AUCKLAND’S TURN NOW

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 894, 11 February 1930, Page 13

AUCKLAND’S TURN NOW

Fighting for Runs M.C.C. IN STRONG POSITION Stand by Gillespie and Weir WITH three of its best wickets down for only 77 runs and England’s first innings total of 423 still unpassed, Auckland’s prospects of holding; the English cricketers looked very black indeed when the representative cricket match was resumed at Eden Park this afternoon. Mills and Anthony went cheaply in the morning and shortly after lunch Gillespie followed them home.

The wicket was showing some evidence of crumbling in patches, but the weather continued to be fine, if a little fresher than it had been for the first two days of the game. The attendance was very sparse compared with tho crowd present when England resumed its first innings yesterday.

Jack Mills and Arnold Anthony were again Auckland's opening batsmen, and they had a heavy tasK ahead of them in setting out to efface the visitors’ first innings lead of 90 runs. Allom opened the M.C.C. bowling at 31.34 from the stand end, Anthony taking strike to him. The third ball of the over, the Parnell man glided round to leg for two, but that was the only pcore of tho over. ANTHONY OPENS OUT Baxratt was the other English bowler, the burly M.C.C. man bowling to Mills. His opening balls went well on the off, and these Mills left alone. One run, an overthrow, was the only £Core off the over. Mills was shaping very confidently, but play was quiet in the opening stages. Anthony opened out to Barratt w'ith a hook shot, which had it connected with the ball, would have resulted in a six. The next ball saw him make amends, however, by square cutting Barrat to the rails for a four all the way—the first of the day. Mills scored his first boundary off Barratt also, the result of a wellplaced carpet shot between point and slips, which went on to rattlo the fence. A Remote Chance Anthony gave Duloepsirihji a remote Chance of taking a catch in the slips off Allom, but the ball sailed clear of the Indian’s outstretched hands. The •total was 14 after 38 minutes’. play, each batsman having seven against his name. Allom was making the ball kick disconcertingly on occasions, and Anthony did not appear to bo too happy facing him. The Surrey bowler had.five runs scored off him in five overs, which gives some indication of the rate of scoring. Tho fieldsmen were having an easy time of it, for Barratt had had only ten scored off his first five overs. Allom continued to be the more impressive trundler, however. ANTHONY OUT FOR EIGHT This was borne out at 12.2, when Anthony was bowled off his pads by a fast ball from Allom, and Auckland had one wicket down for 18. Anthony had scored eight in half an hour. He had failed to display his first innings form. Gillespie was the next man in. The Eden skipper opened with a single off Barratt, which made Auckland’s score 20 after the innings had been in progress for 32 minutes. Mills was then 10 not out. Gillespie began much more attractively than is his custom, facing Allom vrith the utmost; confidence. The Surrey man left him standing, however, with the first ball of the second over be sent down to him. FIRST BOWLING CHANGE Gilligan made his first bowling change at 12.15, when he brought Worthington on at the Terrace end in place of Barratt, who had had 12 runs scored off him. Mills dispatched the newcomer for a brace, but th xt was the only contribution the over made -Auckland's score. Wooley replaced Allom at the other end with the total &t 27. The scoring rate was still very Subdued, the Kent slowman’s first over giving Mills one single. Disaster came in Worthington’s next over, when Mills was skittled by a low ball, which he attempted to hook. Two wickets were down for 28 runs kiter 45 minutes’ play, Mills’s score being 15 Auckland was in a black booking position indeed. Gillespie, who had rernaied at three for a long time, glanced Worthington ono when he was joined by Weir. The latter began with a single off ' l^o and followed it up with a three to leg. This rmide Auckland’s score 32 for two wickets. WEIR LIVENS THINGS UP The pair now livened proceedings up, Weir, especially, stepped off the mark with a three at Woolley’s expense. Woolley had Gillespie puzzled continually with variations of pitch and flight. After exactly an hour’s play Auckland had scored only 34 runs, Weir being nine and his partner four. Gillespie had a “life” when Bowley missed a catch high up in slips off Woolley, when the batsman was eight. Gillespie signalled his appreciation or this “let off” by sending the next ball to the leg fence. Gillespie was now batting in his best style, and although the scoring was *ar from fast, the runs came surely. The half-century appeared after 74 minutes’ batting. Gillespie was 17 a *»d Weir 9 at that stage. BOWLEY COMES ON After his bright opening, Weir slowed up appreciably, and remained one short of double figures for a considerable time. Allom. who had been brought on to bowl from the terrace en d, continued to trundle dangerously

at tho other end. Woolley sent down frequent maidens. Bowley replaced him with the total at 52. Woolley reappeared in place of Allom for Weir to score a single off his first over. Gillespie used his feet well in placing Bowloy quite out of the fieldsman’s reach. Wheh he had scored 26 Weir was 20.' At lunch the pair were still together with the total 76 (Gillespie, not out, 26; Weir, not out, 20).

RECORD GATE THE gate takings at Eden Park for the first two days of the match totalled £903 17s, which already beats the previous record for an Auckland match, and is second only to the test, New Zealand v. Australia, at Auckland two years ag f o, when £1,028 was taken at the gate. The test record for New Zealand is held by Wellington as a result of the big crowd which saw the M.C.C. playing New Zealand there, but there is every prospect of Auckland beating the Wellington record next week-end.

THIS AFTERNOON’S PLAY

GILLESPIE GOES EARLY Play was resumed again at 2.3. The sky was overcast, but the weather still fine. Disaster came with Barratt’s second ball, when Gillespie touched one low down on the off, and little Cornford took a smart catch. The Eden man had not added to his morning score of 26. Three wickets were now down, and the first innings’ deficit was not made up. Cornford was struck in the face with the fourth ball, and had to retire. Benson took over the gloves, and Turnbull came on to field. M.C.C. TOTAL PASSED Allom bowled from the other end. Wensley began very shakily, but Weir continued to bat steadily. A two to him off Allom put Auckland one ahead of M.C.C.’s score, and made his own tally 26. Cornford came back to field, but did not keep wicket. Barratt was rocking them in disconcertingly with a tricky wrist action which demanded that every ball should be carefully watched. A single to Wensley off Barratt brought Auckland s score to 100 after 126 minutes’ play. Wensley was then 10, and Weir 29. Benson was putting in some smart work behind the stumps, and Worthington, who came on to bowl in place of Barratt, continued to trouble the batsmen. Wensley entered double figures and Weir reached 31 shortly afterwards making Auckland’s score 108 for three wickets at 2.45 p.m. add details Details:— ENGLAND , First Innings. BOWLEY, c Finlayson, b Wensley .. 15 DAWSON, c Wensley, b Matheson J PLILEEPSTNHJJ, run out 69 WOOLLEY, c Weir, b Elliott .. .. 49 WORTHINGTON, b Allcott 125 BENSON, b Matheson . . . 29 GILLIGAN, c Elliott, b McCoy .... 48 PARLE, c Elliott, b McCoy 49 BARRATT, b McCoy 10 CORNFORD, b Allcott 1 ALLOM, -not out 1 Extras * 26 Total 423 Fall or wickets: 13. 35, 141, 145, 215, 229, 400, 410, 418, 423.

AUCKLAND First Innings 333 Second Innings ANTHONY, b Allom 8 MILLS, b Worthington 15 CJILLESPIE, c Cornford, b Barratt 26 WEIR not out 31 WENSLEY, not out 14 Extras 14 Three wickets for 108 A review of yesterday's play will be found on' page 15. BADELEY’S INJURY The Injuries to S. A. R. Badeley’s hands yesterday have, fortunately not proved serious enough to prevent him from batting for Auckland today, although he will be handicapped as it is, an dhe has been medically advised not to keep wickets. Prior to this match Badeley had kept wickets only twice in four years.

BOWLING ANALYSIS ... .. * Q. M. R. W. Matheson I!) 4 44 2 Wensley 32 S 75 l Ailcott 21 3 79 2 Anthony 10 1 34 0 Finlayson 13 2 3S 0 Elliott 17 5 60 1 McCoy 12 0 59 3 Weir 3 1 8 0