PLUNKET SHIELD.

Auckland Star, 2 January 1931, Page 3

PLUNKET SHIELD.

OTAGO COLLAPSE,

ALL OUT FOR 135.

AUCKLAND'S STRONG POSITION

OUTRIGHT WIN LIKELY,

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.")

DUNEDIN, this day,

In bright, sunshine, on a wicket that promised many easy runs, Otago resumed their innings in their Plunket Shield match against Auckland this morning. Auckland yesterday had scored 331, and at the luncheon adjournment to-day they had nine Otago wickets down for 12S. Cavanagh (9) and Dickinson (5) took strike, and the Auckland fast bowlers, Cleverley and Matheson, took up the attack 'in traditional fashion. The trundling was accurate and fairly dangerous. Dickinson could make no sort of showing against Matheson, whose fourth ball rattled the batsman's stumps. Moloney shaped better, but Cleverley, who was giving all the batsmen a taste of his bumping propensities, beat him with a trimmer which ran up hot and flew high into the hands of Wensley at third slip. When Blunt came in three wickets •were down for 2G. Blunt, the only batsman so far who made an effort to pick out the loose ones, several times got Cleverley well around to leg, one of his strokes producing the first boundary. The Auckland'fielding was keen. Cleverley, who been no-balled three times, was relieved by Wensley after half an hour's play. Blunt continued to hat confidently, but Cavanagh, after a string of singles, went lbw to the English coach. 47 —4—ll. Badcock, the newcomer, helped Blunt to carry on in more convincing manner.

Badcock began with a couple to leg off Wensley and dispatched him to the on-pickets. Badcock was batting brightly, but played right over the first ball of au over from McCoy, and was out for 11, five wickets being down for 64.

Blunt reached .20 by sending McCoy speeding to the on-boundary, and Elmes also made some nice strokes on the leg side. Wensley was keeping a good length, and when Elmes had eight to his credit the Auckland professional brought about his dismissal lbw, six wickets being down for 81. Wensley's Good Bowling. Galland partnered Blunt, and at this stage Wensley , had taken two wickets for 11 runs. Blunt was opening out in vigorous fashion, and in one over dispatched Wensley to the square leg pickets and placed him nicely through the covers for four. The hundred appeared after 125 minutes' play. Otago supporters' hopes fell when, after reaching 40 with a flashing cover drive, Blunt was bowled by Clev'erley, who was getting a bit of kick out of the wicket. The ball pitched on the middle pin and took the leg stump. Alloo did not last long, and eight wickets were down for 102. Cleverley was dragging his foot over frequently. and was no balled ten times this morning. Just before lunch Hawksworth joined Galland, the pair heing associated in a good stand which added 25 before Galland was out lbw to Matheson. Nine wickets were .down for 128 when the lunch adjournment was taken. Hunt had come off a few minutes before with a badly injured finger sustained in taking a hard return to the wickets. Cleverley had taken three wicV.ets for 24, Matheson three for 21, Wensley two for 2S and McCoy one for 27. The fast bowlers had been dangerous pretty well all the time. Otago -were all out for 135 and fol--owed on. ._ Scores: — AUCKLAND.—'First Innings. Mills, lbw, b Blunt 25 Postles, run out 100 Vivian, c Moloney, b Blunt ,**.;..« 4 Weir, lbw, b Blunt >....;..»,.*-.:.:., 12 Thakobau, b Blunt ... r ..... T Allcott, not out ...<...... 114 Wensley, b Blunt . • 40 Matheson, lbw, b Blunt 8 McCoy, st Hawkesworth, b Blunt 0 Cleverley, lbw, b Blunt - 0 Hunt, b Alloo •....*..;..... ,1 Extras .........>. <•«.•.».•;...• 20 Total ............. 331 BOWLING. 0. M. R. W. Dickinson ..... 21 0 54 O Badcock ....,.., 16 5 42 0 . Lemin ......i.., 18 3 65 0 v Blunt ~ 38 2 99 ■ 8 Elmes ....«.„., 15 3 39 0 Alloo 5.2 1 12 1 Dickinson bowled three no balls. OTAGO. —First Innings. Cherry, b Cleverley .... 1 Cavanagh, lbw, >b Wensley ....... H Dickinson, t> Matheson *.« 5 Moloney, c Wensley, c Cleverley .. 1 Badcock, b McCoy H Elmes, lbw, b Wensley ........... 8 Blunt, b Cleverley ■. ,». 40 Alloo, c Wensley, b Matheson ..«*» 0 Galland, lbw, b Matheson ;•£.'. 10 ♦Extras ........ 18 Total for nine wickets ~.-,...128