BIG CRICKET.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18520, 28 December 1931, Page 8

BIG CRICKET.

THE PLUNKET SHIELD. WELLINGTON’S USEFUL INNINGS. LAMBERT CONTRIBUTES 77. (By iolograph.—Press Assoc.juon. i WELLINGTON. Saturday. Perfect weal her favoured the second day of Hie Plunket Shield match between Auckland and Wellington to-day. Wellington continued their innings, amt at noon had lost two wickets for 7 4 runs, McGirr and Cleverley being at the crease al this stage. Shaped With Confidence. Crook shaped with confidence and soon ran in! o doubles. Two hundred appeared after the innings had been in progress for 180 minutes. Lambert’s innings came to an end when he was caught behind: 22i —7 —77. The partnership had yielded 66 runs. Massey had scored’ five when he was dropped by McCoy off tiis own bowling. Crook was clean-bowled 247—8—30. Matheson replaced McCoy at the other end. Massey reached 20 by pulling Weir to the square-leg boundary, and Newman sent Cleverley through the covers, only to be cleanbowled next bull: 271 —*.)--!3. Griffiths went in the same oxer, caught behind with the score unaltcmi; 271 —10 —0. The innings had occupied 245 minutes. Auckland's Cecond Innings. Facing a deficit of 107 runs, Auckland opened its second innings with Postles and Whitelaw, to the bowling of McGirr and’ Massey. Another poor start was made, Whitelaw being cleanbowled bv McGirr, with the total at 14: 14—1—7. Weir and Poslles set about, to retrieve the position, but the Auckland captain was beaten by 'McGirr, with a ball which kept low: 20 —2—l. Vivian filled the breach. Postles was batting better than in the first innings. The first 50 was scored in as many minutes, Vivian contributing 42 in 42 minutes. The 100 went up after 83 minutes’ play.

Retrieved Position for Auckland

Twenty minutes before time Postles lost his wicket, caught at first slip off Massey, wlio had relieved Crook, lie had played a very valuable innings, his partnership with Vivian having yielded 105 runs: 1253 —39.

Gillespie played safely, while Vivian continued to delight the spectators with excellent shots. At the drawing of slumps the score was 149 for three wickets, Vivian 82 (not out) and Gillespie 10 (not out) Following are the details: —

TO-DAY’S PLAY. AUCKLAND'S SECOND INNINGS. A TOTAL OF 283. VIVIAN'S BIG SCORE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WE L LING T ON, Mo nday. The Plunkct Shield match between Wellington and Auckland was continued to-day. Lyon reached 10 after batting 35 minutes. Cricket was slower than previously, Vivian seeing little of Hie bowling, although continuing lo execute scoring siiots, most of which were cut off for singles. An uppish shot over the bowler's head, off MoGirr, gave the batsmen two, die ball dropping clear of ttic fieldsmen.

With the score at 237 Lambert replaced Newman. The partnership was broken soon afterwards, having added 0-4 in 53 minutes. Though a slow scorer, Lyon played a valuable part. 2-42 —-6—lß. Newman was on again, Vivian hitting two successive fours off his over. Another change saw Lambert relieve McGirr. Vivian reached JSO after 195 minutes, pulling Newman for three, but tbe next ball accounted for Matheson. 255 —7 —l. McCoy was out Ihe same over without scoring. 255 —B—o. Vivian (lien opened out. lie lifted McGirr out of the ground for his fourth six, I lie crowd enjoying the display. In allempting another big hit hi' was clean-bowled, lie received a great ovation for his chaneeless display of vigorous balling. 209—9 — lO3.

Rowntree and Cleverley balled stubbornly till the luncheon adjournment, when the score stood at 279 for the loss of nine wickets. Auckland were all mil jusl before I p.m., a smart rclurn from Grinilhs running Hownlree out. The innings lasted 20U miniiles. Wellington’s Second Innings. liempsler and Diislin opened Wellinglon's second innings a! 2.11 p.m., rei'iuirihg 179 for a win. Cleverley and Weir were the bowlers. At 2.20 p.m. 11n s - score was no wickets for 1 I—Dempster 5, Dustin 5, extras ■*#

Details are as follows: AUCKLAND. First Innings IG4 Second Innings. Postlcs, c Crook, b Massey .... 39 Whitelaw, b MeGirr .......... 7 Weir, b MeGirr i Gillespie, lbw, b Crook 14 Hay, b Lambert 5 Vivian, b MeGirr IGo Lyon, b MeGirr 18 'bitheson. “ .1 nines, b Newman . . 1 McCoy, b Newman 0 liowmree, run out 7 Cleverley, not out 9 Extras 19 Total 285 WELLINGTON.—First Innings. Dempster, c Matheson, b McCoy 40 \V. Dustin, b McCoy 7 .MeGirr, b Cleverly 7„ Hepburn, b Cleverley . . 5t Lambert, c Rowntree, b McCoy . 77 Lowry, h Cleverley •> James, lbw, b Cleverley 0 Crook, b Weir 30 Massey, not out 20 .Newman, b Cleverley 13 Griffiths, e Rowntree, b Cleverley 0 Extras 17 Total 271 Bowling.

Cleverley bowled one no-ball. CANTERBURY v. OTAGO.

SATURDAY’S PLAY. (By Telegrrapn.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. Canterbury ran up a big score in the Plunket Shield match with Otago to-day. The wicket was very true and hard and fast. Big scoring was to be expected .and the batsmen were on top all day. The Otago bowling, however, was sound and steady, and at no time was it collared. Some of the Canterbury tail-enders continued to force the scoring rate, and they invariably paid the full penalty-of their rashness. Until Canterbury had piled up a big score the batting was rather slow, but correct and solid.

Kerr played a very line innings for his 89. Roberts and Talbot also did very well. Indeed the Canterbury batting was remarkably good, without being spectacular. Blunt bowled up to his best form, keeping an excellent length and turning tlie ball well even on the hard wicket. No batsman successfully took liberties with him. Dunning, who did not take a wicket, was the unlucky bowler of the day. He was' very steady and accurate and deserved a little luck that was denied him.

The Otago men gave a magnificent exhibition of ground fielding, but there were several catches dropped. Three or four of them were very difficult, but some of the others Miould have been held. Cromb was missed when he had scored only a few runs, and he was the first batsman to follow forcing a policy of getting runs or getting out.

TO-DAY’S PLAY. OTAGO SECOND INNINGS. (By Telegraph.—l’reoS Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. With a deficiency of 311 on the first innings Badcoek and Cherry opened Otago’s second innings against Canterbury in I lie Plunket Shield match. The weather was line. Badcoek quickly opened out and hit Cromb for three and Burrows for four. Cherry was more restrained.

Merritt replaced Burrows, and Badeock continued to bat beautifully, though he gave a hard chance, which Talbot dropped. He reached 30 with a single off Merritt.

The partnership ended when Cherry tipped one from Cromb, which was hold by Page in the slips—49—l—l3. Blunt opened with a cover drive for four off Merritt. Fifty was hoisted after 43 minutes.

Talbot replaced Cromb, but the batsmen continued brightly, and Merritt proved expensive. Lester also failed to keep them quiet. One hundred went up in 70 minutes. Blunt was shaping confidently. Brisk cricket continued with frequent boundaries despite keen fielding, the runs going out at the rate of one hundred an hour. Reached His Century. Badcoek reached his century after 105 minutes’ enterprising batting, and immediately went lor a hit. lie paid the penally, and was caught by Powell off Cromii. Ills partnership with Blunt produced 127 runs.

Knieht was the newcomer, lie did not last long, being caugl t by Hamilton when he had made 9. Priest did not score, also being caught. Blunt kept on punishing the bowling, and reached his century at 2.30 p.m., after Ft I minutes’ batting. He was in bis best form. Following are the scores: — OTAGO. First Innings I** l Second Innings. Badeock, c Powell, b Cromb .. 103 Cherry, c Page, b Cromb .... 13 Blunt, not out . 100 Knight, c Hamilton, b Burrows . 9 Priest, c Hamilton, b Cromb . . 0 Klmes, not out 0 Extras 9 Total for four wickets .... 242 CAN7’E RB U R Y—F irs t Innings. I. M. Hamilton, llnv, b Rtunl ... 10 ,1. k. Kerr, c Badeock, b Moloney 89 A. NY. Roberts, e Hawksworlb, b .Smith 77 R. O. Talbot, e Moloney, b Coupland 72 M. L. Page, c Klmes, b Coupland 2 4 S. G. hosier, run out 42 1, ]i. Cromb, llnv, b Blunt .... 31 .1. L. Powell, b Badeock 30 \Y. E. Merrill, e Klmes, b Coupland 20 R. C. Burns, b Badeock 27 ,). T. Burrows, not out 8 Extras 10 ’Pol a I 172 Bowling.— I). Fmilli look one wicket for 58, F. T. Badeock Iwo for 57. .1. A. Dunning none for 84. It. C. Blunt two for 7 1, C. 3. Elmos none for 41, I). \. B. Moloney one for 53, \V. D. Coupland three for 72.

D. C. Cleverley . 0. 21.4 M. 4 R. 70 W. 6 A. W. McCoy . . 14 0 43 3 G. L Weir .... 5 0 15 J X A. M. Matheson . 21 3 71 0 II. G. Vivian .... 15 1 43 0 T. Lyon 4 2 12 0