THE PLUNKET SHIELD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20320, 31 January 1928, Page 10

THE PLUNKET SHIELD.

WELLINGTON DEFEATS J AUCKLAND. VICTORY 5Y 276 RUNS. CENTURIES TO DACRE AND BOWLEY. (Per United Press Association.) • WELLINGTON, January 30. "With 735 runs to win, Auckland gvere set an impossible task to-day on a wicket that had already seen well over 3000 runs scored off it in two days of Jilay. The northerners scored 453 runs in their second innings, and were thus beaten by 276 runs. Bowley (120) and Dacre (145) together put on half the amount of Auckland’s innings. Brice was the most dangerous Wellington bowler, getting much help from a worn wicket. Wellington, with three wins, thus hold the Plunket Shield. The sky was overcast, with a cool southerly breeze, making the conditions ideal when Bowley and Mills this morning faced the bowling of M'Girr and Massey. Massey had four men clustered in close on the leg side, with only two men on the off —Brice at slip and Badcock at cover. Bowley scored rapidly all round the wicket. After sending down four overs for 12 runs Massey gave way to Badcock, vho made no impression on cither batsman, Bowley especially hitting out. Badcock had the field clustered in close, with no one in the country. Mills brought 50 up by forcing M'Girr to mid-on for a couple. The half-cen-tury had taken 33 minutes. Bowley then cut Badcock square for four. At 5(1 M'Girr, whose eight overs had cost 23 runs, gave way to Brice, who sent down a good maiden to Bowley. Mills brought GO up by powerfully on-driving Badcock to the fence. The stylish left-hander then turned the professional prettily to square leg for 3. The southerly breeze had now freshened, and so had the Sussex crack, ■who powerfully hooked a short one from Brice to the boundary at mid-on. This brought 70 up. Both batsmen were Bow in the thirties, and going well. In Badeock’s fifth over Bowley made a crisp drive to the fence at long-on. In Brice’s fourth over Bowley twice cut him square to the fence, reaching his half-century in as many minutes, and bringing 80 in eight. Buns were now coming fast. Mills elammed Badcock to the ropes at long-on. A drizzling rain had now set in from the south. Mills next lifted Brice high to the fence at square leg, and snicked Badcock to fine-leg for a couple. The left-hander then turned the professional deftly to fine-leg for a couple. The •wicket was showing signs of wear, an occasional ball rearing up dangerously. Bowley brought 100 up for 70 minutes’ play. He then lifted one dangerously from Badcock high to square-leg, bat the ball dropped short of Worker. At 104 Lambert went on in place of Badcock, whose H overs had cost 42 runs. With the total at 114 Mills, who had reached 44, including five fours, was bowled by a leg break from Lambert. He bad helped Bowlev to put on 114 in 88 minutes. —114—1 —44. Anthony joined Bowley, who was 68and Lambert brought three men close in on the leg side to the Parnell batsman. Brice had four men clustered round the batsman’s legs, but Anthony was not afraid of them. He slammed one over their heads to the boundary at long-leg. Auckland then had a slice of bad luck, as Anthony backed up for a shot which •went behind the wicket. Bowley sharply called “ No,” and,Lambert smartly threw the wicket down. ' It appeared as if Anthony could have saved his wicket had he slid his bat for the crease. 123—2—3 Cooper was next, and was nearly bowled in going for a grand slam. At 141 Lowry took the ball from Larabeit, who had captured one for 21 off five overs. After sending down 15 overs for 38 runs Brice tossed the ball to M'Girr. Cooper swung on to one in Lowry’s second over, and lifted it high towards Lambert at squareleg. The ball landed in front of the fieldsman, but swerved away, and left him standing while it went on to the fence. A flick through the slips for four by Cooper off M'Girr brought 150 up in 115 minutes. Bowley hooked M'Girr to the boundary at square-leg, and Cooper twice placed Lowry to mid-off for a couple each time, and placed him to cover for two, six coming from the over. Bowley then forced M'Girr to mid-on for three, bringing 170 up. The Sussex professional then patted one from Lowry through the slips for three. At 176 Taylor relieved M'Girr, a single In Bowley coming from the over. A single to Bowley off Lowry made him 99, md the Sussex crack dwelt here for some overs. At 184 Foley came on for the first time in the match, taking the ball from Lowry, whose seven overs had cost 25 runs. A four to Bowley past mid-off gave the professional his century in 140 minutes. At 190 Cooper, who had reached 32 rather shakily, jumped out to Foley and was smartly stumped by James. ISO —3—32. On resuming after lunch Player accompanied Bowley to the wickets. The North Shore man opened confidently, scoring nine off Foley’s first over. Facing Brice, however, he played forward to one, and was stumped smartly by James with his toe on the line. 199—4—9. Hendy came next and arrived to sen Bowley bring the 200 up for 160 minutes’ play. At 210 Massey came on in place of Foley, and sent down a maiden to Hendy. When he was 120 Bowley, who bad been at the wickets for 176 minutes, popped Brice’s next ball into Massey’s hands at silly mid-on. He hit 15 fours. 220—5—120. Dacre started off by banging Massey to the fence at extra long-on, and in the Institute bowler’s next over he aroused enthusiasm by lifting one for six over the fence at long-off. Hendy got three for a stroke to point off Brice, and Dacre late cut the Wellington captain for a similar number. In Massey’s n>-t over the Auckland captain magnificently pulled one for six over the fence at square-leg, arousing great enthusiasm. Hendy, inspired by his captain’s example, banged Brice to the track at extra longon. A fast rising ball on the leg side from Massey hit James a nasty body blow, holding up play for some minutes. On resuming Dacre deftly back-cut Massey to the ropes. At 253 M'Girr relieved Brice, but Dacre turned the Hurt man’s first ball to long-leg for four and crisply iatc-cut the next delivery to the pickets. He forced the next ball to square-leg *or two, getting an extra one for an overthrow. Hendy then notched two and a single, fourteen coming from the over. This made the score 260, exactly what Wellington had totalled in the second innings. Hendy ricked himself in running between the wickets, and had to retire with his score at 18. A. Weir carried on with Dacre. Badcock took the ball from Massey, and sent down a maiden to A. Weir. Brice came on again in place of M'Girr. and the field spread out. A. Weir, before opening his account, fell Into Brice’s leg trap, popping one into Rambert’s hands. 269—G—0. <4. Weir came next, and Dacre soon fcfter reached his 50 in 47 minutes by jumping out and twice banging Badcock ta the off boundary. Dacre bro-wht 300 u> for 237 minutes’ play. Dacre went feu gathering rune, and at 312 Lowry

took the ball from Badcock, but could not stop Dacre's smiting, a dozen coming from the over. This brought 030 up and made Dacre 80.

A magnificent drive by Dacre off Lowry lifted the ball high over the fence long-on for six, renewing enthusiasm. Weir then drove Lowry past cover to the ropes, 13 coming from this over, and ne soon reached his century in 78 minutes. At 361 Lambert came on in place of Lowry, and Dempster had a try at Brice’s end. The tea adjournment was taken with the board showing six down for 300, Dacre being 109 and G. Weir 23. On resuming Dacre soon ran past Bowlev’s score. At 383 Badcock had another try, relieving Foley. Four hundred came* up in 280 minutes. G. Weir who had played a most useful innings for 23, then lifted Brice into Foley’s hands at long-on. He had assisted Dacre to add 131 for the seventh wicket. 400 —7 Hendy then returned with Mathcson to run for him, and arrived to see Dacre late cut Brice for four and drive him to loug-on for three, reaching 140. At 3 o'clock Dacre’s brilliant innings came to an end, Lambert taking him with a good running catch off Badcock. He had given a delightful display of rapid scoring, hitting three sixes and 19 fours. 413—8 145. Rowntrce ioined Hendy, who was 23, and the United Suburbs man opened out to Badcock, hitting him for two lours in succession. Rowntree swung Brice to long leg for four, and merry scoring saw 430 go np. Hendy gave a hot chance to Dempster close in at short mid off off Badcock when his score was 31, and Taylor then missed Rowntree at deen square leg off Brice, the ball going off the fieldsman's hands over ’the boundary. Hendy then stepped out and smote Badcock hard to tire track at long-off. Rowntree neatly patted Brice through the slins for three, bringing 440 up. The Aucklanders w r ere dyinn- hard. At 457 Hendy, who had batted brightly for 38. which included five fours, let out at Badcock and was well taken by Lowry at longcff. Mathesnn came in, but reoeated the mistake Hendy bad made, bitting Badcock into Lowry's safe hands at midoff. ■ The innings closed at 5.22 for 458. giving Wellington the victory by 276 runs. Scores : WELLINGTON. First innings ... 496 Second innings 260 AUCKLAND. First innings 121 Second Innings. E. H. Bowley, c Massey, b Brice ... 120 J. E. Mills, b Lambert 44 A. Anthony, run out •• ..: ... o I. W. Cooper, st James, b Foley ... 32 A. S. Player, st Janies, b Brice ... 9 IV. Hendy, c Lowry, b Badcock ... 38 C. C. Dacre, c Lambert, b Badcock... 145 A. W eir. c Lambert, b Brice 0 G. L. Weir, c Foley, b Brice 25 R. W. Rowntree, not out 25 A. M. Matheson, c Lowry, b Badcock 0 Extras 16 Total 458 The fall of the wickets was as fol-• lows; —One for 114. two for 123, three for 199, four for IS9, five for 220, six for 269, seven for 4CO, eight for 413, nine for 457, 10 for 457. Bowling Analysis.—M’Girr, none for 57 ; Massey, none for 37 ; Badcock, three for 89; Brice, four for 130; Lambert, one for 25; Lowry, none for 63; Taylor, none for 5: Dempster, none for 6; Foley, one for 31.