LATEST CRICKET.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17613, 18 January 1929, Page 8

LATEST CRICKET.

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH. AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON. THE LATTER BATTING. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Friday. The Auckland cricket representative team commenced its Anal and what is virtually the declining match for the Piunket Shield against Wellington at Eden Park this morning. Following are the teams:Auckland.—C. F. Allcott (capt.), E. H. Bowiey, E. Horspool, J. E. Mills, H. D. Gillespie, A. J. Postles, G. L. Weir, R. W. Howntree, J. A. Dunning, A. S. Player, P. E. Whitelaw, N. Martin, 12th. man.

Wellington.—T. C. Lowry (capt), J. S. Hiddleslone, R. de R. Worker, H. Foley, H. McGirr, J. R. Lamason, H. Lambert, F. Hoar, M. Henderson, G- A. Rotherham, K. C. James, C. S. Dempster.

There is beautiful weather for the game, which will start at 11 o'clock daily, with stumps drawn at 6 p.m. Wellington won the toss, Dempster and Foley being the opening batsmen. The score at 11.45 was 39 without the loss of a wicket. Dunning opened the attack from the pavilion end, and his third ball, loose and wide off the leg stump, was pulled by Dempster to the fence. Foley, the left-hander, took the strike to Player, and glanced a single. The first over happened to be of eight balls, but after carne sequences of six.

Both batsmen began to play confidently, and Dempster’s crisp off driving immediately caught the fancy of the crowd. He sent Player away for three, and double figures went up in nine minutes. Dempster began to open out, and brilliantly cover drove Player for another three. Auckland’s fielding was keen and good, with Rowntree at his very best behind the sticks. Twenty runs went up for 24 minutes’ play. With the score at 24 there was a sharp appeal, without effect, for a catch at the wickets from Dempster off Dunning. Then Dempster turned two successive balls to the fine leg fence, and drove another to the sight screen. A double bowling change was made at 38, Allcott and Weir going on. Dempster off drove the left-hander for a single, and a brilliant return by Gillespie evoked applause. Weir struck a nice length from the Terrace end, and kept the batsmen quiet. At 39 the partnership was broken, Foley lifting Allcott to mid-on, where Horspool snapped a nice catch at a medium height. It was a weak shot, the result of ultra-careful play. Foley had got seven runs in three-quarters of an hour. 39 —I—7.1—7. Worker, the ex-Aucklander and another left-hander, came next. Dempster continued in a scoring mood, putting Weir behind point for a single and deflecting Allcott neatly for a brace. Bowley Viewed with Distrust. At 40 a fifth bowler was tried, Bowley coming on with Weir, to toss up slow, flighty stuff, which the batsmen viewed witii obvious distrust. Worker got off the mark with a single. At the other end Allcott was bowling an immaculate length, swinging in a bit and whipping like lightning off the pilch. He forced both batsmen into a defensive role, but Dempster’s stroke play, even in reposeful moments, was charming 1o watch. He got fair on to an invitation full toss from Bowley, and the ball rebounded infield off the pickets. Worker drove Allcott just through the covers for three. An hour's play had realised 52, Dempster being 36. Allcott tossed a slow one on to Worker, and the result was a magnificent straight drive to the fence. Dempster showed fine footwork in getting to Bowley’s spinning ball, and often went well up the pitcli to. smother the Sussex trap. At the other end Allcott was playing the role of a stock bowler with a perfect length, either on the sticks or a shade outside, and both batsmen paid him the compliment of defensive play. Worker got tangled with a slow ball from Bowley, and amid laughter abandoned a forcing shot to scramble home ahead of Rowntree, but he used his wrists beautifully to the next ball, and forced it round to deep mid-on. The score at the luncheon adjournment was one for 137.

Dempster, not out 68 Foley, c Horspool, b Allcott 7 Worker, not out 59 Extras 3 A Slow Turn. The game took a slow turn and there were a few chirps from the hillside critics. Dcmpsler drove Bowley three times to the outer area, but the field was set deep. Only singles were coming. Worker got in another superb straight drive at Allcott’s expense, and the ball fairly flashed through to the screen. Seventy was hoisted in 75 minutes. Dempster, in a spirit of emulation, clipped Bowley hard on the off to the fence. That Auckland's bowling resources were limited was shown by the fact that Weir replaced Bowley, and an unkind hill critic invited Allcott to put on “ Smithy.” Worker opened out to a slow one from Allcott, and a brilliant stop by Weir was applauded all round the ring. Dunning came on again to relieve Allcott, and Worker square-cut one hard to the fence, following it with a brace in the same direction, to send 90 up. Dunning bowled all out for an over to try and give extra speed to Auckland’s attack, and Dempster, in a pretty wristy shot, picked up a brace behind point. He reached 50 for 100 minutes’ batting. Dempster hooked Weir to the One leg boundary, to send 100 up for 105 minutes’ play. The batsmen were steadily treating the bowling on its merits and playing finished shots whenever the chance offered. Attempt to Break Partnership. Player appeared at the Terrace end vice Weir, in an attempt to break the partnership-. The left-hander brilliantly late-cut two balls in succession, the second shot flashing at a medium height through the slips before either Bowley or Dunning could converge on it. Worker was driving in style, which

brought him to the select company of New Zealand batsmen a few seasons back. He straight drove a brilliant boundary off Dunning, none of the fieldsmen sighting the ball until it crashed into the pickets and richocheted back towards the wicket. By way of variety Player sent up a ieg ball half-way up the wicket, and amid laughter Dempster carted it to the fence. Bowley came on to replace Dunning, Worker feasting off some gentle stuff and hitting four and three two’s off four successive balls. LATER. At 2.45 p.m., Wellington had lost two wickets for 190 runs. Dempster, lbw, b Allcott ...... 77 Worker, not out 76 ijawry, not out 11