CANTERBURY v. OTAGO.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7265, 26 January 1889, Page 5

CANTERBURY v. OTAGO.

The annual cricket match between the teams representing Canterbury and Obago commeaced yesterday morning on Lancaster Park. The weather was pleasant, bat a slight wind was blowing from the east. The ground was in good order. The wicket seemed to bump at the south end, but this might have been caased by the bowlers, who had a tendency all through the innings to bowling short. Owing to the fact that it was was San Francisco mail day, and that pnblic holiday had not been proclaimed, there was a very poor attendance of spectators. Those present, however, distributed their applause most impartially. The Canterbury captain was most fortunate in winning the toss, and the ground being very fast the ball travelled at a great pace. Marshall and Harmon were the first to appear at the wickets, and for the first hour the play was very monotonous, as the bowling was very straight and the batsmen playing if anything a little too cautiously. Only 20 runs were scored during this period of the game, and then Marshall improved matters by hittinp freely. His score of 30 was the outcome of very good cricket, and, with Harman, took the sting out of the bowling. Labatt was stdendidly taken at point by Bell for 11, and Studholme was also well caught by Downes off his own bowling. Rayner played very ■ nicely for his score of 29, when he was I bowled by Downes with a shooter. Harman's innings of 61 was a really good display of cricket, and he fully bore out his reputation as one of Canterbury's best batsmen. Frith played most cautiously at the commencement of his innings, but afterwards gave the bowlers a taste of his hitting qualities. He rather foolishly threw away his wicket by being stumped off McCormick. E. J. Cottrell played a very free game for his total of 45, But he has played many a better innings. The Otago Umpire gave a decided chance in his favor, and he should have returned to the Pavilion before he had scored. Having received a life he started scoring in a most determined style, and aided by the worn-out bowling, he quickly ran up his score. Cuff commenced somewhat streakily, but afterwards played with great confidence, and j his innings of 70 is the best score he has made this season. His driving and leghitting were splendid, and when he had scored SO he gave a rather difficult chance to Parker in the slips, otherwise his Innings was faultless. R. B. Mathias, who has of late been showing good form with the bat, thoroughly bore out Mr A. M. Ollivier s opinion of him as a batsman, and the only mis-hit he made was the catch that dismissed him. This batsman has greatly improved in his defence, and at the same time has not lost any of his hitting powers. He~made most of his runs by some really grand cutting, driving and lej? hitting. The bowling of the Otago men on the whole was not difficult, as most of the batsmen got into double figures, and not one of Canterbury's players has the unenviable duck's egg opposite his name. Downes did the lion's share of the bowling, and although I not the most successful he was by far the most serviceable trundler. Parker, who bowls over-arm slows, stuck up the batsmen at times, and it is just questionable whether he should not have been tried earlier in the afternoon, for he immediately bagged two wickets when the leather was handed to him. The Otago men are to be congratulated on their good all-round fielding. Taking into consideration that they were in the field the whole of the day, during which the Canterbury men had amassed the large score of 854 for nine wickets, they scarcely ever ■ made a mistake, and to individualise any one player in particular, would scarcely be doing justice to the team as a whole. Scarcely have We ever seen a more brilliant point than Bell, and round after round of applause often greeted him from the spectators for his really fine play. Niven, behind the wickets, was seen to great advantage, and he was the means of dismissing several of Canterbury's best batsmen. Boddington and Harper in the outfield were also very conspicuous by their grand fielding. Mr A. M. Ollivier and Mr Glen umpired respectively for Canterbury and Otago. .'„,,■■, The Canterbury captain (Mr E. J. CotterUl) won the toss, and elected to bat, sending in G. Marshall and R. D. Harman first to the wicketa. Downes and Claffey were put on to bowl, the farmer opening to Harman from the northern end. The first over was a maiden. Marshall put away Claffey's second ball for a brace, and his partner scored a single in the next over. Both hatsmen played very carefully, and in seven overs only five rues had resulted. In Claffey s fourth over * Harman. made a pretty, cut for 3. Two leg-bye were run, bringing up the first 10 on the telegraph board. Marshall drove Claffey for 4, all run out. The play was still very slow. Claffey wae bowling tolerably fastand Downes medium pace, both being rather short. Marshall broke the monotony by getting Claffey away for a brace.. After a maiden from Downes McCormick relieved Claffey and the new bowler, in his first over, was cut by Marshall for 2, bringing up 29. Marshall had teen very unlucky co far with his favorite stroke to leg, but managed to pull McCormick in his next over for a brace, and Harman scored a similar number with a snick off Downes. Two singles to each batsman and then McCormick bowled a maiden. Harman scored another single and then three byes were run in Downes' next over, and 80 appeared on the board. The batsmen had now been an hour at the wickets, and an idea may therefore be gained of the slow- : ness of the play. Claftey now went, on in place of Downes, and each bowler sent down a maiden. Marshall then got well' on to a leg ball of Claffey's, and sent it to the boundary, bringing up his score to 20, and in the same bowler's next over the oatsman repeated the performance, following it up with a single. 40 now showed on the board. Each batsman then scored a single off McCormick, and Harman one off Claffey. The latter batsman then hit McCormick finely to leg to the boundary, and treated the same bowler in a simiiar manner in hie next over, bringing up the half century on the notice board. Parker then went on in place of Claffey with slows. Marshall drove his second ball to the boundary, but; the bowler bad his revenge with a subsequent ball, which the batsman placed in Boddington's hands at deep field, a splendid catch. Marshall played well for his score, but only once or twice was successful in getting away balls to leg—ss—l—3o. ' A. Labatt succeeded Marshall. Two singles were scored by .Harman, and Labatt broke bis duck ■ with a single off McCprmjck, and he put away Parker for. a similar number, bringing 60 up. Harman scored a single, and then drove McCormick for a quartette, all ran oat. Labatt added one to his score and then Harman hit Parker to leg for three. McFarlane relieved Mc i Cormick, and Harman cut his first ball ! prettily for 4, and 70 appeared. Harman was now well set, and was playing confidently. Bis score had no* , reached 32. He added a brace and a single off Parker's bowling, and a triplet off McFarlane'a next over. The same batsman then hit Parker to the boundary for four, and 80 wa* telegraphed. Bell, at point, fielded a cut by Labatt, off McFarlane, but the batsman drove the next ball for a brace. Labatt treated Parker, in a like manner in the next over, following it up with a single. Another single to the same batsman off Macfarlane and 90 was shown. A single to each batsman and then Labatt was nicely caught at point by Bell off Parker— 92—2—11. G. Bayner filled the vacancy. Harman scored another single, and then hit McFarlane to leg for 4. Rayner opened his score by treating this bowler in the same manner, which brought up the century on the board. Jtiayner repeated bis last performance, scoring 3, and then Harman scored a brace also off McFarlane, which brought the United man's score up to half a century. The adjournment for luncheon took place, the total score being 106 for two wickets, B. D. Harman 51 (not. oat), and Bayner 7 (not oat). On resuming at 2.25 p.m., Downes went on in place of Parker, and Rayner cat his first ball for a triplet. Claffey bowled from the southern end, and in bis first over Rayner hit himlfco leg for 4. After some slow play Bayner hie Caffey to the boundary for a quartette, but at the next ball was missed in the slips. Slow play followed, and a few hits by Bayner brought op 12a A ball hit by Harman was returned smartly by the bowler, Claffey, and the batsman had a narrow escape of being ran oat. An overthrow resulted, and 3 were yon—lSO then appeared. Harman was, however, soon after caught at the wickets by Niven, off Claffey. The retiring batsman was loudly applauded on his retain to the pavilion for bis fine score, which consisted of six 4'e, four 3"a, four Zβ, ami seventeen singles—l34-3-£L W. P. Studholme was next man, and his first ball ne hit to lex for a single. He obtained another single in the same over. Rayner hit Downes to leg for four, bat the same bowler had the satisfaction of dismissing him with his next belL Jiayner's score comprised four 4's four 3"s and a single— 140—4—29. W- Frith was the incomer, and bad two nanow escapes of betngxtmoob

through being too eager between the wickets. Singles to each batsman followed, and a brace to Frith and ISO appeared. Frith then cut Downes finely to the boundary for five all run oat—l6o up. Studholme, after he had scored five singles, was caught and bowled by Downes. 163—5—5. E. J. CotterUl, the captain, followed, and was well taken at the wickets by Niven, but the Otago umpire gave his decision in favor of the batsman. He opened his score with a drive off Claffey to the boundary, following it np with a hit off Downes for 3 —I<o up. Frith kept pegging away, and -with a single from his captain ISO was brought up. McCormick then relieved Downes with the leather. Frith hit the new bowler for 3, but was soon after stumped by Niven off McCormick's bowling—l9l—β-si. Cuff was the next man, and broke his dock by hitting Claffey for a single. Cotterill cat the same bowler hard, but the ball was well fielded by BelL Cuif scored a couple of 2's off McCormick, and play became slow again. Cotterill hit Claffey very flukily for 8, and 200 was hoisted, and soon afterwards got McCormick away well for the same number. He then drove Claffey to the boundary for a quartette, and hit McCormick to leg for a like number—2lo up. Downes relieved Claffey atfthe southern end, and his first ball was cut hard by Cuff, but was returned smartly by Bell, and the batsman just got back in time to save his wicket McFarlane went on in place of McCormick, and sent down a maiden. Cotterill cut Downes for 3, and scored 2 off McFarlane, bringing up 220. Cuft cat Downes for a brace, and subsequently Cotterill drove the same bowler to the boundary for the usual quartette. 280 soon appeared, and then each batsman added a brace to his score. Downes suffered at the Canterbury captain's hands to the extent of another 4, for a square leg hit. An adjournment then took place for tea. In resuming two singles were scored by Cotterill, and Cuff bit Downes for three. In the next ball but one Cotterill was caught behind the wickets by Niven off Downes and retired with a well put together score of 45. With the exception of his chance behind the wickets the outgoing batsman played a good free innings, which comprised five 4'a, four 3's, four as. and five singles. 244—7—45. R. B. Mathias, the newcomer, scored a brace oiT Downes, and each batsman a single apiece off MuFarlane. Mathias got well under one of Downes', and three were run. Cuif scored a single off the same bowler, and Mathias hit him to square leg for 3; 250 then appeared. A ustin replaced McFarlane with the leather, and Mathias cut him for two. Cuff obtained a brace off Downes, and Mathias a couple and a single off Austin. 260 was telegraphed, and steady play won brought 270 up. Cuff then drove Austin for 3 and Downes for a single. Singles were scored by each batsman, and then an off-drive by Cuff off Downes brought 280 on the board. Claffey relieved Downes at the southern end, and Matbias scored 2 off his first ball More steady play, and a drive by Cuff off Claffey to the boundary brought up 290. Ihe play then became a bit more lively, both batsmen playing the bowling with confidence. 300 appeared amid applause. Boddington bowled one over in the place of Austin, and then Parker went on again. The first ball from the new bowler was hit outside the boundary by Cuff, and be repeated the performance before the same over was finished —310 up. Another change was tried, Boddington going on at the southern end in place of Claffey, and in the first over Cuff was missed in the slips by Parker. 320 soon appeared, and Cuff was now top scorer. Mathias put Boddington away to leg to the boundary, and Cuff hit Parker finely for 4 and skied him for 2. The bowler then had his revenge by seeing the Lancaster Pack man stumped by Niven with the next ball. Caff played rather streakily on commencing his innings, bat when he had warmed up to his work he played with greater freedom, especially during the latter half of his innings, lie was loudly applauded, on his return from the field—334—B—7o. Fowke followed and after scoring one he saw Mathias caught arid bowled by Parker-^337—9—38. Halley, the last man, then took his place at the wicket and scored 3, bringing up 340. The score was brought up to 354 by steady play, and stumps were then drawn for the day. The following were the scores when stumps were drawn :—

Canterbury Eleven. First InDings. R.D.Harman,ll32imAlll43*zi3illli22mm r cNiven, bUiaflfey ..' .. . ..61 G. MarahaU, 21*28811141114, o Boddingtoa, b Parker .. .. .. 80 A-Labatt,lUl22Ul,cßell, bP*rker .. U G. .. ..2a W. P. Stuaholme, 11111, c and b Dbwnes .. 5 W. Frith. 11112151313113141, at Niven, b McCormick .. .... .. .. 31 E. J. Gotterill (Captain), 43135i142152i82ttF, • c NiveivbDowaea .. — . .;. .45 l. a. cutt wsaia3ZiXi3m\mm}mn*mi ■ 12-2U2. at Nivefl, bfarker.. . .. ..70 K. B. Mathiss, yi ffH **i 111 ] %ffftrp-jft, o and o Parker : .. .. Sβ J. Fowke, 1131112, not ont .. « ..10 R. Halley, 311111, not out .. ~ .. & Byes,33*.. ... .. .. A :.. 8 Leg-byes, 212111 .. „ M i .. 8 KobaUa.U .. ... ... £ .. 2 Total for nine wickets M ~: ..351 BOWLING. ANALYSIS. Balls. Mdns. Rons. Wkts. NoJßle. Downea .. «» 13 W 3 2 Clauey .. 18a 10 79 1 — McCormick 100 c 39 1 — Parker .. Ml 5» 4 — McFarlane.. 95 S 31 0 — Austin .. SO 0 19 0 — Boddtngtoa 40 1 22 0 ' ~