SHIELD CRICKET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27281, 6 January 1950, Page 6

SHIELD CRICKET

CANTERBURY MATCH KEEN INTEREST CREATED By the Sports Editor Three changes have been made in the Otago team to meet Canterbury in the final Plunket Shield match at Carisbrook, tomorrow and on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. A. W. Roberts is not available, and L. J. Groves and I. Walsh who did not have much success in the first two shield games have been omitted. The newcomers are L. A. Watt, A. M. Moir, and M. Muir. Moir is a competent all-rounder, but has no doubt been chosen mainly to supply the right-hand spinners in place of Groves. Moir has been on the verge of shield cricket for some years and during the present season has proved himself an effective slow bowler. He is slightly faster through the air than Groves and gets considerable nip off the pitch. In addition, he is a forceful batsman and a good field. The young Dunedin player, Muir, is a very keen cricketer who has had no little success- in the club games as a slow-medium bowler with ability to flight the ball and vary his pace. These attributes, together with an occasional off-break, may make him one of the “ finds ” of the representative season. Watt has, of course, given good service to the Otago Shield team for several seasons past as an opening batsman, and is also one of the most brilliant fieldsmen in the' province. He has had rather a lean patch this season, but has a habit of rising to the occasion and his services should be valuable. . , Although B. Sutcliffe is the mainstay and strength of the batting, he should have good support from K. T. Hunt, G. H. Mills, W. S. Haig, S. N. McGregor, L. D. Smith, Moir, and K A. Watson. Both Haig and McGregor came to light in the Auckland game, but Smith who attacked the bowling from the outset did not get going in the way one had hoped from the O*ago captain. Watson and Mills may also be expected to give more impressive displays in the Canterbury game, and if Otago gets away to a good start another big total may be recorded. _ Canterbury will undoubtedly miss the services of the New Zealand captain, W. A. Hadlee, and his place as leader of the side will be taken by the former New Zealand representative, W. McD. Anderson, a solid batsman and more than useful slow change bowler. With such excellent batsmen as F. B. Smith, J. G. Leggat, P. O’Malley, A. R. Mac Gibbon, and P. A. Small, the batting should not lack solidity in spite of the unaccountable debacle m the Wellington match. Mac Gibbon is a first-class, allrounder, being a right-hand fastmedium bowler and an aggressive batsman. O’Malley is well known to Dunedin cricketing enthusiasts, and two years ago scored 132 not out for the South Island against the North Island at Carisbrook. Leggat is a fine opening batsman and has always performed well against Otago while Smith, the stockily built New Zealand' representative, invariably delights the spectators with his free scoring. A newcomer to Plunket Shield cricket is R. T. Dowker, a player who was heading the club averages in Christchurch before the shield games began. Considerable interest will be taken in the aDpearance of T. B. Burtt, the left-hand slow bowler whose performances in England were one of the outstanding features of the New Zealand team’s tour. Burtt has not always found Carisbrook a slow bowler’s paradise, but his command of length and direction should counter any lack of responsiveness from the wicket.

Canterbury requires an outright win against Otago to have any chance of winning the Plunket Shield, though should Wellington not suffer an outright loss against Auckland, the outcome of the competition will be beyond doubt. Nevertheless, the OtagoCanterbury match should be full of interest.