KNIGHT'S RECORD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 1, 3 January 1933, Page 8

KNIGHT'S RECORD.

1000 Runs in Shield Cricket.— Yesterday's Play Reviewed. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDLN, Monday. It was unfortunate that play in the match between Auckland and Otago today was limited to just short of an hour, as at the time of starting there was quite a big crowd present in the hope of seeing the Cavanagh and Knight partnership carried on. However, one of those dramatic changes that are a feature of the game occurred, and within half an hour five wickets had fallen with little material addition to the score. Otago's superiority on Saturday was so complete and pronounced that it is not easy to explain the reason for this debacle, as beyond the fact that the grass had grown a little on the wicket the conditions appeared to be still in favour of the batsmen.

Otago's opening batsmen, Knight and Cavanagh, succumbed after each had scored a further four runs and brought their scores to 81 and 73 respectively. Nothing but praise can be given the opening pair, who, on Saturday, batted so soundly. One excellent feature of their batting was the manner in which they got over the off balls and scored from them, when there might easily have been justification for letting them go.

To-day Cavanagh did not appear at home, and he executed one or two "iffy" shots before eventually he was caught behind. the wickets by Hampton off a light touch off Bush. Knight was out to a good length ball from Matheson, which might have come back a fraction. One thing which might have upset them and the following batsmen was the fact that at the pavilion end the ball frequently kept low, while at the top end Bush was making it lift well above the stumps.

Tho next three wickets went very I cheaply, Moloney being bowled by Bush with a ball which pitched well over the crease, so that the vricket could not be responsible for this. Elmes, after starting well and getting a couple of nice fours on the off, put his leg in front to Matheson. Badcock aroused enthusiasm by banging the first ball, which was a full toss, to the off boundary, but after adding but two more runs he hit one back to Matheson, who took the catch in quite an unconcerned manner in his outstretched left hand. Smith and Leader then became associated and stopped the rot. Smith did not appear too confident at the. outset, but gradually settled down and played good cricket. This young Australian is barely 20 and he is so capable an allrounder that honours in bigger cricket should soon be within his reach.

Incidentally, while on the question of New Zealand selection, the claims of Knight as an opening or first wicket batsman should not be overlooked. He made his first appearance in Shield cricket ton years ago, while still in his ,'£eene 4 and, his uaunga in this match

[signalised his scoring of 1000 runfl m Shield cricket. He has been a consistent run-getter and has appeared regularly for Otago with the exception of one season a couple of years ago, when an injury kept him out. When the last English learn were here Knight made 44 "and 51 against them, and ho has been in particularly good form in the last couple of seasons in club and representative cricket. He made 52 in Otago s second innings against Wellington, and certainly has the big match temperament. Leader must be commended for stayin" and for the manner in which he compiled 16, in view of the fact that he had been brought back into the Otago team after a couple of seasons' absence, and also the state of the game when he did come to the wickets, his confidence being appreciated by his side and the spectators. In regard to Auckland's bowling, apart from the fact mentioned of the different heights at which the ball rose from the pitch, there appeared to be little more sting to it than on Saturday, though again it was accurate enough. The difference in the Otago batting can just be put down to cricket. It was noticeable on this occasion that Matheson, who was taken to England as New Zealand's fast bowler, has considerably reduced his pace, and at times was scarcely fast medium. Altogether, the Auckland attack impressed one as being weak.