CANTERBURY v. OTAGO.

Press, Issue XLI, 25 February 1885, Page 5

CANTERBURY v. OTAGO.

[PBESS ASSOCIATION TXLBSBAXO DUNEDIN, February 24. . In spite of the threatening weather, it was decided to play this match out to-day, and a little before twelve o'clock Washer and Barnes resumed their place at the wickets, Canterbury having then lost five wickets in their second innings for 85 runs. There seemed a general impression that play would be postponed, and three Otago men, Parker, McGregor and Carson, were absent at the commencement, and Millton, Cotterill, and Denham kindly fielded as substitutes until their arrival. Frith and Austin, were entrusted with the bowling, and the score mounted slowly to 92, Barnes enlivening proceedings by a fine leg hit off Austin for 4. The same bowler, however, caught him neatly in his next over. 6—19—92. Dunlop was the new comer, and was some time commencing business. Eventually he scored off Austin (the century hit), and about the same time a change of bowling was tried, Dixon taking Friths end. Play was slow, and it was a long time before a fine drive by Dunlop off Dixon sent 110 up. Frith then resumed the ball at the other end, but Dunlop continued hitting pretty jreely, until at 121 Washer was •caught by Cotterill (one of the substitutes) after playing a useful innings of 31. Austin with his first ball clean bowled the incomer, H. Cotterill, but Page, who followed, led off with one or two hits and looked like scoring. He was however run out with the total at 130, and the last man, McMurray, yielded his wicket to Austin in the second over. The innings thus closed for 132. Otago commenced her second innings at two o'clock, wanting 126 to win. Harris and Beck faced the bowling of Dunlop and Wilding. Harris scored once or twice off ; Wilding by somewellmeantleg hits, butwas unluckily caught immediately afterwards in the slips. Dixon joined Beck, bnt with the score at 15 the latter was caught behind the wickets; 20 only had been reached when Boddington shared a like fate, and the outlook seemed very bad. Austin, who followed, somewhat revived the spirits of the Otago men, and as Dixon began to make some pretty hits, hope rose again. At 46 the bowlers changed ends, and soon afterwards McMurray and Wheatley took their places. The change resulted in Dixon being •-. caught at square leg by McMurray, after a quickly obtained 26. Four wickets for 54. CoDinson, the next comer, soon lost bis partner, who was bowled by Wheatley, and Parker filled the gap. He came in with the score at 57, and he and the captain made a steady stand, increasing the score but surely to 70, when Dunlop took the ball from McMurray. A, grand nit by Collinson raised the score to 75, and he presently followed this up by driving Dunlop splendidly to the off for 4. Wheauey's next over, too, was marked by the hit of the day—a regular gallery hitParker sending the ball to square-leg clean over the stand and out of the ground adding 6 to his .score, raising the total to 84, and bringing Wilding on again to bowl at the far end. Loud applause followed this performance, but after one more cut by Parker for a couple, which Denham let past him, Collinson's wicket felL He played forward to one of Dunlop's and lost his bails. Macgregor, who came next, enjoyed a very short life, as without scoring he was cleverly caught behind the wicket by Barnes. Seven wickets had now gone for 88, and the chanoes of Otago which had a few minutes before looked so rosy were greatiy discounted. Carson ioined Parker, and the utter, who SSuidtohit freely, lifted Wilding to Its for 4 twice in sucoessien, the last hit Ming a decided chance to Page. Otago ias/however, apparently in qneer street, asCarsonretired iromediately,havmg put one into Denham'a hands only two wickets reroamed to produce 29 rSL Drabble, who joined Barker, however, by careful play, to keep Socket *p whilst his companion, who showed sound judgment «£.««* **%? w)wer, eradnaßyinoreasei the score. His hit for^waaj t^**^ I tamed off different *wtaja»eV Je **° abTcwdited with some pretty-cuts «d drives. Wilding, serious, of course tried

ing Drabble himself with underhands, but ' without success. One unfortunate experiment for Canterbury was putting on Wheatley, from one over off whom Parker scored no fewer than 10 runs. The match was won by Parker's old leg-hit off Dunlop, which brought the score to 129. Otago thus won by 4 runs with two wickets to spare. The Canterbury flailing during the latter portion of game was faultless. Parker was, of course, carried to the pavilion and heartily cheered for his excellent innings. Very few people were upon the ground during the afternoon. The following are the scores:— Canterbury. Second Innings. Million, c Carson, b Austin 10 W. Cotterill, c Carson, b Austin ... 9 Wilding, c Carson b Frith 23 Wheatley, b Frith 4 Denham, run out 5 Barnes, c and b Austin 9 Washer, c Cotterill (sub), b Austin ... 31 Dunlop, not out 22 H. Cotterill, b Austin 0 Page, runout 3 McMurray, b Austin 0 Byes ... 4 Leg Bye 1 Wide 1 Total 132 Total for first innings 164 Grand total bowling analysis. Balls. Mans. Buns. Wkts. C. Frith ... 232 33 44 2 T. Austin ... 232 25 63 6 Dixon 49 7 12 0 W.Parker ... 8 0 7 0 Dixon bowled one wide ball. Otago. Second Innings. Harris, c Barnes, b Dunlop ... ... 6 Beck, c Denham, b Wilding 5 Dixon, c McMurray, b Wheatley ... 26 Boddington, c Denham, b Dunlop ... 0 T. Austin, b Wheatley 16 Collinson, b Dunlop 13 Parker, not out ... 54 McGregor, c Barnes, b Dunlop 0 Carson, c Denham, b Dunlop ... m 0 Drabble, not out 4 Widea 2 No balls ... ... M «, a, 3 Total for eight wickete 129 First innings ... 171 Grand total ... 300