CRICKET.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 8 February 1927, Page 11

CRICKET.

MATCH DRAWN. MELBOURNE C.C. V. AUCKLAND. VISITORS FIGHTING FOR RUNS. U-ftt33 AS9OCUTION TELEGBiH.) AI/CKLAND, February 7. Tho match between tho Melbourne Cri.-ket Club and Auckland ended in a .Iran. Without the services of Uowky. who had injured a linger, Auckland's second innings realised 171 ruiu. Molboiiruo wanted 113 runs to get in two and a half hours, and, though Auckland had only two good bow lei.s available, could not do so. Allcott was also unable to bowl owing to an injured foot. "Within a few minutes oi the start of play, the deficit of threo runs was wiped off with one wicket down. Gillespie and Postles played steadily to givo their sido a good second innings score. No risks could be taken with the bowling of Ebeling and W. Armstrong, and runs come very slowly. Gillespie's defence wa.s beautiful and all his .shots were played with u perfectly straight bat. Gillespio Bowled. Tho seoro mounted slowly, and at .'k> Johnstone relieved Ebeling. He wa.s not ditiicult at first, but ho brought about a separation. Gillespie, who had been playing with admirable patience, tried to hook a ball from Johnstone. It gathered pace from tho wicket, and the batsman mistimed it and was bowled off his pads. 4'-'—2—22. It was not long before Postles joined his e!ub-niat>\ He returned tho ball to Armstrong and with only two runs added, was out for a. sound 13. Bright Batting. Brighter batting ruled when Anthony and Prater wero associated. Anthony, in particular, was playing stylish cricket, using crisp ofF-shots combined with good footwork to score off Armstrong. Ebeling and Ilodgerson came on, but tho scoring still continued bright. Both batsmen played confidently to Rodgcrs'on, and Frater, abandoning his forward play, brought off some nice shots through tho slips and pasL fine leg. Anthony Out. With the total approaching the first century, T. Armstrong relieved Ebeling, and his first over proved fatal to Anthony. Ho played forward to a well-flighted ball, did not get to the pitch of it, and was out caught and bowled. 94-4 aa. Tho century was raised oil Hansford, who relieved Hodgcrsoii, but Allcott, who joined Frater. did not last long. He upiieared io be troubled by the injury to his foot that he sustained on Saturday, and his forward play Buffered in consequence. Ho attempted n big hit olf T. Armstrong, but instend .skied the ball to Rodgerson at deep mid-ofi". Tho fieldsman mado no mistako with the jentch. 101—5 —.1. Frater and Butler took the more to 119 before tho luncheon adjournment, but in the first over nfter lunch Butler lost his wicket. 121-6-6. W. Armstrong's First Wicket. Having played himself in again, Frater, in partnership with Player, displayed sotuo good shota all round tho wicket. W. Armstrong took over tho ball from his brother, and, although Pluvcr faced him confidently, a beautiful ball kept low and completely beat Frater. This was tho Australian veteran's first wicket of tho match. 1.10-7—40. Matheson came, scored a single, and then went. Ho patted a ball from tho Melbourne captain to "silly" midoff. ].tß—B—l. llowley's injured hand prevented him from batting, so Scott was last man. Player Hits Out.

Player, realising that runs ncrc needed, went io r llio bowling in refreshing style. In olio over lrom W. Armstrong* lie hit two sixca, one landing clean on the terraces, scattering tlio .spectators. Armstrong pitched them shorter in his next over, and Player had to watch the ball closely. Then camo the end of the innings. Scott played all over n fast one from Ebeling, and was clean bowled, Player being not out with 32. Tho innings closed for 171, leaving Melbourne 148 to gel to win. Quiet Scoring. 'J'hero were about two and a half hours left for play when W. Armstrong and Sandford opened Melbourne's second innings. Both went for tho bowling of Matheson and Player, and runs came in quick time. Caere's Smart Return. The batting was sparkliug, and Sandford was exceptionally bright. After a quarter of an hour's batting ho was dismissed by a beautiful piece of work. Ho played the ball to Dacro at extra cover and" commenced to run. Armstrong sent him back, but Dacro had fielded the ball cleanly. Ho flashed in a perfect return, and, Scott whipped off the bails. 20-1-12. Rodgcrson, the nest man, did not get his eye in at all. Only two runs wcro added, and these from a big drive bv Armstrong, when Rodgcrson plavcd 'with an ugly cross bat at a straight ball from Matheson. Ho tried to hook it, but it whipped in and bowled him. 27-2-0. Bowlers on Top. Xor could Wood adopt forcing tactics. Both bowlers wcro keeping a good length, and tho rato of scoring was less thau one a minute. After a period of quiet batting. Wood went across to get Plaver to leg. He missed, there was a .roar from tho field, and tho batsman was out, log before wicket. 44-3—ll. Slow cricket followed the advent of Ransford until h>! twice attempted to got Matheson away to leg. Tho first shot was a few yards wide of Postles, and he repeated the stroke next ball. This time Postles got one hand to it, but the catch was too hard. Tho tea adjournment came with tho score at 62, made in just over G-3 minutes' play. W. Armstrong Beaten. The resumption after the adjournment was dramatic. Armstrong took strike to Matheson. and tho first ball clean bowled the old Australian captain. 02 —-I—3-3.1—3-3. After a few minutes' play there came a roar from the crowd. T. G. Armstrong had followed his brother. He opened his score with a single to leg off Matheson. but then facing Player lifted one to Montcith at mid-pff. 71—3—1. Intense Excitement. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as Onyons joined Ransford. Hutu were needed, and needed rapidly, but neither batsman could force the pace off the accurate bowling. Player, in particular, required careful watching, and both he and Matheson received great assistance from the field. Hansford occasionally scored with a beautiful leg glance, hut Onyons was not troub'ing about getting his runs. At 89 Dnrre made his first bowling change. Butler relieving Matheson. A drawn came seemed imminent, but in nn instant the whnlo complexion of the game was changed.

Ransford Caught Stumps were to be cirawn at half pa.-t five. Hiilf an hour ami •19 runs were needed fo r victory, ltunsfonl then snicked Player, and rvott snapped up tho faith. 01 o——l - Rapid Bowling Changes. Butter, otter sending down tun overs for one run, was taken otf. and Mathoson was brought back anain. Anthony gave Player his lirst rct»t at the other end, but Dacre was trying to win the match by a series of rapid chat'i;'">. "o replaced Anthony himself after one oter. but the batsmen were plavitiiT I' ll ' a draw, and maiden folio"ed maiden until stumps were drawn with sis wickets clown for 101. Scores:— AUCKLAND. Fir3i ln.iir.ss ■. ■ -'"' t-'-cond Innings. C. C\ Pacrc, lbw, b Ehelins .. ■■ - H. U. Gillespie, b Johnstone -'- A. T. Poatlcf, c mid b W. Armst'onc I."' A Anthony, c and 1> T. I!. Arinstio::? '•& If. K. Frater, b \Y. Armstrong ■ lij C. !■'. W. Ailcott, c Itodgcrson, h T. U. Armstrong .. • V. C. Butler, c Campbell, b Ebeliii!,- • _» A. S. Plaver, not out .. • • "- A. M. Matheson, c Onyons, b V. Armstrong .. .. ■• ~ A. 11. Scott, b Ending •• " E. If. Bowler, injured .. Extras .. . •• •_ Total . . '/' Bowling-H. 1. Ending three * "■-■«[* , " r 20 runs, W. \V. Armstrong three .or .it). I. G. Armstrong two tor :iO. K. <'• Johnstcione tor 21. It. S. Rodgcr=on none for 11, n. S. Ransiord none for If. MELBOURNE. Fiut Innings Second Innings. H (.'. Sanford, run out .. •• ..: W. W. Armstrong, b Matheson ■■ "» I!. S. Ilodgoraon, b Matheson •■ I*. B. Wood, Ibw, b Player J T. G. Armstrong, c sub., b Player < V. S. lUnßford, c Scott, b Player •• -' B. A. Onyons. not out .. " '„ It. 0. Johnstone, not out •• - Extras • •• "_ ' Total for fix wicltcta ■ • :01 Bowling-A. S. Player three wicket? for IS runs. A. M. Matheson two for 00. L v. Uaere none for 0. V. C. Butler none fcr 1. Anthony none, for 2.

CANTERBURY BEAT OTAGO. HEAD AND MERRITT BOW I- WELL tTHE rEEBB Speci»l Sctvko.l DUNEDIN, February 7. Tho Plunkct Shield mntcli, Otago v. Cant .bury, was concluded to-day, Canterbury winniii" by 260 runs. Canterbury hud lost five wickets !«r 2(il when Nixon (35) and Boon (21) continued InitUii,: to tho bowling of ...100 and Dickinson. Three Wickets Jail. Hoon had just brought 270 up when he was completely beaten by n ml from Alloo, and was clean bowled. 270—6—20. The pair had put on «2 (lurini! tho partnership. Head was tho incomer. In the same over, however, Nixon went out to a catch behind the wickets. 271—7—39. • Alloo \s average was three for 43. In the next over, Dickinson clean bowled Head. 271 8-1. Two Sixes. Merrill joined Erans. who hit tho fust six of the match off Alloo, bringing 21)0 up. Fifteen runs came off the over. Tho same batsman brougltt 300 tip off Dickinson after tho innings bad been in progress for "4 hours 29 minutes. Blamires then replaced Alloo, and Torrance was brought on in place of Dickinson. Merritt Rot well on to a ball from the latter, sending it high over tho fence, and bringing 310 up. In the next over, from Torrance, however, he skied n ball into Blunt s linnilK. air—9—lß. When Cunningham came in. the batsmen settled down to play carefiillv. and wore still undefeated when the luncheon adjournment- came, with tho score at 37(1. Evans having scored 62, and Cunningham ID.

Evans Bowled. In the first over after the resumption Alloo clean bowled Evans, the innings closing for 379. Evans had failed to add to his score, and Cunningham was not out with 22 to his credit. Otago's Blow Scoring. Otago required 413 to win when Blamires and Knight went to tbo wickets, Knight facing Read. Cunningham bowled at the other end. 1" the latter's fourth over, Knight put his leg iu front of a straight ball and was given out lbw. Blamires so far hod not scored. 17—1—11. Alloo joined tho captain, and snicked a ball from Read past Hamilton in the slips after he had scored a 6inglc. Blamires broke his duck when the score was 26. He had been at tho crease for 29 minutes, but had had very little of the bowling. He had added only a singlo when Read got his leg stump. 33—2—2. Blunt Falls to Score. Blunt joined Alloo and started quietly. Before ho had scored be cut a ball from Cunningham on to his wicket. 42—3—0. MeMullan partnered his club-mate. He played an uppish shot off tho first ball, and then cut Cunningham nicely through tho slips, the batemen running four. Fifty Up. Fifty was brought up in 59 minutes, but shortly afterwards Alloo, in attempting a big hit off Read, was bowled. 58—4—27. Blair was the incomer. He brought 60 up with a trio off Cunningham. The same batsman took the score to 70 with a four off Read. Merritt Bowls Well. Mcrritt was brought on in place of Cunningham. MeMullan got a 6inglo off his first ball, and Blair went out to tho fourth and was stumped. 71—5—10. Duncan went to tho wickets, and Nixon was brought on in place of Read. Merritt had both batsmen in difficulties, and Duncan, after surviving the first two balls of his second over, gave Page a simple catch. 78-6—l. Dickinson Missed. Dickinson played the fifth ball of the over into Nixon's bands in tho slips, but the catch was dropped. The over was a maiden, Merritt having taken two wickete for three runs. MeMullan brought his score up to 30 with a four off Merritt, and by lifting the same howler over tho fence for a six he brought 100 up after 106 minutes' batting. The tea adjournment came with the score at 103. to which MeMullan had contributed 38 and Dickinson 6. Another Life. Cunningham and Read bowled on the resumption. Dickinson was missed again in Cunninghams third over. Pago failing to take a catch in the slips. McMullan's innings came to an end when he was bowled by Rc»«124 7—»o Shepherd reached double figure.-, quieklv. and then Dickinson, with a six and a four off successive balls from Read, brought 150 up. Three balls later, however, he was bowled. 101-S-2-\ Merritt Again. Merritt replnrcd Cunningham when Torran» oamo in. and the seventh ball of the over saw Shepherd dean-bowled. 157_9_18 Torrance played the nrst ball of Read's next over on to bis wic-