BATTING COLLAPSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 246, 7 January 1928, Page 11

BATTING COLLAPSE

Auckland 46 Runs Behind in Plunket Shield Match

DESTRUCTIVE CANTERBURY BOWLING

A BATTING collapse by Auckland in the Plunket Shield f 1 “ at °h at Eden Park this morning left the holders of the trophy 46 runs behind Canterbury on the first innings. Read and Merritt were the destructive factors, and it is evident from the strength of the Canterbury attack that Auckland will have to fight hard in the remaining stages of the match to retain its hold on the Shield.

WITH a total of 244 runs for its first innings and six of the best Auckland wickets down for 152, Canterbury is in a strong position. Fortunes fluctuated continually throughout the Canterbury innings yesterday, and at one time it looked as though the southerners might be all out for less than 200Thanks, however, to a fine eighthwicket stand by Evans and Merritt the score was finally carried well over the double century before the innings closed. Weather conditions were humid and the sky threatening when Gregory and Hamilton went out to the crease, the wicket was slow to start with, but it improved as play progressed, so that when Auckland’s turn to bat came it was at its best. The opening pair commenced quietly, Vm',r° ry ,lrst strike to Thirty runs were on , ® boar< L a£ter ‘l a!t an hour’s play, cre=,orj, the more aggressive batsman PlavT.? ch r,? fly - at the ex Pense of Alan Player. Playing his first rep. game, Til weir, a young brother of A f • Weir who played in the game against Otago, was brought on in place of the veteran Shore all-rounder. Weir creditably, considering it is ms first taste of big: ‘cricket. Ordinarily he bowls much faster than he did yesterday, and it is then that he is most dangerous, as his deliveries nip very qpickly off the pitch. Shortly after Anthony took over from Matheson, and the rate of scoring? increased appreciably, Gregory especially relishing the Parnell man. me total was raised to 50 with a single by Piamilton, and the opening pair were sitll together. Anthony was beating the batsmen time and again, and six runs later he appealed successfully for lbw. against Hamilton. The Canterbury man had played a patient 27, although Matheson dropped a hard chance from him in the slips off Weir. WICKETS FALL FAST Nothing daunted, Gregory carried on the good work after the departure of his companion, Jacobs. Page and Newman coming and going. The wily Bowley was the downfall of the brilliant young colt. Jacobs. He edged Anthony uncomfortably to leg, but was even further at sea facing the coach. Bowley’s fourth ball caught him in two minds, and while he was Blinking it got under his bat and the bails were off. When Page came on he tried to make amends by stepping out to the bowling, but fared no better than Jacobs, Caere holding an easy catch off Anthony. When Newman. the Canterbury Cricket Association’s coach, came in. he was greeted by a round of applause. He soon showed that he meant to get runs, but tile Auckland fielding was keen, and the batsmen could take no chances. Newman hit a short one to mid-off and called for a run, but Gregory stayed at home. The coach was beaten by the ball in the race back to the wicket, but fortunately for him and Canterbury it missed. The Hampshire man stepped out to Bowley and -H -K * ii; * * rff 3;

scored the first boundary of the day jff that bowler. The tactics of Gregory when facing Bowley were highly amusing. Over after over the coach tossed up tempting off-breaks, but the batsman still left him religiously alone, letting his deliveries go where possible and shielding them off with his pads when they were on the wicket. Newman fell to a ball which he could have lashad to the rails. Bowley caught him mid-way between going forward and stepping back, with the result that Weir held a fine catch at square-leg. The Canterbury man had scored a bright 24. Disaster followed disaster for Canterbury after lunch, Gregory being run out as a result of a smart piece of fielding by Weir, who threw down his wicket from square leg —an awkward angle. Gregory had played an invaluable innings taking just under two hours to get his 67, although somewhat lucky in the way of lost chances. Things looked bad for Canterbury when Merritt and Evans became associated, but they got on to the bowling in fine style and added 62 runs before Weir caught and bowled Merritt. The Canterbury colt played the best cricket of the innings, and hit up 30 of his 37 in 24 minutes. ANTHONY'S DAY It was Anthony’s day as far as bowling was concerned, although he did not come off with the bat. Dacre surprised many by keeping him on after he was hit round in the early stages. He bowled with almost as much variation as Bowley and Merritt, and in all his overs tossed up only one loose ball. Matheson as a bowler failed. He tried to put on too much pace, and consequently threw them erratically all over the pitch. Bowley did well for a time but when the Auckland fielding slackened toward the end of the innings he suffered by not being properly supported by his outfield. P^ cr ® P ut himself on near the end, and took two wickets, catching Read one-handed m a brilliant manner off his own bowlmßowlev stepped straight off the mark for Auckland with a boundary off Nixon, and after that he did not look back till he was trapped by Merritt for *>9 Mills opened quietly, and when Bowley went he put his back to the wall taking ISO minutes to compile his 50 not out at stumps. But too much praise cannot be given to Mills foi his Against Otago he showed us he can score uuickly and artistically.

and yesterday he showed he is a fighter also.

Strange to say. Cooper was in a particularly aggressive mood, and piled up 40 in 43 minutes. He looked set for a tall score when Merritt nipped him in the bud. Dacre showed little inclination to hit, and for once he took the trouble to play himself in. with the result that he ran up 19 before Newman got one past his bat r to the wicket. His responsibility as captain seems to have affected his batting although he fields and bowls as well as ever. Merritt, of course, was the outstanding Southern bowler, Bowley being the only one able to play him with confidence. Newman also kept the batsmen quiet, and twice Mills hit him shakily through slips. He was steady and accurate throughout, using an occasional spinner to advantage. He bowled unchanged for an hour and ahalf.

TO-DAY’S PLAY

AUCKLAND FAILS TO REACH DOUBLE CENTURY READ AND MERRITT IN FORM Facing the task of getting 93 runs to pass Catnerbury’s first innings' total of 244, with four wickets in hand, Auckland continued batting at Eden Park this morning. Mills (not out, 50) and Player went to the wicket, the Shore all-rounder playing out the remainder of Read's over. Mills faced Merritt and survived an appeal for stumped off the first ball. He ondrove the next ball past Newman for a brace. Player opened out to Read with a boundary past the bowler, and Mills followed with a like shot off Merritt. Player was uncomfortable facing Read and tipped one over the wicket into safe hands. G. L, 'Weir opened off Reid with a fine square cut for one, and a powerful on drive off Merritt. Mills had added six to his overnight total of 50 after 15 minutes' play. Both batsmen were playing “safety first” and several possible singles went begging. Weir earned the applause of the crowd by glancing Read prettily to the fine leg boundary. He almost repeated the stroke in Read’s next over. MILLS OUT Off the first ball of Read's next over, Mills, after adding 14 to iiis overnight score, tipped the bowler into Hayes’s hands behind the stumps. He had played solid cricket, picking the right ball to hit and hitting them hard. His off driving and leg pulling were features of a fine innings of 79 which lastd just five minutes under three hours. Matheson opened shakily, and then forced Merritt to the rails. Read continued to make the ball come off the pitch dangerously, and Weir fell to the

same trap which dismissed Mills. Read was bowling particularly well at this stage. Things were looking black for Auckland with nine down for 182. Matheson raised local hopes by lifting Read to the fence. Scott broke his “duck” with a similar shot off

Merritt. Shortly after, at 12.10 the innings closed for 198, when Merritt clean bowled Matheson for 10. Canterbury had a first innings’ lead of 46 runs. At the luncheon interval Canterbury had lost two wickets for 43 runs. Details:

CANTERBURY First Innings. GREGORY, run out 67 HAMILTON, lbw, b Anthony 27 JACOBS, b Bowley 1 PAGE, c Dacre, b Anthony 0 NEWMAN, c Weir, b Bowley .. .. 24 NIXON, c Scott, b Anthony 13 HAYES, b Anthony 0 MERRITT, c and b Weir 37 EVANS, c Player, b Dacre 40 READ, c and b Dacre 29 McEWIN, not out 2 Extras 4 Total 244

Anthony and Dacre each bowled a noball.

Second Innings HAMILTON, b Weir 26 GREGORY, c Bowley, b Anthony .. 12 PAGE, not out 2 MERRITT, not out 2 Extras j Total for two wickets 43 AUCKLAND First Innings. BOWLEY, c and b Merritt 29 MILLS, c Haj'es, b Read 04 ANTHONY, b Men-itt 6 DACRE, b Newman .. .. tq COOPER, b Merritt .* ” 40 GILLESPIE, b Merritt . . .. 0 GARRARD, b Read . _ q PLAYER, c and b Read 4 WEIR, c Hayes, b Read 9 MATHESON, b Merritt . . 10 SCOTT, not out 9 Extras 3 Total i 93 Fall of Wickets.—s 9, 68, 93, 151, 152 162, 179, IS2, 182, 198. BOWLING ANALYSIS

Anthony . Bowling Analysis: O. M. 22 4 R. 66 W, 4 Dacre .. . 5 2 12 Bowley 9 66 Weir . . . 10 24 Player .. . 17 Garrard .. 19 Matheson 13 4 36 —

O- M. R. w. Merritt .. .. 30.2 6 GO 5 Newman .... 22 S a* l Read 22 7 57 4 Nixon .. .5 0 15 0