WELLINGTON MAKE ONLY 243 RUNS IN SECOND INNINGS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19269, 5 January 1931, Page 7

WELLINGTON MAKE ONLY 243 RUNS IN SECOND INNINGS

Cromb Secures Good Figures In Closing Stages Of Exciting Match.

CANTERBURY GAINED A WIN by 139 runs in the Plunket Shield match against Wellington, which was completed to-day. Faced with the task of getting 383 for a win, Wellington looked in a better position when James and M’Girr carried the score to 175 for three wickets, but as soon as this pair were despatched, Cromb and Merritt made short work of the remaining batsmen. The wicket was crumbling and both bowlers were right at the top of their form. They were backed up by splendid fielding. This is Canterbury’s second victory in the present Plunket Shield series. A week ago they defeated Auckland by four wickets after a sensational finish. To do so, it was necessary to make 417 runs on the fourth day. Canterbury now lead in the Plunket Shield series with sixteen paints, and have yet to meet Otago.

With a strong nor’-wester marring conditions, Wellington resumed their second innings against Canterbury, needing 383 for a second innings win, and having 51 on the board for the loss of three wickets. M’Girr and James, neither of whom had scored, carried on, Page finishing the over which he was bowling when play was given up on Saturday. Talbot bowled from the north end, M’Girr getting a single. Then Cromb took over and sent down a maiden to M’Girr. The batsmen were settling down to dig themselves in, and three maidens followed. Merritt was tried at the north end. M’Girr Scores Well.

M’Girr survived a strong appeal for caught behind off Cromb, and broke the bowler’s run cf maidens with a leg glide for a single. M’Girr drove Merritt to the boundary, and next over repeated the shot off Cromb. M’Girr cut Cromb for a single, and James snicked him to the boundary, 70 up. M’Girr again drove Merritt to the boundary. Page took over from Cromb, and bowled round the wicket on the leg theory. Cunningham went on in Merritt’s place, and M’Girr drove the first ball past mid-off to the boundary. A full pitcher to James went to the square leg fence. Eleven came

off the over. The century came up after the innings had been in progress 112 minutes. The batsmen were going well. Talbot took over from Page, and Merritt went on again at the north end. Looked Well Set. M’Girr was in the forties without giving the semblance of a chance, and drove Cromb, who took over from Talbot, to the boundary. The pair looked as though they might well retrieve Wellington’s position. M’Girr reached his half century in an hour, on driving Merritt to the fence. There was a ten-minute delay while the condition of the ball was discussed, Page and Lowry having a consultatlon with the umpires. The bankers were growing irate at the wait. The over was finished with the old ball, but Cromb got a new one next over. M’Girr was in great form, again sending Cromb to the boundary with a solid drive. Talbot relieved Merritt, and M’Girr reached sixty with a square cut to the fence. The pair had added 100 to the score in eighty minutes. Lester was tried at the south end in Cromb’s place. James reached thirty with two fours to fine leg off Lester.

Page again took the ball in an effort to effect separation, M’Girr cover driving for a boundary. Merritt then went on against the wind. Merritt Does It. The slow bowler did the trick, James being clean bowled. He had played a quiet innings. 175—4—33. Lam&on was the next man. M’Girr got Page away again to the fence past point. Lamason had a lucky escape against Merritt, tipping the ball to leg just out* l of reach. Cromb came on again at the north end. Lamason notched a couple of singles and then pulled Merritt to the fence. M’Girr had a life when Merritt dropped him in slips off Cromb. He was then S 9. As with Lowry in the first innings, M’Girr got into the nineties, but could not reach the coveted century. He jumped out to Merritt, missed, and was stumped. 196—5—91. M’Girr batted finely, giving only the one chance. A. Newman joined Lamason. A Great Catch.

Cromb got another deserved wicket, Merritt taking a great catch from Newman at fine slip. Six down for 199. and Canter-

bury’s chances looked indeed rosy. Lamason again pulled a short one from Merritt to the fence, bringing the double century up after 184 minutes. Cromb just failed in a desperate attempt to catch Lamason off Merritt, hurling himself at the bail. Crook was now with Lamason, and

he survived an appeal for lbw from Merritt. Lamason had a hit at Merritt, and two fieldsmen were just in time to be too late for the catch.

Another wicket fell before lunch. Crook getting his leg in front of a straight one from Cromb. 215—7—3 The adjournment was then taken. Wicket Crumbles. Cromb kept up the attack after the adjournment, bowling to Massey, the newcomer, the over being a maiden. Merritt, the other trundler, was getting a lot of turn on a wicket that was beginning to crumble, and the batsmen had to watch him hard. Massey pulled an uppish one off Merritt for a single, and Lamason drove him past point for three. After that the pair slowed right down, the attack allowing no risks. Had to Dive. Cromb got his fourth wicket, Lamason feeling at an off ball and being splendidly taken in slips by Hamilton, who had to dive a yard for the ball. 224—8—26. J. Newman came in, and was uncomfortable facing Cromb. His first ball from Merritt he hit at, tipping the ball luckily over slips’ head. Massey pulled the slow bowler for a brace. Hamilton barely failed to take a hot catch off Newman in slips, the chance being the next thing to impossible. The next ball the same batsman tipped Cromb up, but well out of reach. A full toss from Merritt went to the leg fence when Massey had a swing at it, and Newman faced Cromb again. The first ball of the over shattered the stumps. 239—9—7. Cromb had five wickets for 59 runs. Blundell, whose hand was 5 till troubling him, was the last man. He scored a pair off Cromb, and then 1 was clean bowled by Merritt. The total was 243, Canterbury win-1 ning by a comfortable margin of 139 j runs. Scores:— CANTERBURY. First innings. I. M. Hamilton, 41, c James b Massey 5 J. L. Kerr, 111, b Blundell 3 A. W. Roberts, 2114141, b J. Newman 14 R. O. Talbot, 11111112111141141111 111211611, b M’Leod 42 M. L. Page, 121111124112141212, c James, b Biundell 28 J. Jacobs, b Newman 0 I. B. Cromb, 2244211414112214112112 42211211, c M’Girr, b J. Newman 58 S. G. Lester, 211, played on, b J. Newman 4 W. E. Merritt, 44214441144, c James, b Crook 33 N. Dorreen, 11411, c James, b M’Leod 8 W. Cunningham, not out 0 Extras 19 Total 214

no-ball. Fall of wickets: One for S, two for 18, three for 40, four for 71, five for 75, six for 153, seven for 170, eight for 179, nine for 212, ten for 214. Second Innings. J. L. Kerr, b Blundell, 0 I. M. Hamilton, 12112222421121, run out 24 A. W. Roberts, 121114241111213211 2241222444424112411212443442241 114, c James, b Crook 116 R. O. Talbot, 24213412411141131211 21132411213, b Massey 61 J. Jacobs, b Newman 0 I. B. Cromb, 1322141224314113, c Massey b J. Newman 35 S. G. Lester, 141121211441214111414 1231, b M’Girr 49 M. L. Page, 2121411422111224124111 3421212241111424421414441211221 42, b M’Girr 116 W. E. Merritt, 41112111.444413141, b Massey 38 N. Dorreen, 11414141124211, not out 28 W. Cunningham, 1214, b M’Leod .. 8 Extras 44

M’Leod bowled three no-balls, Massey two, Crook and M’Girr one each. Fall of wickets--One for 1, two for 58. three for 205, four for 230, five for 235, six for 301, seven for 407, eight for 450, nine for 501, ten for 519.

WELLINGTON. First innings. C. S. Dempster, 142311111111211111 214121221, lbw, b Talbot 41 A. Newman, 13, c Dorreen, b Cunningham 4 K. C. James, 111422311441241, std Dorreen, b Merritt 32 H. M. M’Girr, 12124411211221141444 1411142111121114244111111141414 c and b Lester 101 T. C. Lowry, 131141211421144111111 2111114111111114141111221112141 11111, lbw, b Cromb 91 J. R. Lamason, b Lester 0 R. Crook, 112111111121, c Cromb b , Merritt 14 H. B. Massev, b Merritt 0 E. G. M’Leod, 11411411 run out .. 14 J Newman, 4624411, c Cromb, b Talbot 22 E. D. Blundell, 11, not out 2 Extras 30 Total 351;

Cromb bowled two no-balls, Lester one, Talbot one, and Merritt one. Talbot bowled three wides. Fall of wickets—One for 19, 2 for 71, three for 82, four for 269, five for 269, six f*v 304, seven for 308, eight for 309, nine for 343, ten for 351. Second Innings. C. S. Dempster, 11241111112221212, c Jacobs, b Page 26 T. C. Lowry, 1122, c Talbot, b Cromb, 6 E. G. M’Leod, 114131, 1.b.w., b Page 11 H. M. M’Girr, 11144141121411112414 11414141142324411141111111, st Jacobs b Merritt 91 K. C. James, 111441421131144, b Merritt 33 A. Newman, 2, c Merritt b Cromb 2 R. Crook, 21, lbw b Cromb 3 J. R. Lamason, 1142114112143, c Hamilton b Cromb 26 11. B. Massey, not out 8 J. Newman, 22111, b Cromb ...... 7 E. D. Blundell, 3, b Merritt 3 Extras 27 Total 243

Cromb bowled eight no-balls, Merritt and Cunningham one each. Fall of wickets.—One for 9, two for 48, three for 51, four for 175, five for 196, six for 199, seven for 215, eight for 224, nine for 239, ten for 243.

Bowling Analysis. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. E. D. Blundell 32 6 94 2 H. B. Massey 11 2 21 1 R. Crook .... S.l 1 17 1 J. Newman .. 17 3 3(5 4 E. G. M’Leod 6 2 17 2 A. Newman ..5 1 10 0 Blundell and Crook each bowled a

Total Bowling Analysis. 519 O. M. R. w. H. B. Massev .. 53 21 98 2 E. D. Biundell . 17 5 30 1 A. Newman .... 13 21 0 T. Newman .... 33 (> 81 1 H. M. M’Girr .. 11 4 17 2 34 G 105 2 E G. M’Leod .. 19 0 103 1

Bowling Overs. Analysis. Mdns. Runs. Wkts W. Cunningham 18 1 80 1 R. O. Talbot .. 22 4 41 2 W. E. Merritt . 30.1 4 93 3 1. B. Cromb .. 17 2 61 1 S. G. Lester .. 12 2 36 2 M. L Page .. 2 1 4 0 A. Roberts .. 3 0 6 0

Bowling Analysis. O. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. R. O. Talbot .. 13 4 32 0 I. B. Cromb .. 32 9 62 5 W. E. Merritt 27.2 5 69 3 S. G. Lester .. 5 2 15 G W. Cunningham 4 0 17 0 M. L. Page .. 8 2 21 2