THE PLUNKET SHIELD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22504, 23 February 1935, Page 7

THE PLUNKET SHIELD

OTAGO-CANTERBURY MATCH RAIN CAUSES POSTPONEMENT Although the heavy rain which fell yesterday was, in many respects, welcome, it caused the Otago Cricket Association another disappointment, for it was impossible to commence play in the Plunket Shield match between Otago and Canterbury, There, was a steady downpour when the captains, M. L. Page (Canterbury), arid V. ,’G. CaVanagh (Otago)-, irispected the wicket at 10.30 yesterday morning. -Their decision*‘was that, if rain had stopped at noon, play would be commenced at 4 o’clock, but as; there had been no* cessation at midday play was abandoned for the day. The groundsman (Mr A. Ross) stated that he expected the wicket to make a good recovery when the rain ceased, as it was in such a position that the surface water would drain off quicklyThe ends of the wicket have been covered. ■ The Otago Cricket Association has been unfortunateMn the past few seasons so far as the choice of dates for its matches is concerned, and, as the result of rain, it has lost revenue estimated at some hundreds of pounds. The dates originally chosen for the Otago-Canter-bury match were those, on which the women’s game between Otago and the English team were played, and on that occasion the weather was beautifully fine. These dates were, however, surrendered by the association so that there should be no interference with the visitors’ itinerary. The present match can have no bearing on the fate of the Plunket Shield, which has already been won by Canterbury) but the game is of special significance since it marks the seventieth anniversary of . the commencement of representative ".fixtures between the two provinces,.