THE SHIELD CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1638, 3 January 1913, Page 8

THE SHIELD CRICKET.

' . : AT AUCKLAND. : • WELLINGTON WALKED OVER. "V (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) * 4 Auckland, January 2. ,/Tho match for' the Plunket Shield , between* Wellington and Auckland was con,tin'aed on tho Domain to-day ,and the end of th& second day's ploy saw Auckland in; a very comfortable position.. Ploy.,was delayed for half an hour at tho start, while a conference was heldbetween the umpires and skippers, the Wellingtonians':being ".in favour of 'postponing the match for a short tim-o owing to the state of the wicket. The pitch had suffered very little as ihe result of,the over-night showers, but was a little greasy, and for the 'first:lialMiour,would have been in favour of tho batsmen, though had tho sun come out! it would undoubtedly . have become sticky, and much in favour of tile'bowlers. As it was, it'remained in a. more or less greasy.state allday, with very little advantage to either side. . '. Auckland carried their score to 279 before the last wicket fell, thus putting them ,78 runs ahead of "the .visitors." The feature of the innings was the fine display by Hemtis, who Was in for. nearly three hours' and a half, and his long innings of 85 was, beyond a chance of stumping, marred .by only one mistake—that which brought about his dismissal. Sneddon'arid Sale also batted freely'and attractively, while the tiro colts, Taylor and Somerville.'put up a good partnership towards the end of tho innings, tho former gaining ascond top, score by meritorious cricket. • • The Wellington fielding was very keen, Blacklock and Phillips showing up prominently,'but the returning to' the wickets was poor. Saunders bore the brunt of the bowling,,and, he trundled for- 39 overs, ■while 58 ruus.weTe hit off him, but ■Southall, who bowled very steadily, secure <h1 tho best figures, taking five wickets for 01. ■ Wellington 1 !! second innings, as far as it went, proved a debacle, and, when stumps were'drawn for the day, five w.ickets had fallen for 11 runs, the diminutive bowler Oliff securing nil five wickets for 3 runs. He received a tremendous ovation when tho teams returned to the pavilion, and was carried shoulder high from tho field. Although they made such a poor showv ing.'yesterday; Wellington are by no moans beaten yet. They liave several good batsmen yet to come,'among them Wilson (the .skipper), who has, on four previous occasions, scored a century against Auckland.- Tlie details of the scores'aro as'follow:— ' • Auckland. " , First, Innings. Homus. c. Blamiips, b. Southall 85 Cuminlnm, 1.b.w,, b, Orimiuctt ii Uorjjool, 1.b.w., b. lirica io

Sale, b.. Southall 23, Brook-Smith, b. Robinson 11 Sricdden, b.- Southall 31 Somervillc, c. Blamirea, b. Southall... 25 Taylor, c. Blamircs, b. Saunders 36 Dnci-c, b. Southall 0 OllilT, not 0ut....; .. 18 Eobinson, b. Saunders 1 Extras 27 Total ; 279 Bowling analysisEobinson, one wicket for 40-runs; Southall, five for 61; Saunders,' two lor 58; Grimmett, onofor 57; Blamires, none for 13; Briee, one for 23. Wellington. First innings 201 Second' Innings. Blacklock, c. Hem us, b.-OllilT 2 Phillips, b. OllifT i 0 Beechey, c. Taylor,-b. OllilT 1 0 Brice, b. OllilT 6 Grimmett, not out ; 2 Blamires,, b.: QIIifT ••• 0 Extras 1 . Total for fire wickets 11