CRICKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2142, 27 December 1920, Page 7

CRICKET.

INTERPROVINCIAL MATCH.

WELLINGTON v, CANTERBURY.

RAIN CAUSES POSTPONEMENT.

There was but moderate scoring in the first part of the WellingtonCanterbury representative cricket match, -which opened on Christmas Day, at Hagley Park. Play was to have been resumed this morning, but heavy rain caused a postponement. Though it Had 104 on for three wickets at one stage, Wellington scored only 176 runs in its first Innings. - When play ceased for the day, Canterbury hadj lost three wickets in scoring 55 runs. The day was very hot, and at, Hagley Park there was practically no wjhd. The wicket was fairly fast, and showed signs of crumbling a little for the third d»y of tne game, if the hot, dry weather continued. That little puffs of dust rose from it occasionally, when a fast ball pitched, toward the end of the afternoon, was not due to any lack of care in its preparation, but to the weather. The outfield was fast. Well over 3000 people watched the play, and a collection at the gates produced £l3l 11/8. A \ Wellington's batting was* not very impressive. H. Lambert, who easily top-scored with 74, made in a trifle over two hours, played steadily, but missed a lot of D, McK. Sandman's bowling on the leg side, although he punched some of the other bowling to leg at times. His'crispest-scoring shot was his off-drive. He hit 10 fours. Lambert was lucky to get past 45, as a good chance of a catch which he gave in the deep-field was dropped by C. W. Allard. H. E. Burton batted stylishly for 34 runs, scored all round the wickets, and J. Hutohings batted vigorously for 22, but none of the other Wellington batsmen stayed long enough to display their best qualities to any extent.

Wellington should have made more runs, for a lot of the Canterbury bowling was only moderate for a representative match. Some of the earlier batsmen would have scored more runs if they had been smart between the wickets. R. Read, who captured five wickets for 62 runs, Sent down a fairly large proportion of short-pitched stuff, but amongst his good-length balls were some very good ones that turned and nipped off the pitch. After he had bowled eight overs for 32 runs he, Was given a spell. In his second over after coming on again he took two wickets i with successive balls. When he had bowled, in all, 12 overs for two wickets and 45 runs, he Was given another rest* He was put oh to, bowl again when Wellington's total was 137, and in his second over after his return this time he got two more wickets. D. McK. Sandman, who took three wickets for 50 rUns —one of them before a ruh had been scored off him^-kept a pretty good length, but had little liick with his bowling. He also took two wickets with successive balls, in his thirteenth over. R. C. Blunt bowled well for five overs, but neither A. Grant nor A. W. Thomas gave the batsmen very much trouble. The Canterbury fielding was notj up to tbe province's standard. Wellington's fielding, though, Was very good. ' ' \ Canterbury was somewhat unlucky in losing Blunt and Patrick fairly early in its innings, for both batsmen were playing veryi well wben N they were dismissed—Blunt by a brilliant catch by Hiddleston, at fine slip, and Patrick l.b.w. to a fastish ball from McGirr, which,, pitched on the leg-pin, turned in a little and made pace off the pitch. Both teams are as selected, except that A. Doneghue has replaced E. Schraeder in the Wellington side. D. Reese captains Canterbury, and W. S. Brice the visiting team. The umpires are Messrs R. W. Barry and A. Dey; This morning steady ram set in, and after the players had waited for some time ' the captains agreed to wait until 2 p.m. At that hour, however, the wicket was under water, and play was further postponed until to-morrow morning. • ,•• < To-morrow, play is to start at 10.45 a.m., and the luncheon adjournment is to be from 1.15 p.m. to 2 p.m. ( , THE PLAY.

Winning the toss, Wellington took first strike on a good -wicket. Hiddleston and Lambert opened to the bowling of Read, whom Hiddleston' square-cut for four and drove to the on for one In his "first over. Sandman took up the bowling at the northern end and, turning and nipping off the Eitch, had Hiddleston missing him from the rst, The fifth ball of Sandman's first over got Hiddleston lbw, at s—l—s. Burton, next man in, played Sandman confidently, and soon put him to the. on for a single. In Sandman's next over Burton scored a single to fine-leg and Lambert got a heat four to fine-leg and then off-drove Sandman to the boundary—a pretty shot. Bead was put to square-leg by Burton for two, and' in the some over a snick went behind the wickets for four. Burton mishit the last ball of the over, and it curled over the wickets to fine-leg, the batsmen running a single and then getting another from an overthrow by Patrick. Sandman troubled Lambert with two or three deliveries in his next over—a maiden. Then Bead bowled a* maiden to Burton, but a lot of the stun* in it was short. The batsman were very steady. They neglected chances to run short singles. Hayes, at cover, too anxious to field a nit by Burton off Sandman, missed it, and the batsmen ran three instead of one. A few minutes later, however, Hayes won applause for some smart fielding. Presently Lambert placed Bead to squareleg for three, and off-drove Sandman for three. At 39 Grant, left-hander, relieved Sandman (one for 18 in six overs) at the northern end. Burton got a two, to the on, off him, cocked another, up to the middle of the wicket, and punched the last ball of the over—a short one on the leg leg for four. Burton brought up 60 — scored in 47 minutes—by swinging Bead to leg for four. He on-drove that bowler to the boundary, and three singles made 11 off the over. In Grant's next over Lambert cut one past third man for four and squarecut another to tile boundary. At 65 Thomas relieved Bead (none for 32 in eight overs), and at 67 Blunt took the ball from Grant, off whom 14 had been hit in two overs. The seventh ball of Blunt's first over—a wrong 'un—bowled Burton's leg pin', at 67—2—84. E. M. Phillips, who Joined Lambert, got a lucky three to fine-leg off the last ball of the over—it curled awny from the leg-stump. Blunt's second over was a maiden, to Phillips. After Phillips had got a single off him, Lambert off-drove Thomas for four—a good shot. A' very late cut by Lambert, "also off Thomas, went to the boundary. At the end of an hour's play the total was 83. Blunt had been keeping the batsmen very quiet. Thomas bowled a maiden to Lambert. Lambert off-drove Blunt, 'high ovc* extra mid-oil's head, to the boundary, and off-drove him along the ground' for two. A couple of singles made the over Blunt's most expensive yet, eight having been hit off it. At 91 Bead came on again, relieving Thomas (none for 12 in four overs). Jjimbert had scored 45 when he off-drove Read high, and Allan!, in the

deep field, dropped the chance. Lamhert brought up 100 by Jumping out to Blunt and driving him to the on-boundary, making Ills own score 51. Mlsfieldlng by Hayes gave Lambert two more runs off Blunt. A good length ball -which made pace oft* the pitch almost bowled Lambert. At 103 Sandman came on again, In place of Blunt (one for 19 In live overs). Two Balls, Iwe Wickets. The first ball of Bead's next over bowled Phillips, at 104—3—10. Phillips had batted for 80 minutes. McGirr was caught behind the wickets off the next ball. 104—4—0. Hutchlngs then joined Lambert (who now had 53) and opened with a three to squareleg off Read. Ho got another three off Sandman to fine-leg. Hutchlngs briskened up the running between the wickets. At 121 Thomas again relieved Head (two for 45 In 12 overs). A four which Hutchlngs got off Thomas, to fine-leg, seemed a lucky one. Lambert punched Thomas to the squareleg boundary very neatly. With three singles, there werrll runs off the over. At the afternoon-tea adjournment the score was 137 for four wickets, Lambert having 65 and Hutchlngs 16. After tea Bead took up the bowling again from the southern end, and Sandman from the other. Prescnlly Hutchlngs put Read ito the leg boundary, but the next ball bowled him, at 146—5—22. Bead had three i for 62 now. Lambert had scored 68 when 'he was Joined by F. S. Mlddleton, a onetime Sydney player, who has represented Auckland as well as Wellington. Middle--1 ton seemed to play over the second ball he 'got from Bead, and it bowled mm, making I Bead's analysis four for' 62, 146—6—0.; fi. | Baker played Bead's next delivery to silly point, where Hayes fielded it smartly and. seeing Baker over his crease, threw it at the wickets. He missed, and the batsmen ran a single before the ball was fielded. Lambert off-drove the next, and Allard, at long-off, misflelded and allowed the ball' to go over the boundary. Sandman bowled a maiden to Bakef. In Sandman's next over, Lambert hit up one high to Reese, wide at mld-off, who accepted It. Nt 156—7—74. Lambert had batted for just over two hours. Sandman's next delivery bowled Baker, who had crossed Lambert In the run from the hit which brought about Lambert's return to the pavilion. 166—8—8. Sandman had throe for 31 now. Doneghue Joined Brlce. •on'-drove Sandman for four, ran smartly for two runs from a cut between point and slip, and just touched one that went behind the wickets, on Taylor's leg-side, for four—--10 off the over. But, Brlce having scored a single off Head, Doneghue was howled by the first ball he recleved from Bead, whb now had five for 62. 166—9—10. Warne cut some antics against Bead's bowling, which he did not seem to relish. Both men scored off Sandman's next aver, Warne's shots including a high one to the on, which went for four. But before the over was finished Warne played one to the off, called Brlce, and started off down the pitch. There was not a run In the hit, and Brlce told him to go back. He had scarcely turned when Hayes, at cover, had whipped the ball in to Taylor, who had the bails off in a twinkling.' 176—10—6. Canterbury Batting-. Canterbury's Innings was opened by Blunt and Brosnahan, to the bowling of Brlce and Hlddleston. Blunt's first scoring stroke was a nice cut for two off Brlce. Brosnahan started by getting m single to square-leg off Hlddleston, whom Blunt then glided sweetly to fine-leg for four. After each man had scored in singles off J Brlce—Brosnahan chiefly with late-cuts—Blunt placed that bowler neatly to square-leg for three, and ?ot into double figures. Brosnahan's first our was a Crisp cut between point and third man, off Hlddleston. Blunt was batting very nicely on both sides of the wicket. But In Brice's third over he latecut one hard, and Hlddleston at fine slip took a catch very smartly, close to the ground. 24 I—l2. Patrick opened by cutting.the next ball for a single. At 25, Hutchlngs took the ball from Hlddleston, off whom 13 runs had been hit in two overs. If Mlddleton, at square-leg, had thrown the ball to the wicket-keeper. Instead of the bowler, he might have had Brosnahan run out off Patrick's first shot off the new bowler. Later, an overthrow gave Patrick a two, Instead of a single, off Hutohings. The same batsman swung Hutchlngs to leg for four, and off-drove the next ball to the boundary—both shots placed nicely. At 89, Lambert relieved Brlce (one for 11 .in four overs), and< bowled a maiden to Brosnahan, who, however, should have run for at least one nit. Several' times Brosnahan failed to run for good singles. Lambert bowled another maiden to him. At iX, , McGirr bowled in place of Hutchlngs (none for 15 in three overs). The fourth ball of McGirr's first over sent Patrick back to the pavilion, lhw,, at 43—2—15. A. Grant ondrove the next ball for two, and putting the last ball of the over to square-leg for a couple. McGirr bowled a maiden, chiefly to Brosnahan, a bye having been run early in the over. At 50, Mlddleton relieved Lambert (none for two. in three overs). Grant Almost played Middleton's first ball on to his stumps. Brlce went on at the northern end, in place of McGirr (one for five in two overs). The last ball of Brice's new over, a good one, bowled Grant, at,55—3—6, three minutes ■' before the time for drawing stumps. Hayes joined Brosnahan, to whosn. Mlddleton bowled the last over of the day—a .maiden. When play was suspended the score was 55 for three wickets, Brosnahan having 18. Scores;—

i * WELLINGTON. (First Innings. J. S. Hiddleston 41 Ibw b Sandman .. 5 H. Lambert 441133114414414212114221114'llllll4ll a Reese *b Sandman u 74 H. E. Burton 11124213111244141 b Blunt 34 E. M. Phillips 31111111 b Bead ~ '.. 10 H. M. McGirr c Taylor b Bead .... 0 J. Hutchings 33211411114 b Bead .. ..22 F. S. Mlddleton b Bead v .. .. ~ .. 0 G. Baker 12 b Sandman ~ .. i. .. 3 W. S. Brice 121 not out ~ ...... 4 A. Doneghue 424 b Bead ,] .. it .. 10 W. Warne 24 run out .. .. .. ,', ,« 6 Byes 32 ~ .. 5 Leg-byes 111 .. ... .•■ .. i. .. 3 Total .. .. .. .. .. ■-.. ~~176 Bowling:— O. M.' B. W. R. Bead ...... 16 1 62 5 D. McK. Sandman .. 13.6 2. 50 3 A. Grant 2 0 14 0 R. C. Blunt .. ...... 5 1 19 1 A. W. Thomas .... 5 1 23 0 < CANTERBUBY. First Innings. R. C. Blunt 241311 c Hiddleston b Brice 12 E. Brospahan 11114111111121 not out .M 8 W. B. Patrick 11112441 lbw b McGirr .. 15 A. Grant 2211 b Brice ,„ .. .. .. .. 0 W. Hayes not out - Extras (byes 2,1, leg-bye 1) .. ... 4 Total for three wickets .'. .. 55