CRICKET NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22009, 16 January 1935, Page 14

CRICKET NOTES

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON CANTERBURY'S GOOD POSITION Auckland will play its last Plunket Shield fixture of the season against Wellington at Eden Park during the week-end, the game commencing at 11 o'clock on Friday morning and being confined to four days' play. There have been some splendid contests in the past between the two provinces and this year's fixture promises to be no exception. Auckland, present holder of the Plunket Shield, cannot win the trophy this season, the destiny of which lies between Canterbury and Wellington. To date Canterbury has gained two outright wins at the expense of Auckland and Wellington, while Wellington beat Oiago outright and Auckland beat Otago on the first innings. To have a chance of winning the shield Wellington will have to defeat Auckland outright and' Canterbury will have to lose to Otago outright in the match at Carisbrook noxt month. Should this Lsippen the shield will be awarded on averages and Canterbury at present is easily leading in this resndct. / Wellington Team

The Wellington team to meet Auckland in the Plunket Shield match next week, while it appears a little more impressive on paper than the sides that have done battle so far, is not filling Wellington enthusiasts with any particular optimism. Wellington held the advantage over Auckland in the friendly game played a few weeks ago, but, it is the general opinion that since somewhat faster wickets will probably be met with in the north, the initial advantage will rest with the Auckland side. E. G. McLeod, a former New Zealand representative, who was in the last team" to visit Australia, has been included in the Wellington team, and he should, materially improve it. He has shown really fine form with the bat, and is a slow leg-break bowler, who, on his day, can get among the batsmen. Another newcomer is B. Griffiths, ahio a slow bowler, but whose form must be taken ,on trust. He may or may not be successful on the Auckland wicket. A much better proposition, especially from a batting point of view, would have been Dean, of University, son of Mr. S. S. Dean, chairman of the management committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union. However, the most interesting member of the local side is young Rainbird, who has had a remarkable rise. A Wellington College lad, he iiad been gettiflg among the runs almost every Saturday in the junior grade, and on elevation to senior criioket two weeks ago, made 48 in his first innings, and now after two games, actually after one in first grade matches, he has found his way into the representative eleven. His case has been paralleled only by D. C. Collins, who won Wellington representative honours wltile still at college.

Two Centuries • Features of the Auckland championdrip .last Saturday were the fine innings of R. 6. Bush, University, and J. E. Mills, Eden. Bush was only fivo rums short of his double century and Mills compiled 130 against Ponsonby. 'Hie Auckland Cricket Association's coach, L; F. Townsend, was in good form with the ball last Saturday. Bowling for Ponsonby, he took eight wickets for 1 95 runs. He gained four leg-before bowling round the wicket, and this caused much comment among players: and spectators. There were some keenly-contested games at - the Domain last Saturday, when the Auckland City and Suburban Cricket Association's fifth series of matches in the senior championship was concluded. A larger crowd than usual attended, with the expectation that the leading teams, Mount Albert Grammar Old Boys and Green Lane, would be defeated. They were not disappointed and at the conclusion of play the championship underwent a complete change. Manukau, which now leads, secured a well-deserved six-point win from Ponsonby. The latter had the lead on the first innings and its policy of declaring the second innings closed did not meet with success. A splendid partnership between Heazlewood and Martin did much toward the success of Manukau. The pair added 103 runs of the 150 •cored.

The match between R.V. and Mount 'All>ert was not decided until the ninth wicket had fallen. Mount Albert compiled 141 in its first innings, while R.V. lost eight wickets for 92 when Finlayson went to bat. The veteran played a sound 'innings for 38. The last-wicket partnership between Cullum and Simpsoe. gave R.V. a well-deserved win. It was Mount Albert's first defeat. Perhaps the most improved team Mn tho senior competition is Mount Roskil;[, which defeated Green Lane. F. .Wood, whq compiled 120, gave his best display this season and with Langdon added 184 runs. Wood was particularly forceful in playing shots in front of the wicket. His defence was very Bound. Langdon is one of the most promising batsmen in the' association. A Splendid Win "" In the senior B grade .championship Green Lane .registered a meritorious performance in gaining a- six-point win over AJount Roskill. Faced with the task of getting 210 runs in an hour' and three-quarters. Green Lane made the winning hit three, minutes before, time. R.« Robinson, who compiled 78, is showing the benefit of Townsend's coaching. Although the Colts compiled the large total of 413 against Dunedin the scoring m senior cricket matches in JJunedin last Saturday was not high. Kuowles, with the fine , score of 133, was easily the most successful batsman - antl other members of the Colts team who were in good form were Hogg (/8) and Badcock (53), Howarth, Avho was undefeated with 51 for Carisbrook JJ was the only other batsman to pass the half-century. .Bowlers secured excellent figures. A notable performance was that of McKay, who took nine wickets for 63 for Carisbrook B. For Carisbrook A Dunning took six wickets for 23 and four 29 and Klmes secured the remarkable figures of fivo for 11 for Grange. By its four-point win against Kaikorai Grange regained the lead for the championship, Carisbrook A which is only one point behind just failing to secure a four-point win against High School Old Boys, I"he positions of the teams are as follows:—Grange, 16; Carisbrook A, 15; Hit;h School Old Boys, 9; Albion, 7; Colts, 7 ;_Carisbrook B, 7; University, §j Dunedin, 4; Christian Brothers, 1: Kaikorai, l.