THE CRICKET CRITIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 569, 23 January 1929, Page 13

THE CRICKET CRITIC

History Not -Repeated The Auckland-Wellington Plunket Shield match has come and it has gone. To those who remember the thrilling finish between these old rivals on Eden Park exactly two years ago this month, it must come as some disappointment that history did not repeat itself. Then Auckland won a desperate battle by three wickets. Yesterday she lost an equally desperate battle by 34 runs, and Wellington did what she has never done before —defeated Auckland on her home ground. Nevertheless, it was great cricket—cricket which, alas, is not witnessed in Auckland every day. Redpath Cup for Weir? Quite the outstanding individual feature of the Plunket Shield series throughout New Zealand this season has been the batting of G. L. Weir, of Auckland. He heads the Dominion list with an average of 131.00 runs, and gives promise of following in the footsteps of such former Auckland and New Zealand batsmen as N. C. Snedden, W. Brooke-Smith, and other giants of a passing day. Dunning has been mentioned in the South as the likely recipient of the Redpath Cup this season for the best all-round performances in Shield games, but his claims cannot equal those of Weir, who. besides being top of the batting averages, is also well up on the bowling list. Batting Averages The following are the batting averages of the players who have taken «.rt in the Plunket Shield series to date this season (including the Auckland-Wellington match). A represents Auckland; W, Wellington; C, Canterbury; and O, Otago;

not out.

BOWLING AVERAGES

PROVINCES’ GOOD AVERAGES The following tables show the averages of the four provinces in the Plunket Shield series this season. It will be seen that Auckland is well ahead of Wellington on the general average: AUCKLAND For. Against Runs. Wkts. Runs. Wkts. Canterbury . . 408 10 407 20 Otago 384 5 282 13 Wellington . . 610 20 644 20 Total ““..1,402 " 35 1,333 53 Average of runs a wicket: —For: 40.05. Against: 25.15. Net Average: Plus 14.9. WELLINGTON For Against Runs. Wkts. Runs. Wkts. Otago 486 13 749 20 Canterbury .. 548 1 1 395 10 Auckland . . 644 20 610 20 Total . . 1,678 "44 1,754 50 Average of runs a wicket:—For: 38.13. Against: 35.08. Net Average: Plus 3.05. OTAGO For Against Runs. Wkts. Runs. Wkts. Wellington .. 749 20 456 13 Auckland . . .. 252 13 354 5 Total . . 1.031 33 870 IS Average of runs a wicket:—For: 31.24. Against: 45.33. Net Average: Minus 17.09. CANTERBURY For Against Runs. Wkts. Runs. Wkts. Auckland . . 407 20 408 10 Wellington . . 395 10 54S 11 Total . . 802 30 956 21 Average of runs a wicket:—For, 26.73. Against : 45.52. Net Average: Minus 15.79.

SATURDAY’S MATCHES

Following are the A.C.A. cricket fixtures for next Saturday: First Grade—Y.M.C.A. v. United Suburbs, Eden Park No. 1: University v. Ponsonby, Eden Park No. 3; Parnell v. Eden, Eden Park No. 2; North Shore v. Grafton. North Shore. Senior Grade B—Y.M.C.A. v. Parnell,

Domain No. 4; Ponsonby v. Balmoral, Victoria Park; Papatoetoe v. North Shore Colta, Papatoetoe; Windmill v. University, King’s College! North Shore v. Eden, North Shove. Second Grade A—North Shore v. Ail Saints’, North Shore; Grafton v. Parnell A, Domain No. 39; Balmoral v. Western United, Victoria Park; Northcote v. Windmill, Northcote. Second Grade B—City. v. Ponsonby, Victoria Park; United Suburbs v. Epsom United, Victoria Park; Takapuna v. University, Takapuna: Western Springs v. Parnell B, Domain No. 5; Tamaki v. Mount Albert, Victoria Park. Third Grade A—Eden v. Grafton, Eden Park No. 4; University v. Balmoral, Domain No. 8; All Saints’ v. North Shore, North Shore; Y.M.C.A. v. Papatoetoe (friendly match), Papatoetoe. Third Grade B—Telegraph v. Power Board. Domain No. 9; Point Chevalier v. W.Y.M.1., Point Chevalier; Windmill v. Teclmieal Old Boys, Domain No. 12; Birkdale v. Glebe, Domain No. 33. Third Grade C—Remuera v. 0.0.C.0., Domain No. 14; Comrades v. Western Springs, Eden Park No. 5; Epsom United v. Henderson, Henderson: Aotearoa v. Avondale Depot. Point Chevalier; Victoria, a bye. Fourth Grade A.—-Roskill Wesley v. Papatoetoe, Papatoetoe: Telegraph v. Parnell. Outer Domain No. .1; Swanson v. All Saints' A, Swanson; Victoria v. Mount Albert A. Mount Albert; St. George’s v. Cambria, Puhinui: Y.M.C.A, v. C.C.C.C. (friendly match), Grey Lynn Park. Fourth Grade B—Point Chevalier v. W.Y.M.T.. Point Chevalier: Tamaki v. St. Stephen’s. St. Heliers; North Shore v. Western Springs, Outer Domaiin No. 2: Kingsland Jubilee v. Northcote, Victoria Park; All Saints’ B v. Ponsonby. Domain No. 1G; Mount Albert B, a bye.

In. N.O. H.S. TI. Av. "Weir (A.) .. .. 4 2 106* 262 131.00 Worker (W.) . 0 151 224 112.00 Kastman (O.) . 4 1 88 197 65.66 Page (C.) . . 3 0 76 191 63.66 Mills (A.) . . 5 1 114 230 57.50 James (W.) . . 4 1 109* 160 53.33 Lowry (W.) 5 0 134 251 50.20 Merritt (C.) . 3 0 84 149 49.06 Gillespie (A.) . 4 0 78 196 49.00 Newman (C.) . 4 i 64 133 44.33 Blunt (O.) . . 4 0 114 174 43.50 Lamason (AN .) 6 1 89 220 44.00 Dempster (W.) 6 0 77 255 42.50 Bowley (A.) . 1 167 41.75 Elmes (O.) . . 4 3 26 39 39.00 Allcott (A.) 4 0 69 149 37.25 Alloo (O.) . . 3 0 101 111 37.40 Zimmerman (O.) 3 1. 39* 69 34.50 Dunning (A.) . 3 1 34 69 34.50 Cavanagh (O.) 3 0 61 92 30.66 Hiddleston (W.) 2 0 51 61 30.50 Postles (A.) . . a 1 5S 117 29.25 Foley (W.) . . 6 2 38* 117 29.25 Gregory (C.) . 1 0 26 26 26.00 Jacobs (C.> . • 1 0 26 26 26.00 McGirr (W.) . 3 0 56 76 25.33 Alloo (O.) . . 4 0 33 91 22.75 Galland (O.) . 3 0 44 63 2L.00 Badcock (W.) . 2 0 36 41 20.50 Rotherham (W.) 5 0 45 101 20.20 Knight (O.) 4 0 31 78 19.50 Monk (O. > . . 3 0 31 57 Henderson (W.) 4 10 Whitelaw (A.) 4 I 28 56 18.66 Powell (C.) t 0 16 16 16.00 3 0 30 0 15.66 Read (O.) . . 3 0 2S 13.66 2 3. 4 1 18 38 5 1 19 2 0 14 9.50 3 1 10* Crawford (C.) 2 0 10 Leader (O.) . . 1 /.0u Roberts (C.) • Douglas (O.) . 1 0 2.50 Cunningham (C) 3 Rowntree ( A.) 3 1 0.OO Brown (W.) 1 0

The following are the a verages of all the bowlers who have taken part n this season's series of shield matches: — Wkts Runs. Avge. 14 257 18.35 11 Page (C.) . - .. 14 326 23.28 AUeott (A.) .. 26.81 Weir (A.) .. 2 C.2S Cunningham (C.) 6 1 29 62 31.00 165 5 Lowry ( W.) • . o 5 219 Lambert (W.) .. Eastman (O.) . - 6 < 6 08.OO Hiddleston (W.) Hope .) 167 56.20 Radcftck (W.) • • Ro tmlrham ( W.) 1S4 92.00 Blunt (O.) . . . . James (W.) * Dempster (^.1 Worker CW.) . . 28 Postles (A.) o 4 Evans (C) — Douglas (O.) .. H. Alloo (O.) . . 0 Roberts (C. ) .. 1 A — Zimmerman CO.) • • •* ° *