BY ONE WICKET

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12041, 20 January 1925, Page 9

BY ONE WICKET

WELLINGTON WINS PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH THIHLLIHG FINISH TO MEMORABLE GAME M'Glßft WINS THE MATCH WITH A SIXER SPLENDIB B SWUNG BY OTAGO MEN Wellington defeated Otago in the Plunket Shield match by one wicket. It was one of the most thrilling finishes in the history of New Zealafid cricket. Throughout the three days incident followed incident, and as one enthusiast put it, “The ganje was won and lost at least six times.” „ - < When 'Wellington resumed their innings yesterday morning they required 162 to win, .but they haa to fight for every run.' The wicket helped the Otago bowlers a little, and, backed by a keen field, their attack rose to the occasion splendidly. Had not Galland missed Brice behind the wickets when 5 runs only were required by the home side they would have won the match for the southern ' province. The hero of the Wellington side was McGirr. He topped the score in both innings, and obtained runs when his side had their backs to the wall. He olayed sound shots that came from the bat crisp and clean, and his strokes varied as the points of the compass. • Wellington required 4 runs to win. Alloo bowled one a little short, and McGirr, tall batsmen, ran up the pitch, swung his bat straight and true, and caught the ball on the ' half-volley. It soared up into the air. Knight on the outfield rushed to the fence, but the ball travelled high over his head and landed near the score board. McGirr was carried off the field amidst the cheering of both the Otago men and the spectators.. No. praise is too great for Alloo and Torrance, who, bowled magnificently, and the Otago fieldsmen fought as hard as their bowlers. WELLINGTON’S SECOND INNINGS DESCRIBED.

Otago took the held at 11 o'clock, and with 162 to make the Wellington batsmen, Hiddleston (1) and Baker, continued their innings. A. W. Allop bowled to Hiddleston from,the north end, and the over was a maiden. Torrance, who took up the attack from the. other ■ end, bowled a maiden to Baker. Dickinson relieved Alloo the nhxt over, and Hiddleston glanced the seventh ball for fonr. The fifth ball of Torrance’s next over saw Baker clean bowled. o—l—s. BADCOCK SCORES QUICKLY. Badcock filled the gap at the wickets i and'ha glanced the seventh ball -to the boundary. The : last he drove to mid-oS for a. single, ‘ bringing 10 : np after 18 minutes’ play. The runs were now coming steadily. Badcock glanced Torrance to the ropes and ran into double figures. The stroke also saw 20 go up. Hiddleston late cut Dickinson to tne boundary, and also Tap into double figures. There weTe nopr 14 runs off Dickinson for five overs, and .12 off Torrance for four overs. Torrance howled a maiden to Hiddleston and Badcock glanced Dickinson’s first ball for a single. HIDDLESTON OUT. Hiddleston played the third for a beautiful square cut for four, and off the last- be scored a single. Torrance's next over, however, saw him cut one into i (Blamiress hands at. first slip. 19—2—84. i Collins was the next man, and- he i forced the first hall he received round to - the square leg boundary. Badcock glanced Dickinson to the fine leg boundary and drove the same bowler to the off for three two balls later, making his score 20. Collins snicked the last ball pf the over through the 6lips for a brace. BADCOCK CLEAN BOWLED." The first ball of Tofrancr's next over 'Badcock tried to hook to leg and he missed the stroke and was clean bo Vied. 20 — 8—47. Banks joined Collins and played out the over. Collins glided Dickinson to the fine leg boundary, and brought his score to 10 and" the total to 50 after 59 minutes’ play, : Banks opened his scorihg by hooking Dickinson to the Square-leg boundary.

SPLENDID FIELDING. The Otago fielding was now excellent, and the batsmen had to fight for every run. The ground work was clean and the ball was returned smaTtly. At 59 AUoo relieved Dickinson, -who had bowled eight overs for 38 runs. Banks cut ■ the second hall for two. The last hall, however, he tried to hook and he sent the ball into H. C. Alloo’s hands at forward short leg. 7—4—61. V FIVE DOWN FOB 74. McGirr -then went to the .wickets and saw Dolling square cut Torrence to the fence. Wellington now required 98 runs to win. McGirr commenced his scoring with a single off Alloo, and Collins glided •the same : bowler €o fine leg fob tljree, bringing 7ff up-; The scoring was on the slow side, with both bowlers keeping a ?ood length. Alloo beat Collins in his ourth over with a fine bail. 21—5—74.

BARCLAY’S SHORT STAY. Barclay was' the next man. McGirr got a two and a single off Torrance, and Barclay hooked the last ball for a single. -In Alloo’s next over he snicked one into slips and Blamires took a /good catch. 1 6 . 781. THREE WICKETS FOR TEN. -James then took strike and played out the over, which was . a maiden. ' Alloo had now taken three wickets for 10 runs, ■ and had bowled five overs, of which two ' were maidens. He was keeping a good I length and tiiroing the ball from the ■ p off. t I Torrance, at’ the other end, was bowling ! very steadily, and both trundlers were bgcked up by a-keen field. James snicked ■ Alloo v to fine leg for two, and 80 appeared ;.after. 93 minutes’ play. The same batsman made a beautiful off drive for three two balls later. He booked Torrance for two, but was badly beaten two halls mterbj one that came a little bit slower. A FINE STAND. Henderson partnered McGirr and the pair played cautiously. Runs came in singles. Henderson glided Torrance to the fine leg boundary and 90 was passed. McGirr ran into double figures with an off drive to the boundary off Alloo. He hooked the same bowler round to leg for tour-two balls later. Henderson drove Torrance to the on for three, and the century appeared after 110 minutes' play, McGirr greeted the three figures by hooking Torrance to the ropes and thus ran into his twenties. He :got a single off_ the last ball and glided - Alien's first ball for two. Another single to McGirr and Henderson pulled Alloo round to the square leg -boundary,.. At 116 Blamires took the hall from Torrance, who had bow-led fifteen overs for -43 runs and had taken four wickets.. The new bowler sent down n maiden to McGirr. Dickinson went on at the* other end in place of Alloo, who had bowled nine overs and had taken, three wickets tor 30 runs. McGirr late cut tho fast man tor three, and Henderson glided him ' for two. At the end of the over came the luncheon adjournment, with the score at 128—McGirr 33 and Henderson 18.

AFTERNOON’S PLAY THRILL FOLLOWS THRILL. Requiring 35 runs to win MeGirr and Henderson resumed the innings after lunch. / Torrance bowled against .the wind from the south end and McGirr glanced the third ball for two and scored a, single off the seventh. AW. Alloo took as the attack with the wind and McGirr cut his first ball for a single. HENDERSON GOES. The seventh ball Henderson hit hard and low into Worker's hands \at point. The catch was a difficult one. 19—5—133. The partnership had not on 47 runs. Wellington required'' 31 to win when ' Hutchings wont to the crease. McGirr ; got a single off Torrance’s nest over and Hutchings plajed out the remaining balls. Two byes came off Alloo’s next v over, and Hutchings broke his "duck" , frith a single to square leg. McGirr got 1 one off the next and the last ball Hutch- | ings cut for a brace. FORCING THE PACE. ' McGirr brought his score to 40 by . square cutting Alloo to the boundary and followed the shot np with a late cut for one. Hutchings boohed the fourth ball to the fence, and played a simitar shot with the sixth, bringing 132 up. The ' next ball he played on to his wicket. 7—3—132. i ' : * . ELEVEN TO WIN. ] Eleven runs to win, add Brice, lie last ; man. faced the bowlers. There was great excitement among players, and spectators alike. The fieldsmen were on their toes. •Brice clocked tike last kail of ite -over. McQirr blocked TorranceV first ball and . missed the second, -which was off ffre wicket. He drove the fonrth to mid-on far a single and Brice faced the lefthand bowler. He made a swipe 'at the i first ball, but missed, and it hit his pads.; j : BRICE MISLED. ' | | Th© next ball. Brice tried to place! | throngh the slips and Galland missed a , catch; Brice sent the last ball of the over through slips for a single. The first • ball of Alloo's next over *he hooked for four, makincr the score 138. Five runs were required to win. j .SENSATIONAL FINISH. : The fourth; ball Brice snicked rather' luckily through sliye for a single. Mcj ® l .S r "inched three halls and then eleo trified the crowd by dashing up the. I pitch'and lifting the bowler out of the ; ground—a mighty hit, which ' the laat thrill for a match full of thrills. \ Unbounded enthusiasm followed and Mc-i wW >va« carried shoulder high off the ground. ■■ His soore was SI, which include ©d five boundaries and * six. He had made 126 runs in the, match for j The following are the details*—

PARAPARAUMU BEATEN SINGLE INNINGS GAME. The Rahui cricketers defeated Para para umu, at Paraparaumu. on Saturday in a single innings game (reports our correspondent). Paraparaumu scared 101, while Rahui. totalled 138 for seven wickets.

[ ’ ' OTAGO. s , | ) r irst innings 290 WEliWNGTOjiT""" - Second Innings* J. fc>. inddicston, 14224141, c Blamires, b Torrance 10 W. A. Baker, b Torrance o ' F. T. Badcock, 411114148, b Torrance 20 B. C. Collins, 42411432, b A. \Y. Alloo 21 J. B. Banks, 412, o H. C. Alloo, b A. W. Alloo 7 H. M. SteGirr, 111112144421214313114116, not out ....1........ 5l • "W. A. Barclay, 3, c Blamires, b A. W. Alloo i K. C. James, 232, b Torrance 7 iM. Henderson, 4842, c Worker, b A. W. Alloo 13 J. Hutchings, 1244, b A. W. Alloo ... 11 VW S. Brico, 141, not out !. . £ -Byes, 112 A Total for nine wickets . 1C5 How the wickets fell.—One for 5; two for 34, three for 47; four for 61, five for <4, six for T8; eeven for 85, eight for 132. nine for 152. , Bowling Analysis. . Dickinson 9 — 48 A. W. Alloo ... 13 a' 4 55 5 Torrance .......... 19 4 53 4 Blamires 1 • — 1