Weir Hero of Day

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 916, 8 March 1930, Page 13

Weir Hero of Day

AUCKLAND’S RECOVERY Shield Game at Wellington NORTHERNERS’ GREAT INNINGS FOLLOWING a disastrous start in the final Plunket Shield match against Wellington, G. L. Weir, the Auckland colt, saved the day with a great innings that yielded 140. Later batsmen hit out strongly, and took the total to 432 for nine wickets—an amazing recovery. Special to THE SUN

WELLINGTON, Friday. The final Plunket Shield cricket match opened disastrously for Auckland, wjth Mills and Anthony out, and only eight runs on the board. Mills was bowled with a full togs, the fifth ball of McGirr’s first over./ Anthony shaped as if he intended to stay; but he fell into a trap set by Massey, who sent down a number of balls on the off, and then suddenly whipped in one on the leg. Anthony cocked an easy catch up to Cameron, playing close in at square leg. Gillespie opened somewhat quietly; but soon got into his stride, and commenced to bat attractively. He played all the bowling confidently; but it was when Gallichan came on in place of Massey that his downfall came. Gallichan is a slow, left-hand, round-the-wicket bowler, and it was in trying to hook him round to the on that Gillesoie was bowled off his pads. He played

his shot too late. His score of 26, included three fours, and he and Weir had taken the score from 8 to 5.4. With the advent of Wensley, the rate of scoring, which had been on the whole rather slow, brightened considerably. Despite his rather cumbersome style, the batsman got runs, and he hit Gallichan, who had the entire respect of the other batsmen, for four fours. Altogether he was inclined to lift the ball; but it was always clear of the field. In 20 minutes Wensley made 26, and then he too fell a victim to Gallichan. being smartly caught by Lowry at mid-off. Wensley did not impress as a batsman; but nevertheless he achieved some measure of success, and certainly was not afraid to give it a go. He and Weir put on 39 for the fourth wicket. The striking feature about the partnership was that Wensley got practically all of his runs on the leg and on side, while Weir, during the time Wensley was at the crease, scored almost exclusively on the off. FINE FIGHTING INNINGS Weir all this time batted steadily and quietly. He aid not produce a great variety of shots, nor show much enterprise; but he adopted the correct tactics in view of Auckland’s position. By the luncheon adjournment, he had reached 44, and after he had been in for 126 minutes he reached his halfcentury. He brightened up a little after

the adjournment, and he was only another 77 minutes in getting his century. The crowd were not slow to appreciate his excellent effort. He continued in steady style until he was 140, when a very confident appeal for a catch behind the sticks by James off Alassey saw him sent back. The Auckland colt had played a fine fighting innings, reminiscent of many such a knock by B. T. Kortland on the same ground. For one so young, Weir’s patience was amazing. He refused to be tempted by the slow bowlers, and while he was inclined at the start to nibble at some of Henderson's fast off stuff, he did not fall into any traps. A chance at 89 was the only thing to mar* a magnificent strike, and it is mainly to Weir that Auckland owes its present position, for his determination and patience stopped what, in the first hour or two, loked like a bad rot. Fourteen fours were included in Weir’s total. WELLINGTON'S BOWLING Lowry as usual made frequent bowling changes, Hollings, who had opened with McGirr, being taken off, and replaced by Alassey after one over. McGirr was also soon relieved, and AlcLeod, Gallichan, Henderson and Ross were all given a turn. The favourite combination in the morning was McLeod and Gallichan, and it was this pair that was brought into action when Allcott went in. The combination was not -successful, for Allcott dug in, and with Weir set out to retrieve a bad opening. No liberties were taken with the slow bowlers, but Auckland’s position gradually improved. In all, the Auckland captain was at the crease 78 minutes in making 41. He was never comfortable facing Gallichan, but that the partnership broke the back of the bowling seemed evident by the success of the batsmen lower down the list. The partnership was worth 77 runs, at a time when they were badly needed. Failure to get right over a fast one from Alassey led to Elliott’s downfall, after he had played a useful innings. TAIL-ENDERS’ FEAST

Badeley, too, after a quiet beginning, put some dash into it, and was getting among the runs before he was dismissed. The tired Wellington bowling had no terrors for McCoy and Matheson, and they had a regular feast before the latter was caught and bowled by Alassey, who dived full length along the pitch to take the catch. The pair put on exactly 100 for the ninth wicket—a case of the tail wagging with a vengeance. Neither AlcCoy nor Alatheson was particularly- elegant, and some of their shots were alarmingly uppish, but they got runs. Massey, who was one of the hardestw r orked, was the best of the Wellington bowlers. He kept a good length and bowled consistently throughout the day. Gallichan was another who kept an excellent length for the greater part, but toward the end he tired somewhat. Ross sent down some good balls, and also some very bad ones, while McLeod had no luck. The fielding generally was up to standard, Lowry’s placing causing quite a number of runs to be saved early in the innings. .