WILLOW TIME

NZ Truth, Issue 1153, 5 January 1928, Page 12

WILLOW TIME

Annual Set-to For Plunket Shield

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) The break-up of the drought had freshened up Eden* Park, and , weather conditions were ideal on New Year's Eve when Auckland - started its first game in defence of its hold on the Plunket Shield. The wicket was easy, but a fresh southerly helped the swerve bowl- . ers to do a bit in the air. THE southerners were weakened by Blunt, Shepherd and Dickenson being unable to make the trip, and Zimmerman , had to miss his passage at the last minute for family reasons, but Otago will be a much stronger proposition when they meet Wellington.

Hector Gillespie had to stand out of the Auckland eleven owing to a dislocated thumb, and Matheson filled the gap. It was a good thing for Auckland, as the Varsity colt was the only bowler who could muster a bit of speed, and in addition to bagging three wickets for 24, he fielded brilliantly, taking three fine catches. Although the wicket was easy and the outfield fast, the batting was dull and stodgy, the outstanding exceptions being the English professors on each side. Eastman, playing freely for his 69, and Bowley, dominated the Auckland batting by scoring 81 out of 137, and being undefeated at the end of the | opening day's play. Bisks Both the imported coaches took rlskß and gave chances, Eastman being dropped by Garrard off his own bowling before the Essex pro. had cracked his duck. The fielding on both sides was clean and keen, but the general run of the play failed to rouse a good crowd from its festive season torpor, Otago elected to bat first and started to dig in, runs only coming at the rate of one .an over for the first 13 overs. Knight taking an hour to notch five runs. McMullan. (51), Galland (22), and Cavanagh (21) helped Eastman to brighten things up a bit, but the Scottish caution of the Otagans made the Auckland bowling appear better than it actually was. A remarkable feature of the southern batsmen was . that every other man was a left-hander, which was a disturbing element to the Aucklanders 1 theories of attack, and meant a lot of lost time changing the field. * With 125 on for three wickets, Otago made a fair start, but fell away and were all out for 197 after four hours' play. Matheson and Bowley brought off brilliant catches, and Rowntree's wicket-keeping was as sound as ever, only one ball passing the veteran, while he claimed two victims. Player, Williams and Matheson did most of the attack, and Dacre got two cheap tail-end wickets, but the Auckland bowling Is far from impressive this season.

The holders opened disastrously when Mills went l.b.w. to Torrance for a brace, and with the veteran bowling left-hand round the wicket the decision was more than dubious.

Anthony (13), Cooper (18) and Garrard (18) all went out to weak ••trokes when they appeared to be ser, and Dacre struck disaster when he snicked an off ball from Torrance to Galland's gloves before he had scored. Bowley was batting with delightful freedom, without forcing things, and had given two red-hot chances which were declined.

Eastman was bowling a very steady leg-theory, with only two men on the off, and the duel between the Essex bowler and the Sussex batsman was watched with the keenest interest by the crowd.

Player waa satisfied to dig in solidly, while Bowley got the runs, and was undefeated when the Sabbath adjournment was taken with the game an even break on first day's play, Auckland having 137 on the board for the loss of five wickets, and sixty runs were required to equal Otago's first knock. Applause The Otago fielding was of a very high standard, Alloo and McMullan doing some brilliant work, while the catch with which Doublas dismissed Garrard was an electric effort which brought down the house, but there was a louder cheer when Bowley banged the same Douglas over' the ringside for a splendid sixer. The game was continued on Monday. 1 Bowley and Player, the not-outs from the old year, resumed batting and scored freely, Bowley running to within four of the hundred when he edged a swinger from Torrance into his wicket off his pads. .

The English coach had played fine, free cricket with a "sixer"

and thirteen fours in his score.

Flayer was also plodding along and scoring freely off anything loose, but Weir followed Bowley without scoring, Torrance skittling the colt with a scooter.

Mathoson followed, but Player fell to a soft return to Alloo, and Auckland had eight wickets down for 180 when Williams joined Matheson, and 18 runs were needed to catch Otago's first Innings score.! Matheson opened out and used his reach to land four boundaries before being stumped off Eastman. Rowntree landed one on the refreshment room fence and then went to a straight one from Eastman, Auckland's innings closing for 217.

• Torranco and Eastman aid the attacking for Otago, the veteran sending down 34 overs — of which seventeen were maidens — and bagging four of the best for 66, Eastman snaring four for 64. ' ' •• Otago started their second spasm half an hour before lunch, Knight being bowled all over the shop in Player's first over. McMullan then arrived to play the mollusc but no one could stay alongside his rock, and Otago had six wickets down for 81 runs, of which. McMullan claimed 61, and It looked like a two-day match when Alloo loomed up and helped MoMullan to carry on till after tea. McMullan then reached his century after 3% hours' chanceless batting and scoring 101 out of the 151 on the board. ■ < j ' McMullan and Alloo continued to wear down the bowling until the second hundred was up, Alloo getting his 50 in 2% hours. .McMullan was caught by Da ere after the partnership had added 125 and the left-hander got a loud cheer for his solid 131. Alloo carried on the good work and was dropped by Williams at 76. Otago were all out for 315, Alloo 97, Elmes 46, Auckland requiring 29ff to