SHIELD CRICKET

New Zealand Times, Volume LIIV, Issue 12645, 4 January 1927, Page 8

SHIELD CRICKET

WELLINGTON IN WINNING POSITION AT CHRISTCHURCH FINE DISPLAY BY HOLLINGS BOWLEY SETS AUCKLAND GOING WELL IN SECOND INNINGS Wellington got Canterbury out for 107 on a good wicket, and have themselves lost eight wickets for 264. A feature of the innings was the performance of Hollings, who is unbeaten at 45. Otago scored 336 in their first innings, and Auckland have made a good start in their second.

Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, January 3. The Plunket Shield match between Canterbury and Wellington was resumed in fine weather though the sky was overcast. Nothing had happened to impair the wicket, and it looked even faster than on Saturday. Canterbury thus had a full opportunity to show whether they were capable of getting within striking distance of Wellington’s big total of 48S. Canterbury made a disastrous start. McGirr in his first over bowled Woods with a yorker, and beat Crawford in his second with a length ball, 6—l—s and then 11—2—1. Page and Gregory played promising cricket for a time, Page making some beautiful off-drives off Badcock. The latter was replaced by Henderson at 46, and his first ball was touched by Gregory and taken by James, standing back. At 59 Page put one into Hiddlesrton’s hands in the slips. 59 4—30. THREE FOR SIX Boon only lasted two balls. The second one clean bowled him. 59—5—t). Henderson had now got three wickets for six runs.. Oliver joined his skipper,' but their separation came as the result of a good catch at mid-off by Hollings off a ball which Oliver drove hard. Brice tried to catch it but didn’t touch it. 54—4—30. Then in quick time Brice bowled Sandman (77 —7—2) with a slow straight one, and did likewise with Read. 79—8—2. Cunningham laboured on for a little while, but then touched one which short-stop snapped up. 86—9—0. MeBeth was the last man, and Patrick made a bright patch by hitting Henderson for four fours in one over —all beautiful strokes past point and oover. He was run out through Mcßeth refusing his call for an easy single. The innings had lasted just over two hours.

WELLINGTON ELECT TO. BAT There was some surprise when Wellington decided to bat again. Hiddleston and Worker opened to the bowling of Read and Cuxningham. Worker was dropped in the slips early, but Hiddleston was not so lucky, Page snapping him up in the following over. 3&-1—23. Korxlang was not happy, and was just short of double figures when Cunningham beat him badly.—s 2—2—9. Lambert suffered a like fate with the second ball he received. 52 —3—o. Dempster and Worker gave a scratchy display. Worker being again missed in the slips, this time by Page. At 79 Dempster stopped a straight one with his pads. 79—4—13. McGirr was Worker’s next partner, but after taking a long time to get half a dozen lie was clean bowled by read. 93—5—6. WORKER NOT IMPRESSIVE James • and Worker put on 59 for the next wicket, but then Worker was out lbw to Mcßeth. 152—5—70. His display' was far from impressive. Ho gave three distinct chances, besides having one or two lucky escapes from being caught at the wicket. His defence was fairly sound, but his scoring strokes were for the most part not well timed. When Hollings and James got together they gave a display that impressed. the critics. Hollings, especially, playing chanceless but still aggressive cricket. James got out from a rash stroke, and failed to get properly on to one that he tried to lift into the outfield. 194—5—44. Badcock joined Hollings, but was not in his Saturday’s form. However, he made 29 in quick time, and was then caught at the wicket. Brice then assisted Hollings to play out time. WELLINGTON.

OTAGO’S INNINGS

Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, January 3. The Plunket Shield match between (ptagq and Auckland was continued today in fine weather, Shepherd and Alloo facing Alcott and Matheson. Both batsmen played carefully, three maidens being sent down in succession. Shepherd gave Rowntree a chance off Alcott at 29, and then reached 30 with a single Shepherd brought 190 up with a couple of boundaries, Eowlev’s over yielding 15. Two hundred was brought up in 3 hours 33 minutes, but he then drove Bowley high to Gillespie, who held the match. 202—5—46. Alloo’s score reached 10 after he had batted for over an hour. When Cooper was brought on in place, of Bowley 15 runs vvero hit off bis first over. The batsmen then settled down, mastering the bowling and

treating the spectators to a bright exhibition. Frequent changes in the bowling had no effect, and at the luncheon adjournment the score was 304 (Blamires 62, Alloo 46). Matheson and Alcott bowled on the resumption, the batsmen playing quietly until Dacre threw in smartly, and Blamires was run out. 306—6—62. H. C. Alloo partnered bis brother, but he put his leg in front of the first ball he received from Matheson. 306 7—o. WICKETS FALL QUICKLY Zimmerman joined A. W. Alloo, turning Matheson to leg for a brace. The next ball lie snicked into the slips, and Bowley held a fine catch. Three wickets had fallen in four balls. 308—8 —2. Before another run had been scored Alcott sent up a ball that completely beat A. W. Alloo, and scattered his stumps. 308—9—48. Four wickets had fallen for 4 runs. Green got a nice shot “down the gully” for a start, and Torrance got one to leg for three. The batsmen began to score brightly. At 335 Bowley replaced Matheson. and in his first over he clean-bowled Torrance. 336 — 10—19. Green was not out with 9. BOWLEY BEGINS EARLY Bowley and Mills opened Auckland’s seoond strike Bowley facing Dickinson. Blamires, who had strained himself while batting, was unable to field. Dickinson’s first over was a maiden. Bowley then began to play the bowling with freedom, scoring with beautiful shots all round the wicket. Thirty was quickly brought up, and Torrance was brought on in place of Dickinson. A. Alloo replaced Blunt, and the scoring slowed down. After 50 minutes’ play 50 went up. and Bowley reached 30. When 70 was brought up Zimmerman replaced Alloo. Mills sent him twice to the pickets, making his score 30 and the total 80. At the tea adjournment the total was 86, Bowley having scored 43. Before a run had been scored Mills drove Torrance to the off, where Zimmerman fielded well and returned to the bowler, who threw the wicket down before Mills could get home. 86—1—34. The batsihen helped themselves to a single each, and then Dickinson was brought on, five coming off his over. Green went off with an injury to his ribs, and Knight took his place behind the wickets. A four to Cooper off Dickinson brought 100 un. after 87 minutes’ batting. Shepherd came on in place of Dickinson, and 150 was reached during his over. Blunt took up the attack at the other end.

BOWLEY CAUGHT By degrees the score mounted to 179, when Bowley pulled Torrance to leg, and Blair, a substitute, took a good catch. Bowley’s 85 had occupied 3 hours SO minutes. He had played a fine innings, selecting the balls to hit and playing well-timed shots. 1792—85. Gillespie, when he had just broken his duck, was missed in the field, and 200 was brought up soon after. Stumps were drawn with the scare at 212, Cooper being not out with 55, and Gillespie not out with 18. OTAGO. First Innings. Blunt, c Dacre, b Bowley 60 Knight, c Dacre, b Cooper 58 Cherry lbw, b Matheson 22 Dickinson lbw, b Bowley 6 Shepherd, c Gillespie, b Bowley ... 46 A. W. Alloo, b Alcott 48. Blamires, run out 62 H. C. Alloo, lbw, b Matheson 0 Zimmerman, c Bowley, b Matheson 2 Torrance, b Bowley 16 Green, not out 9 Extras 10 Total 336 Bowling analysis—Matheson, three wickets for 82; Bowley, four for 110; Alcott, one for 49; Cooper, one for 50; Player, none for 47; Dacre, none for 14, , . AUCKLAND —First innings 155 Second Innings. Bowley, c sub., b Torrance 85 Mills, run out 34 Cooper, not out 55 Gillespie, not out 19 Extras 19 Total for two wjekets 212 Bowling analysis—Dielsinson, none for 61; Blunt, none for 42; Torrance, one for 40; A. W. Alloo, none for 21; Zimmerman, none for 8; Shepherd, none for 21. ’

E. C. BEALE’S TEAM

DRAWN GAME AT GISBORNE. Per Press Association. GISBORNE, January 3. Continuing tho game against the Auckland touring team. Poverty Bay scored 220 (G. J. Robertson 100, Cooke 36). Weir took three for 17. Auckland in their second innings scored 193 (Butler 32, McCarthy 28). Poverty Bay, requiring 176 "to win, lost nine wickets for 74 on a soaked pitch in a bad light. Butler took five wickets for 30. The match was drawn

First innings 488 Second Innings. J. S. Hiddleston, c Page, b Cunningham 25 It. de 1 R. Worker, lbw, b McBeth VO B. J. Kortlang, b Cunningham .. 9 H. N. Lambert; b Cunningham ... 0 C. S. Dempster, lbw, b Read ... 13 H. M. McGirr, b Read 6 K. 0. James, c Oliver, b McBeth 44 A. M. Hollings, not out 45 F. T. Badcock, o Boon, b Read .. 29 W. S. Brice, not out 7 Extras 16 Total for eight wickets ...... 264 CANTERBURY f First Innings. 0, G. Crawford, b McGirr Z F. Woods, b McGirr & M. L. Papje, e Hiddleston, b Henderson 30 G. R. Greogrv, c James, b Henderson 10 C. Oliver, c Rollings, b Brice ... 16 M. IC. Boon, b Henderson 0 W. R. Patrick, run out 32 D. M. Sandman, b Brico 2 R. J. Read, b Brico 2 W. Cunningham, c James, b Henderson 0 D. J. McBeth, not out 3 6 Total 107 Bowling Analysis.—Badcock took no wickets for 22 runs: McGirr, two for 31 : Henderson, four for ; Brice, three for 19.