CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20004, 22 January 1927, Page 12

CRICKET.

PLUNKET SHIELD. THE DECIDING MATCH. WELLINGTON v. AUCKLAND. (Pee United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 21. Brilliant weather prevailed lor the linal Pluukot Shield cricket match between Wellington and Auckland, the wicket being in excellent order and apparently all in favour of tho batsmen. W hen, therefore, W ollington with its great team of batsmen was dismissed for 182, tho feat was invested with a touch of the sensational. At ono stage Wellington had lost six wickets for 94 and it remained for Price (the W ellington captain), who came in at tho tall of the eighth wicket, to make the stand of tha innings. Ho made top score 161) and his partnerships with James and Henderson were intrumcntal in lifting the score to 182. Bowley. four for 27, Matheson three for 73, and Player two for 24, were tho principal Auckland bowlers. When stumps were drawn for the day Auckland had lost four wickets for 145, Mills being top scorer with 63, Dacro 13, and Allcott 4 are the not out men. When Hiddlostoa ami Worker commenced playing cautiously to the bowling of Matheson and Allcott no one expected a sensational opening. Both bowlers struck a length early and Matheson was getting a lot of life into his deliveries. However, Huddleston scored off an occasional erratic ball from him, but Allcott kept Worker strictly on the defensive. t The score was taken slowly to 25 before Worker took his first strike to Matheson, having faced three maiden overs from Allcott. A ball from Matheson, who was swinging them down well, kicked up a little and the batsman tipped it and Rowntree took a beautiful catch, Two of the finest batsmen at present playing in New Zealand were next associated—Kortlang and Hiddleston, and the crowd settled down in anticipation' of patient cricket. Hiddlcston was slow but sure. He demonstrated a fine shot through the slips and occasionally forced ono round to leg in good style. However it was this shot combined with the astute generalship of Dacre which resulted in the loss of his wicket. Tho Auckland captain made a sudden change in his howling, replacing Allcott with Player. Player appeared to bo pitching tho bowl somewhat short but. he was swinging a little. Hiddleston tried to force one round to leg but the stroke was a little uppish and a roar from tho crowd signified that Anthony at short leg had, snapped up a brilliant catch. Lowry ioined Korflang and welcomed the next change in tho bowling. He went out to the leg breaks of Sneddon, who relieved Matheson and, with clean shots to the ’eg boundary, hit 11 off one over, but his career was also a short one. PI aver had been sending them down eswinging from the leg a little, bur he swung in one that came from the oft Lowry played all over it, and three of Wellington's best batsmen were down for 63.

A period of slow cricket followed when James joined Kortlang. The batsmen, intent on improving their side’s poor position, declined to take any risks and Dacre decided on a double change, reverting to Matheson and giving Bowley his first chance with the ball against a Wellington tide. Once again his tactics met with success. Bowley threw up a full toss, spinning a lot, to Kortlang. and the batsman forget his stonewalling and hit out at it. He mishit the spinning ball which wont right up into the air for Sneddon to take a catch. The impossible had been accomplished, four of the team’s best batsmen being out for 78. The next pair, James and M'Girr, have a considerable reputation in Wellington for smart running between the wickets, but an attempt to sneak a single saw James nearly run out. M’Girr was not comfortable to Bowley, and James, although he was on the whole sound, was making far too many mishits to score well. The crowd as well as the players was keyed up with excitement, and a shout went up as M'Girr joined what was degenerating into almost a procession. A hall from Matheson made pace from the wicket and went away a little. The batsman put it up into the slips, and -\nthonv, who with Bowley. had been fielding excellently, took his second catch. Just before the luncheon adjournment further disaster befell Wellington Badcock was inclined to go forward and feel for Bowley’s breaks. He did this once too often, for one spun sharply from leg. ine batsman .tipped it and Rowntreo hvefl up to his reputation. Six wickets had fallen for 94. Badcock having scored six. After luncheon the procession continued. Lambert went in with James and made a single before driving one from ßo " le y hard to Allcott at deep mid-ofi. fine fieldsman took a perfect catch. James seemed to ha the only ono who could play with restraint, for Hollings lost his wicket almost immediately through being too impetuous. He dashed out to hit Bowley, but the coach had flighted tho breaking ball beautifully. The batsman missed, and Rowntreo whipped off the bails. Eight wickets had fallen and the score was still four short of the hrst hunderd. .Bowley had ben bowling with excellent judgment, mixing his deliveries well and flighting them beautifully. However, the Wellington captain, Brico, used his long reach to go out to tho coach and hit nun hard. Ho played some crisp off-drives, but it was his forcing pull shot that met with most results. However, ho could not hit Bowley cleanly, and some of his shots might easily have been catches before Dacre toon tho coach off. James was playing with rock-like defence, but occasionally ho flashed out with a pretty cover drive. Brico was manifestly uneasy to one over from Matheson. the young University player making the ball nip disconcertingly, and ho sent up a catch to Sneddon. It was not an easy one, and the Ronsonby player missed it after getting two hands to the ball. Another change was tried to break the most productive partnership of tho match. Player relieving Matheson. A separation was effected by Allcott, who terminated James’s hour and a-hall stay by getting him log-bcfore-wicuet. Wellington’s tail continued to wag with the advent of Henderson. Ho was content to leave most of tho bowling to Brice, and the veteran took every opportunity of scoring that presented itself. Ho reached 50 with a neat shot through the slips. The final partnership was an excellent one, with Brico standing up to tho bowling and putting all his power behind his shots. The pair showed good judgment in running between tho wickets. Anything on tho short side was treated with scant respect, but with tho total at 181 a bright and forceful innings was brought to a close when Brice played Matheson on to his wicket. lie had made 51 in a style singularly refreshing. It did not take long for Auckland s opening pair, Bowley and Mills, to settle down. Tho former opened brightly, using his beautiful forcing leg shot to get Badcock’s second ball to the leg : boundary. He continued in the same style, scoring easily off Badcock and M'Girr, and_ putting plenty of force behind his back shots. Ho \yas not as strong on tho off as is usual with him. Henderson was soon brought on in place of Badcock. but he could not reduce the rate of scoring. Both batsmen were infusing plenty of freedom into their play, and Mills, although ho was making his runs chiefly behind tho wicket, was better on tho off than his partner. Once he showed a powerful shot in swinging Henderson to the leg boundary. A double change was tried in tho bowling, Hiddleslon and Badcock coming on Tho former put a temporary check to the rate of scor inrr, but the runs continued to come in oven time, Badcock was not difficult, and Brico replaced him for an over before the tea adjournment, but was not successfulThe scoring slackened down somewhat on the resumption of play. ’Throughout BowIcy had experienced some difficulty in getting on to tho off balls cleanly, and Mills’s best shots could not find gaps in the wellplaced field Tho score reached 69 before a separation was effected. Bowley did not look like going out. Ho pkiyod forward to an overpitched ono from Badcock, straight driving it, but the bowler took a beautiful catch low down. The next man, Sneddon, opened cautiously. while Mill’s was very steady, keeping' a keen lookout for an occasional hall that kept low. Sneddon soon commenced to brighten up, and brought the first century on the board with a nice glance to tho leu boundary off Badcock,'. He was batting well, his cutting being a ft-ature, but with his score at 28 he did not put, enough power behind a full toss from Lambert, and was caught by M'Girr at deep square lecf . . Mills, who was joined by Cooper, brought his half-century up by swinging Lambert to leg, but then lost his clubmate. Cooper drove Hollings hard to mid -on, and Brice took a groat one-handed

catch, turning round to get the ball before it reached the ground. Three wickets had fallen for 110 when Dacro came in. Hfe was unusually cautious at the start, but when Henderson came on he attempted to force the pace. Ho rais-hit one to mid-on, but Lowry was standing a little too dee]). Both ho and Hollings rushed for the ball, but collided, and the catch went begging. In the same over he gave Badcock a chance in the slips, but the fieldsman failed to hold a hard catch. Henderson was now bowling well, if a trifle erratically, and in his next over be puzzled Mills with several balls that appeared to bo swinging from the off. One of these Mills missed, and it -went off his pads on to his wicket. With four wickets down for 138, the promise of a big first innings score made by the good opening did not look like being realised. Allcott. the next man, was not comfortable. The light was not exceptionally pood, but the score was taken to 146 without further loss before stumps were dnvan for the day. Following are the scores:— WELLINGTON. First Innings. Hiddleston, c Anthony, b Player .. 17 R. do R. Worker, c Rowntree, b Matheson 8 Kortlang, c Sneddcn, b Bowley .... 19 Lowry, b Player 13 James, Ibw, b Allcott 25 M'Girr, c Anthony, b Matheson .... 4 Badcock, c Rowntree, b Bowley .... 6 Lambert, c Allcott, b Bowley 1 Hollings, st. Rowntree, b Bowley .. 0 Brice, b Matheson 61 Henderson, not out 13 Extras 5 Total 182 Bowling Analysis.—Bowley, 6 overs, 4 wickets, 27 runs; Matheson, 19 overs, 3 wickets, 73 runs; Player, 9 overs, 2 wickets, 24 runs; Allcott, 12 overs, 1 wicket, 33 runs; Sneddcn, 3 overs, 20 rims. AUCKLAND. First Innings. Bowley, c and b Badcock 33 Mills, b Henderson 63 Snedden, c M'Girr, b Lambert .... 28 Cooper, c Brice, b Lambert 0 Dacre, not out 13 Allcott, not out 4 Extras 5 Total for four wickets .. .. 146 HAWKE CUP MATCH. CHALLENGERS DEFEATED. (Pee United Press Associatic. .) HAWERA. January 21. The Hawke Cup match was played here to-day in glorious weather. Taranaki was successful in stalling off a challenge by Wairarapa. Wairarapa won the toss and, batting first, made a disastrous start, six wickets going down for seven runs. Logan and Whitburn then made a stand, adding 22 and 13 respectively, being the only players to reach double figures. The innings closed for a total of 59. Cole and Clarke were the moat successful bowlers, tho former securing five wickets for 13 runs and the latter four for 25. Taranaki compiled 116 in the first innings after a bad start (Lay 31, Cole not out 22, and Kingston 18). Beech was the most successful with tho ball. Wairarapa’s second strike produced 70, Renner (16) being the only double-figure scorer, Bottrill and Clarke divided the bowling honours. Taranaki was. left with 14 to make to win, which was easily secured, the innings closing for the loss of one wicket. Scores: WAIEAPAPA. First Innings.

Gee, o Lash, b Clarke 3 Burt, b Clarke 1 Hoar, c Kingston, b Cole 0 Judd, o Eggleton, b Cole 0 Fox, Ibw, b Cole 0 F. Hoar, o Bottrill. b Cole 2 Logan, Ibw, b Colo 2 Whitburn, e Grayson, b Clarke 13 Renner hit wckt., b Clarke U Beech, b Penny S Falloon, not out 4 Extras tt Total 59 Bowling Analysis.—Cole 5 wickets for 13 runs, Clarke 4 for 25, Penny 1 for 15. Second Innings. A. Hoar, c Grayson, b Bottrill 9 Gee, c Eggleton, b Bottrill 1 Whitburn, b Clarke 4 Judd, o Grayson, b Bottrill 7 Logan run out 0 Burt, b Clarke 5 F. Hoar, run out 0 7 Falloon c Kingston, b Clarke 5 Renner, c Eggleston, b Clarke .... 26 Beech, b Clarke 0 Extras 6 Total 70 Bowling Analysis.—Clarke 5 wickets for 26 runs, Bottrill 3 for 33, Eggleston none for five. TARANAKI. First Innings. Smith, b F. Hoar 1 Grayson, b Beech 0 Lash, b Beech 2 Kingston, b Renner 18 Penny, c Renner, b Beech 11 Lay, c Burt, b F. Hoar 31 Bottrill, c NVhitburn, b Beech 15 Cheevors c A. Hoar, b Beech 1 Clarke, c Falloon, b Beech 4 Cole, not out 22 Eggleton, c Logan-, b T. Hoar 5 Extras 6 Total 116 Bowling Analysis.—Beech 6 wickets for 35 runs, F. Hoar 3 for 28, Renner 1 tor 9, A. Hoar none for 14, Fallodh none for 11, Gee none for 13. Second Innings. Lay, o Judd, b Beech 0 Gravson, not out 12 Lash, not out 7 Total (for one wicket) 19