CRICKET.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16428, 23 January 1919, Page 5

CRICKET.

4 PLUNKET SHIELD MITCH. "WELLINGTON v. CANTERBURY. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) WELLINGTON, January 22. The Plunket Shield cricket match between Wellington (holders) and Canterbury (challengers) commenced to-day. The wicket was in pretty good condition, and appeared to be wearing tolerably welL No rain. lell during the day. Wellington batted first and made a total of 323. The batsman who compiled most i runs was Hiddleston, who survived several partners and made 68. He then stepped out to hit a, ball from McEwin, and was stumped. Canterbury went in in the afternoon and made 132 for three wickets. Patrick, who made 42 not out, was the cliief scorer, and Foster, who was caught by Hiddleston after making 31, was nest. When stumps were drawn Guiney was batting with Patrick. Scores: — •WELLINGTON. First Innings. Wilson, thrown out .. .. ..23 Hiddleston st Brunton, b McEwin 68 Beechey, lbw, b Patrick .. .. 10 Burton, c Jones, b McEwin ... 55 Baker, b Howell .. .. .— 32 Lambert, o Patrick, b McEwin ». 43 McGirr, b Howell .. -..10 Condliffe, o Brunton, b Howell ... .. 5 Hutchinge, not out .. >. al ~ 3G Patrick, c Jonea, b McEwin 56 Marris, c Mcßeth, b McEwin .«t 15 Extras ... .. ... 21 Total '.. .. .. ..323 Bowling analysis.—Howell look 3 wickets for 67 runs, Mcßeth none for - 65, Thomas none for 23, McEwin 5 for 108, Patrick 1 for 18, and 'Gray none fof 14. CANTERBURY. First Innings. Foster, c Hiddleston, b Marris 31 Jones, b Hiddleeton .. .. 15 Wood, c Hiddleston, b Marris ..; ... 23 Patrick, not out .. .. .. ..42 Guiney, not out .. .. .. 6 Extras .. .. .. ... 9 Total for three wickets .. .. 132 NOTES ON THE GAME. (special to "ths press.") WELLINGTON, January 22. ± The Plunket Shield match does not promise to be a very brilliant exhibition of cricket. Wilson won a big advantage when he won the tos3 to-day, for the fourth innings of this match will, under the very best conditions, be played on a badly tattered wicket. "There is also more than a chance of bad weather coming along, and then the team with the runs, to get must be at a big disadvantage. Wellington has now a sound score up for the first innings, but the batting was at no time brilliant. Against the same' attack the team would be unlucky, not to make at least that score. A spectator could not but be struck with the weakness of the Canterbury bowling and Patrick was undoubtedly handicapped by having few changes of bowling. He kept McEwin on for too long, but the bowler lasted very well. He was expensive, but he was always bowling with an object; and he did trap qpmo of. the batsmen in the tail of the team. The man who really did his side most service was Howell, for he it was who disposed of three good batsmen, who all looked at the time like making any number of runs. -Mcßeth also was kept on too long. Surely a captain is in a pretty fix when he has to keep a man bowling while 65 runs are scored, the while that bowler has not taken a wicket. Perhaps some of these bowlers were below their form, but unless they ■ improve on their showing tomorrow, Wellington should make 300 runs again in the second innings, and it is generally conceded that a side requiring anything more than 250 Tons in a fourth innings is "up against it." . . - Wellington is going to miss ±sricc beiore the game is over. The home side is also weak in attack. The only really sound bowler on any sort of wicket is Hiddieetone, and he is no "terror. There ax< other men who sometimes come oil, but , most of their successes have been against weak opposition. McGiiT is ° t no ,°f these men. If he can keep a length he is a very useful man, having good pace, but to-day he lost his length almost before he had found it, and Wilson did wisely in him off before damage was done. Patrick, ; of the Wellington side, is in. th® team for bowling, but he was only ordinary to-dav. Marris. is a slow bowler who must b< ' helped by the wicket to be dangerous then he is very dangerous indeed. In the fourth innings Wilson is sure to use Marris. Canterbury has a good chains ® . Wellington's first innings total, n °* " good chanoe of beating it bl n ?, tI L lin. After this all will depend on wicket, and the advantage always is with the side batting first. There willbe .«>£ siderably over a thousand " this match, unless some and the last of them will on a wicket