OTAGO’S GOOD START

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25135, 17 March 1947, Page 5

OTAGO’S GOOD START

CRICKET

Brilliant Innings By Sutcliffe record score against M.C.C. From Our Own Reporter DUNEDIN, March 16. Establishing a new record score for a New Zealander in matches against toe M.U.C. teams, ti. Sutcliffe was the dominating figure o n the first day of the match between Otago and the visiting English side at Carisbroou yesterday. SHtclifle opened the innings and made 197 beiore he was dismissed a few minutes beiore stumps. Sutcliffe played practically every shot in the game and with the assistsnce of exceptionally quick and neat footwork executed each with a delightfol ease and grace. It was Sutcliffe’s first game against an international side arid by this one innings he attained his cricketing majority. There was a morning freshness about his batting and although he had a life at 6 and two more late in the bay his innings was a cricketing classic. When play began there was no wind and a heavy haze hung oyer the ground. Smith and Washbrook were emitted from the English team and Voce, all wrists and shoulders, bowled a maiden to Hadlee. Bedser opened at the other end and Sutcliffe began his scoring with a regal cover drive to the boundary. In Voce’s third over, Sutcliffe was dropped by Edrich in the slips but 20 was raised in 23 minutes, and Sutcliffe after the manner of his illustrious namesake, appeared quite undisturbed by his narrow escape.

The gloom of the morning translated to a certain extent to Hadlee’s batting, and although he was never really scratching it was no surprise when he was caught in the slips in Pollard’s first over with the total at 35.

About the same time, a fresh wind sprang up, cleared the haze away in a moment, and then died away again for the rest of the day. The light was better afterwards, and in the last hour there was bright sunshine. G. H. Mills joined Sutcliffe, and shortly after Wright bowled for the first time. His lopms run and his high-flung arms caused an echo of the laughter heard on many Australian grounds this summer Mills had some luck at Pollard’s expense and just before lunch Wright bowled four exceptionally good balls to Sutcliffe, the batsman exhibiting real doubt for the firs* and last time during the day At the interval, the total was 79, Sutcliffe being 44 and Mills 17. Sutcliffe Goes on* After lunch, Sutcliffe twice cover drove Bedser to the boundary in the first over Pollard was accurate, but Sutcliffe repeatedly forced him off his toes for singles and twos between silly mid-on = and short square leg. Yardley bowled for the first time, and the 100 was raised in 110 minutes. Mills was finding the going a little heavy, but he continued to play a passive role with good effect. Edrich also had a shprt spell in which Mills was dropped by Bedser at square-leg. Further quick changes were made in the bowling, and a quieter spell followed. Mills batted an hour after lunch for six, but Sutcliffe pulled Wright, who had replaced Yardley, and Compton Jet it through to the boundary. His appetite whetted. Si’tc]|ffe swept the next ball beautifully fine for four and off-drove the next one -cleanly to the fence. 13 coming from the over. The partnership realised 100 in 112 minutes, and Otago’s stocks were high. Mills was dropped off Voce in slips at 27, but was bowled when he played all over one from Pollard, which came back a little from the off. The pair had scored 119 in 129 minutes, a fine achievement, and Mills's 32. although it contained few strokes to remember, gave Sutcliffe a solid foundation on which to build his personal cricketing monument. A. W. Roberts was caught behind the wicket off a shorter one from Bedser with only one run added, but R. Robinson stayed with Sutcliffe until tea. Sutcliffe, although batting confidently, was on 92 for half an hour, but reached his century shortly before the interval whenme on-drove a slower one from Pollard high into the crowd. > On resuming. Robinson was beaten by a ’ball identifical with the one which bowled Mills. The pair had added 48 in even time, and although Robinson had some moments of doubt, he played one magnificent cover drive off the back foot which reached the height of the batsman’s art At this stage, Sutcliffe was in even better form than in the morning. Wright could not turn the ball much, but Sutcliffe was not troubled by the flighted ones, which hiing a little in the air, timing them to perfection. His new partner, D. St. John, was bowled by Bedser with the score at 224, and shortly after the new ball was taken. L Smith, the next batsman, was worried by Bedser, who was running the ball away sharply. Voce also had a turn before the shine had disappeared from the ball, and Smith touched one that was leaving him to Edrich in the slips. Sutcliffe hooked a short one from Voce powerfully to the boundary to break J. L. Kerr’s record score against M.C.C. teams of 146 not out. He continued to bat beautifully, but Edrich at square leg dropped him off Pollard. Partnered by J. O’Sullivan, Sutcliffe began driving. cutting. and hooking superbly. Bedser had bowled really well with the new ball, but Sutcliffe hit successive balls from him to the boundary with the most elegant of cover drives. He also punished Pollard, who was tiring, and managed to keep O’Sullivan away from the strike to a large extent. This manoeuvre was not so much an act of a batsman battling against bowlers as the exercising of the royal prerogative to be in command. With his score at 176, Sutcliffe pushed one back at Wright, but a simple catch was dropped when the score was 293. O’Sullivan was bowled by Pol«rd, the ball again coming back from me off. In his partnership with Sutcliffe he had helped to score 44 in 32 minutes, of which his own share was a modest but invaluable four, 300 Raised The 300 was raised in even time and Sutcliffe seemed likely to reach his second before stumps. Edrich came on at the railway end and, m his second over, Sutcliffe reached 197 with a glorious hook to the boundary. A moment later, however, Edrich bowled turn with a slower one well short of length. Sutcliffe tried to turn. the ball away quietly, but sent it back towards the bowler. Edrich made ground quickly to accept the catch. k Sutcliffe’s innings was magnificent. He never seemed hurried, but made his tuns in 313 minutes. . Only three minutes’ play remained, but L W. Gallaway played Edrich’s first ball on to the wicket, and at stumps Otago had lost nine for 322. Hadlee may well declare at this total, but in the meantime the last Otago bats®an, g. W. Overton, and Edrich have time to ponder upon the possiof the match being made more noable by a hat trick. «J? e English team was. colourful in the “eld, although a surprisingly big number ox mistakes were made, and not only with catches. Voce bowled well for two or three overs at a time, but was too wten short of a length. Wright received no assistance from the wicket, and Bedser n ? t Particularly impressive until after n although he had bowled quite well. tiM. O earned his reward by his perEffently good length and direction. The Jacket-keeper, T. G. Evans, made one or Mve S miStakes but effected some glorious

PrS? erally the English bowling looked 6ooa, and on a rather more lively wicket m_ Wou l d have been excellent. The umP g^ are Messrs P Thomson and H. Drees.

J?* 31 for nine wickets . • 322 t»ft ♦ fa!l of wickets w’as: one for 35, five J^ 4 - three for 155, four for 203, 3 r 224 - six for 249, seven for 293. tight for 322. nine for 322.

friendly match beat Springston by 39 runs in over n, aiy mat ch played at Springston 103 University scored Spring? ( Hunter 38. Rawstron 17). For 19 rune artne H took four wickets for ton scnJSoMusson two for 23 Springsfor Uni,, Wright 18). Chief bowlers and Were Collins, five for 10 «awstron three for 16.

OTAGO w Fit st Innings A Hadlee, c Hammond, b Pollard 12 Sutcliffe, c and b Edrich .. 197 JH-Mflls. b Pollard 32 R' n Hooerts, c Evans, b Bedser 0 n c* Hobinson, b Pollard 17 r‘ c£.£ ohn - b Bedser 6 J W c Edrich, b Voce .. 12 A b Pollard 4 I W ‘ JJ c P ou gall. not out 5 w Gallaway, b Edrich 0 “yas (byes 12. leg-byes 18, noballs 7) .. .. 37 —

BOWLING Voce Bedsit Pollard JriSht & O. • .. 14 . .. 25 . .. 29 . .. 19 • .. 3 . .. 4.4 M. 2 2 4 0 1 R. 51 67 89 60 7 11 W 1 2 0 0 2