VIVIAN CLOSES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 10

VIVIAN CLOSES.

PLUNKET SHIELD. OTAGO START BADLY. Five Wickets for 67—Slow Rate Of Scoring. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. Whether Otago could hoist such a huge total as Auckland's declared first innings score of 550 for five wickets, was not only one aspect of the Plunket Shield match between Auckland and Otago, which was resumed this morning at Carisbrook Park. It was a question also of whether or not the game would have to again be postponed. Otago's opening pair, Badcock and Knight, took strike in a light misty rain. The wicket was hedvy, and definitely favoured the batsmen. Knight commenced proceedings with two to fine leg, on* Cowie, but Badcock was out to the second ball received. It was from Matheson's initial delivery. The Otago professional gently tapping the ball into Vivian's hands at mid-off. Kerr replaced him and started very shakily. Ten runs came after half an hour's play. The outfield, like the rate of scoring, was deadly slow, Knight on driving Matheson for 3, though the ball should have rattled the pickets. However, he swung the same bowler to the leg boundary off the next delivery. Then further disaster overtook Otago. During his short sojourn Kerr had never been comfortable, and he eventually succumbed to a beautiful delivery from Cowie, the ball breaking back and taking the batsman's leg pin. 24—2—9. Elmes joined Knight, who was batting with quiet confidence, and commenced with two two's. No Undue Risks. After a desultory period Elmes opened his shoulders to Matheson, off driving him vigorously to the fence. The Auck° land bowling was steadiness personified, neither batsman being'"able to take undue risks. Carson and Vivian now had control, and they attempted unsuccessfully to try the patience of the batsmen. After sending down three maidens, Vivian was nicely dispatched to the cover boundary by Knight, who was meeting the ball with the full face of the bat. Then Elmes was dismissed. He played a golf swing in attempting a ball from Vivian and was skittled. The vacancy was filled by Uttley, who immediately had a life, the ball just falling short of a slip fieldsman. The threatening weather had now cleared, while the wicket and outfield had livened up considerably. The next victim was Knight, whose patient but unduly subdued innings ended when he wrongly elected to play a defensive stroke to a ball from Cowie. Indicative of the dreary nature of the cricket was the fact that he had taken 100 minutes to compile 24 runs. McGregor was now associated with Uttley. What Ota<»o lacked was a batsman who refused to be cowered by the attack, which in this case was being, sadly flattered. A Sorry Exhibition. So far it was a sorry exhibition on the home team's part, four wickets being down for 47. The small crowd cheered ironically when Uttley snicked a single. The collapse was added to by McGregor who just before lunch was bowled by Cowie, the ball breaking the middle wicket. Cowie had taken three wickets for 15 runs. Scores:— AUCKLAND.—First Innings. Whitelaw, b Groves 195 E. J. Dunning, b Silver ....... 0 Weir, b Silver n Carson, c Silver, b Dunning ....... 290 Wallace, not out 31 Vivian, c and b Dunnin" .. ]o Estras '.'.'.'.'.'. m Total for five wickets (dec.) .. 550 Bowling; Silver took two wiekets for 143 runs, Dunning two for 113, Groves one for 112, Badcock none for 56, Elmes none for 59, McGregor none for 33, Knight none for 5, Chettleburgh none tor 10. OTAGO.—-First Innings. Badcock, c Vivian, b Matheson .. 1 Knight, b Cowie o d F. B. Kerr, b Cowie '.'..'..'.'.'. 9 Elmes, b Vivian ' 10 Uttley, not out ..".".*. g McGregor, b Cowie 9 Chettleburgh, not out 11 Extras ".*.'.'. ".**.".'. 0 Total for five wickets 67