good cricket, and the pair looked like staying for the day. They had added 93 when the slump came. After this the bowlers were right on top of very weak batting. Kerr fell to another slip catch, and then Page, Hadlee, Roberts, Lester and Andrews added 29 between them.

It was only a spirited partnership between Allen and Graham that sent the second century up and made a very welcome addition to the total. Allen for a time was right off his game, but after settling down he scored his runs with some good shots. He also was one of the batsmen who got the full value of the scoring strokes. Oowie Dangerous

Auckland's out cricket was first-class, for in Cowie, Townsend and Matheson they have three good bowlers with useful supports in Bush and Garrard. Cowie was always dangerous for, with a lot of pace, he kept a good length and was never loose. His off balls often bumped dangerously and the batsmen found, some of them to their cost, that they were best left alone. The fielding was good and in many cases strokes were retrieved that looked certain to go for runs. Although Auckland has a first innings lead of 49 the position is not irretrievable for Canterbury: With two full days to go the match may be completed and if the Northerners can be dismissed in their second innings for a reasonable total the local team will still have an opportunity of showing that it is a strong batting side. ' The scores are as follows: — AUCKLAND.—First Innings Whitelaw, c Roberts, b Lester . . 65 Edmonds, run out 11 Townsend, b Roberts .. 8 Vivian c Hadlee, b Graham . . . . 70 Weir, b Andrews . 33 Wallace, lbw, b Page 26 Bush, b Roberts 0 Garrard, c Bellamy, b Andrews . . 4 Sale, c Roberts, b Andrews .... 4 Matheson, run out . . 18 Cowie, not out . . > . 4 Extras . . . * , . . . -. * 36 Total 279 Bowling.—M. Graham took one wicket for 4.3 runs, A. W. Roberts two for 67, S. Andrews three for 41, S. G. Lester one for 58, M. L. Page one for 17, F. Bellamy none for 17. CANTERBURY. —First Innings Cromb, c Townsend, b Cowie . . . . 2 Oliver, c Weir, b Townsend . . . . 13 Bellamy, c Garrard, b Townsend . . 77 Kerr, c Whitelaw, b Townsend . . 44 Page, c Sale, b Cowie 6 Hadlee, b Townsend 10 Roberts, b Bush . . 6 Allen, not out 27 Lester, b Bush 2 Andrews, c b Cowie . . 5 Graham, lbw, b Townsend . . . . 11 Extras 27 Total 230 Bowling.—Cowie took three wickets for 53 runs, Matheson none for 37, Garrard none for 26, Townsend five for 66, Vivian none for 10, Bush two for 11. WELLINGTON TEAM SELECTED MATCH WITH CANTERBURY [BV TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION*] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The Wellington Plunket Shield team to play Canterbury is as follows:—Blundell, Tindill, Whyte, Ward, Ell, Morgan, Latnason, Wareham, Tricklebank, Riley, Simes, Wilson (twelfth man). Whyte takes the place of Hepburn, who is not available.