Canterbury Bat First Against Otago Eleven.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18072, 4 February 1927, Page 5

Canterbury Bat First Against Otago Eleven.

PAGE AGAIN COMES TO CANTERBURY'S RESCUE. (Special to tile “ Star.") DUNEDIN, February 4.

M. T,. Page signalled bis First appearance as captain for Canterbury in Plunket. Shield games by -winning the toss, and he elected to bat on a slow but easy wicket. When the Otago team took the field, led by Blamires, the attendance of spectators was very small. This may be Blamires’s last appearance tor Otago, as it is understood that he will be leaving Dunedin shortly

Otago were without the services of their wicket-keeper. Green, who iracttired a rib in the Auckland game. Ilis place was taken 1 y Symonds, of the Dunedin club, who was playing his first game for Otago. As in t.he games against Auckland and Wellington, disaster came early to Canterbury. Nixon, who opened with Talbot, scored a nice four to leg off Dickinson's

turn up in such large numbers to the match. “That was all there was to it,” says Mr Johnston. “There was no interjection during this little function, and I certainly never said when speaking that we had forgotten the shield.” Mr Johnston, who, by the way, is not the secretary of the Wellington Cricket Association, added that the Wellington Association had no authority to hand over the shield. It was for the New Zealand Council to give a direction, and, after all, in coming from the higher authority there was naturally more dignity about the business. When Wellington won the shield the presentation was made by Mr Ileathcote Williams, on behalf of the council, at a reception|to the Victorian cricket team in the Town Hall.

second delivery, but with his fourth ball Otago’s express bowler got Nixon lbw. In the same over, the first of the match, Dickinson missed Talbot’s off stump by the proverbial coat of paint. Torrance, Otago's veteran trundler, was the other opening bowler. It is twentyone years since he

first represented Otago, but his bowling still commands a lot of respect, lorrance got Crawford with the second ball of his second over. Crawford lifted the ball to Blair at mid-off, who accepted the catch, though he nearly misjudged it. Crawford’s failure will just about ruin his chances for the New Zealand team. Dickinson's deliveries were fast but erratic, some of them being very nearly wides. After the dismissal of Crawford, Page and Talbot carried on. Both were playing for places in the. New Zealand team, and their batting was marked by caution. Talbot made his total 14 by driving Torrance for four, but the next ball nearly got him. He had been batting thirty minutes. The total was 41 when Blunt replaced Dickinson, who had taken one wicket for 17 runs. When he had made nine Page survived an appeal for Ibw from Torrance. The captain reached doubles a ball or two later. The half-century appeared on the board after forty minutes’ play, Talbot bringing it up with a single off Blunt. The first maiden of the match was the twelfth over, and it was delivered by Torrance, who was bowling very steadily. Torrance's next over was also a maiden. In this over the wicketkeeper unsuccessfully appealed for lbw against Talbot.. Talbot's innings came to an end at noon, when he played the first, ball of Blunt's fifth over oil to his wicket. Talbot wa? going well when he was dismissed. He had played careful cricket for about an hour. The partnership between Page and Talbot was a most valuable one to Canterbury', raising the score from To for two wickets, to 63 for three. Oliver followed Talbot. He had six to his credit when he gave an easy chance in the slips off Alloo, but Blamires dropped the ball. Page was batting very steadily, but some .of Oliver’s shots were a bit uppish. The total was SC when Dickinson went on again. Alloo was kept on at the other end. He was bowling well. Once Oliver missed him badly and the ball just missed the wickets. However, a ball or two later Oliver pulled Alloo for four, his first boundary. The score was mounting steadily towards the century mark. Page brought the hundred up with a single off Alloo after 86 minutes’ play. Up to date Alloo had proved the least expensive bowler. He had only nine runs made off his first six overs. In Dickinson’s second over after going on again Oliver was dismissed. He pulled a ball round into Blunt’s hands at short square leg and the ex-Canterbury man took an excellent catch. Oliver played a fair innings for his total o£ 19 but he did not produce his best form. With four wickets down for 106 Canterbury’s prospects had improved considerably. Hamilton, who was playing his first shield game, joined Page. lie appeared a bit uncomfortable facing Alloo, but seemed more at home to Dickinson, off whom he opened his account. Symonds, Otago’s wicket-keeper, was not too good. He stood well back for Dickinson but in spite of this he let a good many byes go off this bowler and Mr Extras was a prolific scorer for Canterbury. There were 23 extras out of the first 120 runs. Blunt took another turn with the ball just before lunch. He did not appear to be bowling as well as usual but this was probably due to the fact that he was suffering from an injured hand. Torrance replaced Alloo and this change proved effective as he clean bowled Hamilton with his fourth delivery, the Canterbury colt playing all over it. Torrance had taken a couple of wickets for 21 runs. The luncheon adjournment was taken at 1 p.m. at the end of Torrance’s over, with the total at 125 for five wickets. Page was 38 not out. He had been in for 103 minutes. Scores:— CANTERBURV. First Innings. D. G. Nixon, lbw, b Dickinson .... 4 C. G. Crawford, c Blair, b Torrance 6 R. O. Talbot, b Blunt 26 M. L. Page, not out 38 C. Oliver, c Blunt, b Dickinson .. 19 I. M. Hamilton, b Torrance S M. Boon, not out 1 Extras 23 Total for five wickets .... 125 WHY PLUNKET SHIELD WAS NOT PRESENTED. (Special to the “Star.”) I WELLINGTON, February 4. The attention of Mr Roy S. Johnston, manager of the Wellington Plunket Shield team defeated by Auckland, has been drawn to an article appearing in the Christchurch “Star” of Wednesday last, in which an Auckland critic picks holes in the explanation regarding the handing over of the Plunket Shield to this season's winners. Reports that reference to the absence of the shield were made during the valedictory proceedings at Eden Park after the match are stated by Mr Johnston to be incorrect. There was no mention, he says, of handing over the shield. In his remarks at the conclusion of the game he congratulated the Auckland team upon their very meritorious win, and stated that Wellington had no qualm® about losing the shield to Wellington’s old rivals. He gave it as his opinion that the win would do an immense amount of good to cricket in Auckland, and finally expressed how gratifying it was that the public should