Auckland’s Shield Win

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 865, 8 January 1930, Page 13

Auckland’s Shield Win

after a match of yf;ars Three Fine Centuries Scored THE third Plunket Shield match of the season, which term--1 mated at Eden Park yesterday afternoon in a first innings win lor the holders, Auckland, over the Canterbwry representatives, was a match of years, despite the fact that rain reduced it to little better than a two-dav fixture Canterbury set what appeared to be a formidable task when it scored 31*4 runs in its first innings, but the Auckland team reached and passed that score with the utmost case.

Yesterday’s play was a triumph for three Aucklanders with the bat, in the form of A. If. Anthony. 11. D. Gillespie and G. K. Weir, all of whom scored centuries. The trio cave displays which must press the claims of all three of them for inclusion in New Zealand's second test team to meet the Englishmen at Wellington toward the end of this month. In fact, Gillespie can be regarded almost as a certainty for inclusion, . as apart from his dashing innings little short of the double-century, there was no better field seen in action during the match. The Aucklanders had overwhelmed Otafo, but so weak was the opposition displayed that that game could hardly be regarded as a true test of the ability of the team. The Canterbury match was looked to as the first real test, and Auckland came out of the encounter in a manner which sug**sted that even had play been possible on all tho four days the defenders of the shield would have annexed another eight-point win. ANTHONY THE MASTER The outstanding partnership of the match was the great third-wicket ?tand for Auckland, completed by Anthony and Gillespie yesterday after-

noon. This was the stand which brought Auckland within easy reach of its goal. The pair added 214 runs to the total, giving masterly displays each. Anthony excelled himself, and began yesterday morning just as though his innings had not been interrupted by the overnight break at all. lie scored most of his runs before the wicket with beautiful carpet shots for the most part, to both the on and the off. But his. all-round ability was demonstrated with other fine shots behind the crease. He forced the pace all the way, but such was his confidence and superb skill that he seldom looked like getting out. The only blemish —if blemish It can be called—on an innings which must rank high even in his big list of outstanding performances in New Zealand inner-provincial cricket, was a possible chance at square-leg when he was 12, soon after he commenced his innings on Monday evening. Otherwise his score was absolutely chanceless, till after he had reached the three figures. MEMORIES OF DACRE Gillespie, famed some years ago as a fast-scoring batsman, had nothing on Anthony as far as pace was concerned while the pair were together. The Eden captain’s display was characterised by all tho grace and crispness which he displayed as a contender for a place in New’ Zealand’s team of 1927, and his glorious booking at the expense of Merritt brought back memories of Ces Dacre. Gillespie was particularly forid of Merritt, whom he played with every confidence after watching him carefully for a time. Another shot which stamped Gillespie as a batsman of the first “iflht was his effortless leg glance. He drove as clean as a whistle on both sides of the wicket and was completely at home to all the bowling Page could put on for him. Gilfootsteps in big cricket of years have been dogged by the ‘‘-luck hoodoo, but now that he has mastered this, he can be expected to ns© to even greater heights. He batted in ail 241 minutes and Anthony took 176 minutes to score his The back of the task had been roken by the time the services of »e»r were required, and when he and m 7? Pie ass ured Auckland of a win ® first innings they both opened with a freedom which went near costing them their innings at times. WEIR’S FAST SCORING _h^ en Gillespie had employed a hook V°; to Merritt, Weir executed a. series the finest off-drives one could wish v: "*s* Putting plenty of power be,r* bis shots in front, and using a h ™. 6 wrist repeatedly to glance undarles, ho piled on the runs at a L, p than any other Auckland *u°l an - When Auckland’s innings out declaie H closed he was 105 not which he compiled in 112 Ai? e u? 0m ‘ n f ,rs t-class cricket at ckland in recent years has such * a *t of fast scoring been witas during this match. fnen l ! 0111 indeeti ho ve Auckland bats?Q aT , .* n known to keep almost up 1 *udividual run-a-minute stanWeir for Auckland and Powell •.o ter bury w’ent the nearest of all , thircl century was well in sight it “Auckland’s third wicket fell, and to as an even greater surprise “tralrrh* ***© score moving up the Uoiß t 0 the fifth century by the uJr® next one had gone, ag . 11 speculation was indulged in *ouir! w " a t sort xjt a time Merritt en J°y at the hands of A. F. the breezy Sussex coach, «u “* came in. But the Eriglisli- -- — wa -s obviously out for a hit, and

[ his first scoring shot off the slow' i bow ler was a boundary. When at- ; tempting another big hit a little later ■ s W °H held by iaimrrionds at deep mid-off. KERR AND CROMB Mills allowed Weir to reach his century before declaring the innings closed, and although at that time of tho day any further result was impossible, Canterbury opened its second innings, as Auckland hoped to improve even further on its averages in the remote event of the resting place of the shield for the season having to bo determined by that means. But Canterbury took no chances in its second innings. Cromb and Kerr, y?® opening batsmen, both gave splendid displays, although the scoring rate was hardly as fast as it had been in tho visitors’ first innings. Kerr impressed further on his first showing as a really great batsman in the making. but A. W. Roberts, the colt of ■New Zealand’s first test team, was unusually subdued, scoring 12 singles in succession at one stage, in marked co l!* ras L *° His first innings scoring. The Canterbury fielding during Auckland’s big innings was keen almost to the end, when it slackened perceptibly as the players tired. Cromb was the most successful bowler at j e oping the runs down and Merritt finished up with the best average, largely as a result of the two wickets which ho obtained very cheaply on Monday. Page and Powell were the outstanding men in the field, the Can-

terbury captain stopping many hot shots brilliantly at mid-off. Details:— CANTERBURY First Innings 304 Second Innings CROMB, c Matlieson, b Smeeton .. 45 KERR, b Elliott 69 ROBERTS, not out 24 PAGE, not out 3 Extras 11 Two wickets for .... 152

PAPATOETOE SPORTS CLUB

EVENING MEETING HELD Keen interest was taken by a fair attendance of spectators in the evening meeting held by the Papatoetoe Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club last evening. Although the fields were not as large as usual, the 200 yards handicap event was closely contested. The club staged the first cycle race since Its formation, and although the track is not yet up to scratch. Whitten, off scratch, showed that it is in good condition for the meeting on January IS. In the meantime, further improvements are to be made to the track. . Details of the races are: 200 Yards Handicap.—R. McKenzie, 1: C. Sanderson, 7yds, 2; A. Dawson *4yds. 3. McKenzie took the lead from a fair fiel dearly in the running, and led all the way to win by two yards front Sanderson, with Dawson inches a "M-iif-inile l 'Cvcle Handicap.—R. Cnftpan, lGOvd'-- 1: O. Fielder. 100yds, 2; J. AMtitten scr, 3 Only five riders faced the Starter and the race was more of a tr>new track. Culpan maintained S’ I** 1 ** t i throughout the race, with Sanaclo^r°m and Whitten going strong when he passed the post.

BOWLING ANALYSIS O. M. R. W. Matlieson .. 33 Wensley 1 24 Weir .. .. 2U Smeeton .. . 3S 1 Anthony 3 IS — Elliott .. .. 3 6 1 Badeley .. . 1 2 — AUCKLAND First Innings MILLS, low. b Merritt .. . ANTHONY. b Talbot . . . GILLESPIE, c Roberts, b Cromb . . 1 S3 WEIR, not i 3 lit . 105 WENSLEY, c Simmons, b Merrit . . , 8 ELLIOTT, not out Extras .. Five wickets (dec.) for .. . 4S5 Fall of wickets: 23, 64, 21 r S, 453, 41 i 4. BOWLING ANALYSIS O. M. R. W. Cromb . . .. 6 S6 1 Talbot .. 2 SO 1 Merritt .. .. . .. .. 48 5 143 Simmonds . . 4 70 Harris .. .. .... 6 15 Roberts' .. . 10 Page 7 30 —