TO-DAY'S PLAY

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

TO-DAY'S PLAY

FURTHER RECORDS

For, the final day's play in the Can-terbury-Wellington inatcli at the Basin Reserve to-day a northerly wind made conditions .more unpleasant than yester-. day, but quite a fair crowd followed.the progress -of- play,. It was Canterbury's chance to make a fighting finish, and the fourtlwwieket pair, Roberts and Pag>3, were: doing their, best to this end during the early stages o£ play to-day, adding wall to tho century partnership they had formed yesterday. Boberts experienced*little;difficulty in completing his century, and Page kept his end going confidently. . '. . Eoberts and Page continued to defy the bowlers, and so successful was their progress that, after establishing a double-century partnership, they created a new record for the fourth wicket in Plunkot Shield cricket. The. previous best was 207 by F. T. Badcock and T. .(X Lowry for Wellington against Auckland in the 1927-28 season- By the time the luncheon adjournment was taken the Roberts-Page partnership, still unbroken, had put on 275 runs—a wonderful performance. Roberts at that stage was 179, and Page 94. ' The great partnership was broken just after lunch, when Roberts was caught in the slips offl Newman after having made 181 —a record individual score for Canterbury against'"Wellington in Shield matches. During their long association Roberts ay;l Page had made 278 runs, which is not only a record for the fourth wicket, but is also a record for all wickets in Plunket Shield matches, exceeding the previous best of 265 made by J. ■£. Powell and N. Doreen for Canterbury against Otago in 1929-30. BOBERTS.A CENTURY. '■ Play was. resumed- at, 11.5 a.m, to-day, and at the outset Lambert was given an over against the strong wind. Crook bowled from the other end, and then Henderson took over .from Lambert. Roberts (80) and Page (31) moved briskly from the start, and. 'in ton minutes added 24 runs to Canterbury's account. Roberta's scoring strokes included two' which sent'the ball to the boundary, and Page also made a boundary stroke. The pair continued to score freely, using a variety .of strokes to find gaps in the field. Roberts now appeared to be well, set for a century, and this achievement was brought nearer with a cover drive and a stroke to log, each of which brought in three runs. A snick to third man made Roberts's total 99. Roberts reached his century in repeating this stroke, and his performance was greeted, with applause. He had been at the wickets for 156 minutes. ■' Tho pair added some singles, carrying the total to within easy reach of 200. This fig'ujre was hoisted when' a ball went through to tho fence for four legbyes, The innings had been in .pro--gross, for 180 minutes. Page had. reached his half-century after having been at the creases for 116 minutes. At_2o6 Lowry docided-upon a double, bowling change. Newman . replaced Henderson (none for 43 off ' twelve overs),' and MeGirr relieved Crook (none for 29 off ten overs). These changes kept the batsmen quieter, but runs were still gathered in steadily. SOLID ADVANCE. Roberts was doing m'oro scoring .than Page, and with a good coverdrive off Newman his score was taken beyond 120. At this stage MeGirr tried the "leg theory," and the variation in tactics made the batsmen more cautious. Eventually Roberts lifted a ball from Newman, to the on for 4, easily clearing tho fieldsmen stationed around the batsman. MeGirr's "leg theory" accounted for two successive maiden overs from thonorthorn end,, but from Newman a 4 to leg by Pago was recorded. This stand was. badly nocded by Canterbury, and Page and Roberts wero makiDg a job of it. After an hour's play to-day 83 runs had been added to Canterbury's score without further- loss, and 37 Tuns were still required to wipe out the deficit, Roberts continued• to- do most, of tho Tim-getting, and two forcing; strokes in one of MeGirr's overs each netted tworuns. When Henderson was broughton with the totftl at' 246 he had the assistance of the wind. Ho replaced ■MeGirr (one for 45 off 19 overs). Newman was keeping the runs down at the other end, and was kept going there. 200 PARTNERSHIP. Some singles from- Henderson made Canterbury's total 230, the result of 223 minutes' batting—a bettor scoring rate than in the first' innings. The batsmen1 carried on with their sound display, Pago showing far more restraint than is usually tho case with this enterprising batsman. The responsibility was groat and tho batsmen were shouldering' it well. After 75 minutes' play to -day they had put on another 100 runs, achieving tho distinction of registering a doublecentury partnership, which so far had occupied 167 minutes. 300 EXCEEDED. When ho had made 139 Roberts ran into danger in lifting a ball from Newman. A fine effort was made by Hen-derson-to take what would havebeen a really splendid catch. Just afterwards Lambert relieved Henderson (none for 50 off 15 overs). At this the batsmen becamo more forceful, and tho scoring continued at a good rate. Tho deficit was wiped out by Eoberts, who at the same time reached 150, easily his best scorn, in Plunket Shield cricket. .He had bo( at tho wickets for 224 minutes. Well-placed strokes incrcused the score at a good rate, and tho field was kept busy. P;igo been me more enterprising," and from his'bat a couple of fours were registered. The total was 297 when JJowiy decided to take a hand in the attack, and he relieved Newman (one for 6G off 3j

overs, including 12 maidens). Roberts met the change by bringing 300 up for 250 minutes' batting. Lowry's.second over consisted mainly of full-tosses, but these did not trap the batsmen. Again the- Wellington .captain served up tempting deliveries, ami still the batsmen treated them cautiously. Meanwhile, Lambert was persevering with his slows at the other end. AVitliout any big hitting the scoring account received frequent additions. Somo further deliveries by Lowry Mere head higli, but these were ineffective. At lunch the total was 332 for thrc-o wickets—Roberts 179, Page 94. ROBERTS OUT. Tho partnership, which had presented so difficult a problem to Wellington, was broken ,-just after lunch. Massey had the first over, and Newman was then tried with the-wind. This procedure at last had the desired effect, as Roberts snicked a bail to the slips, where Massey made the- catch. Page and Roberts together had improved the score by 27S runs in 220 minutes—a record total for any partnership in Plunket Shield matches, beating the previous best (265) by 13 runs. Eoberts's 181, which included thirteen fours, was made by sound batting, and it was tho highest individual effort for Canterbury in Shield matches with Wellington. Before, reaching 60 Eoberts was missed in the slips, and that was an expensive niiss for Wellington. The batsman later gave two -exceedingly difficult chances—they were chances and no more—but taken all round his innings was particularly sound and of tremendous value to Canterbury. He was at the wickets for just over 260 minutes. 335— i —181. PAGE'S CENTURY. Soon after Lester's .arrival Page completed his. century, with a fine drive to tho. outfield. He had. been hi for 221 minutes, and the applause which was accorded-' Eoberts was' i-epeated in appreciation of Pages achievement. Somo bowling changes were made, and Page became more aggressive. He rattled'on. runs quickly, but in'hitting out lustily he gave Dempster a, catch almost on the boundary. The fieldsman, however, did' not accept it, and Page showed his pleasure at being let off by hitting the next ball from Lambert for six. Lester was also forceful, and the policy of getting runs quickly was pursued with good measure of success. Pago had now- made his1 highest score in Plunket Shield matches. Runs still came freely, and' 400' was hoisted when the innings had been in progress for 310 minutes. At 2.30 the total was 406—Page 143.; not out,- Lester- 22,, not out, extras 33. EAST SCORING. : In spite of bowling changes" rapid progress was maintained by Page with useful support from Lester, and the Canterbury captain, reached 150 after having been1 in for 256 minutes. Since making 100 he had put on'so runs in thirty-six minutes, and in that time the ;seore had -been advanced by: 82' runs, which was fast going. Page passed the 160 mark with a sniek'for four, and netted another four from a stroke to the on, both off Massey. Newman had been, on at the other end, and he was relieved by Lambert when tho score was 437, Lester turned a ball to leg for two, and immediately afterwards he was out, the next ball from Lambert curling from the bat on to the wickets. Lester had made 31, and' during his fifty minutes' partnership with Page 104 runs had been added to the score, indicating ' that tho runs were ■ coming fast. 439—5—31. Powell was next, and at 3.50 p.m. Canterbury's score was 442 for five wickets—Page not out 167, Powell not out 2,, extras 33. Details;.— ;•:■' . "; WELLINGTON. First Imiings ...... :.,. .......... Soo . ■-.-. CANTBRBUEY. First Innings :. 2'7G Second Innings. Hamilton, c Dempster, b McGiVr . 12 Kerr, ]b.w, b Newman 6 Roberts, c Massey, b Newman .... 181 Cromb, b Lambert n Pago, not' out ~..7...... 167 Lester, b Lambert , : ..;..».». w . 1 , : .... 31 Powell, not, out „„,,.„.-„'„„ 1 Extras ..... '........».,..;... 33 Total for five wickets ...... 442