CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 88, 8 January 1935, Page 6

CRICKET

The Shield Campaign

CANTERBURY’S YEAR Bellamy’s Outstanding Form (Notes by “Burwood.") It would appear that 1934-35 is going to be Canterbury’s year as far as cricket supremacy is concerned. ■ In the Plunket Shield campaign conducted during the holidays, Canterbury won both matches at Christchurch in convincing fashion, defeating Auckland at Christmas time by five wickets, and Wellington at New Year by ten wickets. This gives Canteiburv 16 points for two outright wins, and places them eight clear points ahead of Wellington for the Shield, lhe points ai-O' as follow; — . •

Good Bowling. ' . Canterbury owed their success to.good bowling, which must- have come as a surprise even to supporters ot the team, who considered that the side was weak in this department. In the match at Christmas,. Aucklandheaded Canterbury by 49 runs on the first innings, but the Canterbury bowlers fired the northerners out tor, 187 in their second knock, wliich enabled- the southern eleven to obtain a comfortable victory by five, wickets., _ . A pleasing feature about the Caiiteibury bowling was that the work was not done by one or two men, as is usually the case. Andrews, a bowler of pace, Roberts, Graham, Lester and Page all had a hand in-Auckland’s downfall and they were backed up by smart fielding and sure catching.

An Able All-Rounder. In F. W. Bellamy, Canterbury has produced an all-round player of distinct class, who appears certain of a place in the next New Zealand team for England. He has proved himself a first-class performer with both bat and ball in the two Shield matches this season Openim, both innings against Auckland he hit tin 77 in his first knock, and 49 in the second, while against Wellington hescorrd 113 in the first innings, and 22 not out in the second. Thus in four innings, once not out, the left-hander has^ scored 261 runs, which gives him the splendid average of 87 per innings. . Not content with this,' Bellamy proved) himself, a firstclass left-hand bowler by capturing five wickets for 31 runs in Wellington s first innings, and one for 39 in the-second inninlTs7 This is the stamp of player everyoiie°iikes to see the Dominion producing.

Sound Batting. t Canterbury’s batting was In the second innings against Auckland, everv man who went to scord welll Bellamy and J.L. Kerr reaching the forties, I. B. Cromb, W. P. a » e G. Oliver running into the thirties, and W. A. Hadlee being unbeaten with 28. Kerr also made a good knock for 44 in -he first innings, and it is clear thm. this able batsman is back to the form which gained him a place, in the .Ney Zealand team which loured England , m 1931. -

Wellington’s Showing. . After Wellington’s convincing victory over Otago here at Christmas time .by eight wickets, it was hoped that Wellington would make a brave fight with Canterbury at Christchurch at the New Year but such hopes were not realised, as the Wellington batting broke down badly, and Canterbury scored a sweeping victory by ten wickets. - r .

A Resolute Batsman. J IL Lamason has proved himself the sheet anchor of the Wellington eleven this season. . In the match here at Christmas time against Otago, Lamason redeemed wellingtons first innings by playing a masterly knock for 103. When play closed on the first day, Wellington, in response to Otago’s 255, had lost nine wickets for 176, of which Lamason claimed 60. On Christmas afternoon the Wellington Co.lege old boy attacked the Otago bowling so resolutely that the last wicket realised 66 rsns, .Lamason reached his century, and the total 242, Credit must be given to L A. H. Symes, the last man, for holding his end up while Lamason emote the Otago bowlers.

Unaccountable Collapses. It is extremely difficult to account for the extraordinary batting collapses which Lave taken place on good wickets in shield matches this year. . . Otago could only total 133 m their second innings against iWellington, Auckland collapsed for 187 in their second, innings against Canterbury, and Wellington could only scrape 155 together in the.r first innings against Canterbury .it Christchurch. How is such poor scoring to be accounted for? Is it that the bowling is very much better than it has been given credit for, or has our batting badly broken down? The real reason probably lies in the fact that this season, eacn eleven possesses bowlers of pace. . Canterbury has Andrews, Otago Dickinson, Auckland Cowie and Mat heson, and Wellington Blundell. Tricklebank and' Symes. But it is dear.that there is much lacking in the defence of present-day batsmen in the Dominion. Far too many balls are allowed to go through to the keeper, and to hit the batsmen’s pads. This accounts for the victims the wicketkeepers gather in, and the men who depart 1 b.w. Two Centuries.

It was centuries by F, W. Bellamy and W. A. Hadlee which enabled Canterbury to triumph over Wellington nt Lancaster Park.

. E. D. Blundell, the Wellington captain, who had captured six for S2 and five for 48 against Otago, had this, time to be content with four for 113. Tricklebank. whose tally asqinsf. Otago was two for 58 and two for 19, did well at Christchurch to bag two for 59 in the first innings. The side was handfeapped through Symes having broken a blood vessel in one of. his legs, which lamed him. but nevertheless he took his share of the work, and was rewarded with one for 40. Good Batsmen.

Wellington possesses two good' batsmen in J. R. Lamason and J. Ell.

Against Otago here, Lamason scored 103, and Ell 41 in the first innings. This pair again bore the heat and burden of the day at Christchurch. Lamason hitting up 22 and 90. and Ell 41 and 73. The success of this pair makes the failure of the other batsmen all the more puzzling. W. Tricklebank is pulling his weight in the Wellington boat. Apart from his bowling successes, he scored 22 against Otago, and 33 and 0 at Christchurch. E. IV. Tindill, the Wellington wicketkeeper. who showed such good form in compiling his 82 not out against Otago, found the Canterbury bowling too good for him. and fell for 7 and 11.

8. Andrews, the Canterbury fast bowler. reaped a harvest of wickets in ■Wellington’s second innings ot Christchurch, his tnll.v being six for 59. His victims included Tindill. Ell. Morgan, Tricklebank. Wnreham. and Blundell. Auckland Gets Going.

The only solid score which has been recorded in Shield jrames this season was Auckland's 450 against Otago at Carisbrook. H. G. Vivian, the captain, led the way with 101, and was well supported by J. E. Mills (70), V. S. Sale (6o), G. L. IVeir (45), A. M. Matheson (44), R. G. Bush (30), J. Cowie (24 not out), and P. E. Whitelaw (22). Badcock had to be content with one wicket for 97. Himes, the left-hander, did best for Otago with four for 72 Otago could only total 275, K. Uttley top-scoring with 02. F. L. Townsend, the English professional, bowled well for Auckland in taking five wickets for S 3. When Otago had scored 42 for two wickets, rain washed the match out.

Out1st .1st Outright Inns. Inns. right Wins. Wins. Losses. Losses. 1 ts. Canterbury 2 o 0 U JO Wellington I 0 0 Auckland 0 1 o Otago 0 0 i