WELLINGTON'S SCORE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1932, Page 9

WELLINGTON'S SCORE

BEST A6AINST CANTERBURY

SHIELD' CKICKET

Consolidating their good position against Canterbury ..iu the Plunket Shield match at the Ba.sin Reserve, Wellington's cricket representatives ..yesterday advanced the score to 553, a huge total which creates a ■new; record for Wellington in Plunket Shield" matches with Canterbury. It was not all easy going, but in parts the batting -was.-bright and entertaining, with a special, ti>bit in the last-wicket partnership between. K. C. James and J. Newman. It-was during this partnership, iv-hich improved the account by 75 runa in \hlrty-si£ .minutes, that Wellington's previous best score of 407 against Canter>ury was-exceeded. While Burrows kept .he batsmen fairly quiet at one end, Her■itt was- used'- judiciously at the other end, md He iagged sis of the eight. Wellington ricketsf. which; fell on the day, finishing lp with1 seven-for 159 ■ runs. Canterbury, laving b'eeii dismissed'for 276 in the first nnings','were faced with a tall order in he'seedfid innitigs, having arrears amountng.to 27.7 runs-to -wipe off before making t necessary for Wellington to have a lecend • strike, .jt has not been unusual, or Canterbury to make a bold showing ,vhen up.'against; it, but two for 25 and three; £or';s7 made the prospects of a fighting finish.'■"very poor. However, it was ,heu that Page and Roberts became asso:ial'cd in a-valuable stand, and these two leld the fort for Just over an hour and ■. half—until stumps were drawn for the 'ay.' At --that time they had jujt coihileted , a century", partnership. The task .•£ the visitors was." still great in facing the inal day of the match. .Although Wellington's score was a reord for Shield matches with Canterbury, here have been larger totals in Plunket hield matches. The record total for an inings is 643, made by Auckland against anterbury, and Wellington's greatest is 15, made, against. Auckland. The biggest itals for single innings in Plunket Shield atches are:— 3.—By "Auckland v. Canterbury, at Auck-land,'l9l9-20. 2 for. 8 (dec.).— By Otago v. Canterbury, at Duaedin,.l92B-29. " ■■•■•' 5: —By Wellington' v. Auckland,' at Wellington, 1927-28.. ' ■ ;9.-"By Otago v. Canterbury, at Christ* .church, 1931-32,.. 9.—By Auckland v. Otago, at Auckland, 1909-iff.-". ... i9.—By Wellington y. Auckland, at Wellington, 1923-24. 30:—By Wellington v: Otago, at Dunedin; 1923-24. ■' - 53.—By' Wellington v, Canterbury, at Wellington:, 1931-32. ; )39:-^-By ■ Auckland v. Canterbury, at /Christchurch, 19.07i05. 539.—ByAuckland v. Otago, at Dunedin, 192§-27. •; . 537. —By Auckland v. Hawkes Bay, at ' Auckland, 1919-20. • ;.37;—By Auckland v. Canterbury, at - Christehurflh; 1930-31. 23 for 7 (dec.).— By Canterbury v. Otago, at Christchurch, 1929-30. il9.—By Canterbury v. Wellington, at ChVlstchurqh, 1930-31. .- ' . A high northerly wind- made conditions athcr unpleasant-yesterday, but the keen ntei'est in" the match., accounted for mother large attendance. Wellington's first-innings had endedl and-Canterbury's second .was just tinder, way "when "The Post" went to. .press yesterday. POOR BEGINNING. The visitora:-we're faced -with a' big Hefic.it 'of 277 runs when they commenced their' second innings at 3.12 p.m. The- opening batsmen were Hamilton and-£oriyand they started cautiously against the bowling of MeGirr and' Newman. ■ Prom the first.- four over's only-three runs'were scored, hut 'duriftg" the fifth" over sis extras were added. The first boundary ■ from the bat "was.made by Kerr in hitting aball froni'Newman-hard to leg. Otherwise Iho'b;ltsmeri,:were quiet, and when the total wai!^ It* ,an ; appeal for lbw .went against Kei-r.-Y With this consistent batsman-'*: i&isniissed so early a greater xesponsibility was': thrown upoa the other. Ibat'sni'eny- 19—-I —6. Soon sEtdt Roberts had filled the vacancy,'1-Hamilton gave a chance in tho -slips offl-.M< Girr,; 'but Massey was unable to1 hold.the leather. It was not long-before^tko same batsman offeredanother .chance in nibbling at a ball .from- J£cGirr,rand this time Dempster made no mistake. - With tho two opening .batsmen; You t for 25 runs, Cantorbury had jnade- a poor start towards the-.tall , order required of them. 25—2-r^l2; ••■•-.• " ■ THIRD WICKET PALLS, Crorub joined Roberts, and the pair naturally took matters very steadily. An . Occasional ball was .used for scoring purposes,'-without being sent very far," but-iJob.oi-'ts. at length drove- one -.from Newman to tho boundary. Meanwhile Henderson had ielicyed MeGirr (one for 11 off seven overs), and in his .second..ovor Roberts cocked up a bail, which, hqwever, dropped safely. The batsmen were mainly on tho def eisive, and scoring strokes wero not very frequent. Still, a steady . advance was made, and when a ball again we'nti ihrough. to the . boundary for bye'? the " total reached GO. Canterbury had then occupied the crease for iifty-ono minutes. Beforo the tea adjournment was taken Lambert was given an over, and this change ac-counted''for'-'another wicket. Cromb played a ball' and stood and watched' it curl on to' his wickets. 57—3—11, ; i:■ BETTER PROGRESS. Pago- accompanied Roberts to the wickets after tea, and against the two left-handers, Henderson and Newman, the made fair progress, Lambert having _ completed the over unfinished at..tea. The best, of several scoring strokes was one by Page- which seni.-ihe ball on a track forward of point to tho boundary. Later Roberts iif ted, a- fast ball over slips. to the boundary.. With the scoro at-. 79 Lambert "was brought on again, replacing Henderson .-. (none for 27 off seven overs)",, Egberts showed his appreciation, of the " change- by off-driving a couple.: of .deliveries to the- boundary. Page .scored •> single from the slow ■foo'wlejr, and; ,thjs gavt him double figures.. Page now and again attempted a big hit, but was unablo to connect properly. Newman .had had sixteen overs (one wicket for 26' runs) when he was rolioved by Massey, from whoso first 6ver,.Pago collected a single. A drive by Pago off: Lambert to the outfield and a stroke to square leg by [Roberts ofi: Massey woro tho only scoring strokes of tho next two overs, each producing two runs. 100 UJ?—ROBERTS 50. "With :a cover drive Roberts made his score 40 and the total 97, at which MeGirr took over from Lambert (one for 17 off five ovors). Page played a favourite-1 stroke "down the gully," md Eoberts netted- two Tims with a leg glance, bringing 100 up for 97 ninutes'^- batting; Exercising good udgment, Pago and Roberts continued o improve the account, bringing a ;ood rango of- .strokes into play. A hrcc to the on gave Pioberts his halfcnhiry, When ho had been at the•iekets for; 92 minutes. Page passed be 20 mark in hitting a loose ball :om McGirr to the fence, and reached 3 with-'a drive to the boundary off [assey.. ••■•."'' At 3=20-Grook was tried with the ball . lieu of MeGirr (one for 26 off 11 .■ers)'. A ,-bail from the new bowler ■|? square-cut by Eoberts for two, and o same- batsman later made a good C-shrit 'off Massey for three. A valu1© and quite a profitable partnership d been formed, but-- there was a mcc .of it being broken in Crook's -.ond. "-over-when a ball shot from beret's:-Jba t to the slips. Dempster led to hold the leather. Eoberts at

that, stage was 5.7,. and Hi© pair had. put" on (59 runs since the fall of the third wicket. CENTURY PARTNERSHIP. Roberts indicated that he could hit powerfully by sending a ball from Massoy'sailing high over the bowler's head and on to the boundary. Page came to light with another four per medium of a cover-drive in facing Crook, and yot another was ma do by Roberts through a glaring gap on tho on. Smart running earned four more from a stroko by Roberts to fine leg. This batsman was going well, and, with Page more restrained than usual, tho breaking of the partnership was becoming a tough problem, Eoberts had passed the 70 mark when Page ran to 30, and Newman was then recalled. Ho carried ou in place of Masaey, who had had eleven overs at a cost of 27 runs. : This change had a quietening.effect, but, with tho addition of a single off Crook, the pair needed only ton ruus to' complete a century partnership. A lift towards this achievement was given by Roberts in placing a ball from Crook to leg for three, and with this stroke 150 was brought up for 147 minutes' batting. Roberts had a "life" just afterwards in lifting a ball towards the deep slip fieldsman (Hepburn), but a difficult chance was not accepted. At 155 Lambert was tried in place of Crook (none for 12 off seven overs), but nothing happened. Newman was kept on at the other end, and Henderson was then given the last ': over of the day, during which the century partnership was completed. Pago , and Eoberts had been together for ninety minutes, and they wero still unbeaten when stumps wero drawn two minutes later. The total was 157. for- three wickets —Roberts SO not out, Page 31 not out. . . ■