SHIELD GAME IN DUNEDIN

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 10

SHIELD GAME IN DUNEDIN

Otago 152 For Five Wickets RAIN CURTAILS PLAY (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, January 6. Otago gained little advantage from first use of the pitch at Carisbrook today. »in the Plunket Shield match against Auckland. When play ceased for the day at 3.40 p.m., Otago had scored 152 for five wickets. Showers during the day .threatened to cut short the playing time, but it was not until the afternoon tea interval that heavy rain fell. The players raced to the pavilion at the end of the second session and,. as the rain continued, no further play was possible. The final decision to abandon play was made at 5.15 p.m. Rain during the luncheon interval delayed the srart of play in the afternoon, but it did not seriously affect the pitch, though the pace bowlers made the occasional ball skid quickly through. The inability of the Otago batsmen to consolidate their position after gaining initial confidence was again the reason for their failure to capitalise on steady beginnings. The Auckland bowling was not spectacular. However, late in the day. the Waikato left-arni spinner. A. F. Lissette, posed some problems with his steady deliveries. His dismissal of Otago’s L. D. Smith was valuable, however. for Smith had helped G. D. Alabaster to stabilise the batting with a partnership of 56. Alabaster Impresses Alabaster, with his free-scoring style, impressed as one of the most capable Otago batsmen. Playing in only his second first-class game, he showed that an adventurous spirit could gain dividends against bowling that lacked fire. His scoring strokes are confined largely to leg-side shots, which he plays powerfully and frequently,-but he was one of the few batsmen to use his feet to position himself for aggress sive strokes, and this ability contributed to his success.

As in the Canterbury game at Dunedin over the Christmas week-end. it was not until Alabaster joined Smith that any appreciable solidity was noticeable in the batting. Smith again played his part as steadier of the middle batting. At times he played aggressive drives which showed just what a valuable batsman he can be.

Earlier in the innings. E. A. Watson and J. A. Gill had retrieved Otago’s position after T. S. Hambrook had bowled G. M. Aim with a straight ball when the total was only 3. Hambrook gained ample swing with his mediumpaced deliveries, but his success early in the innings was not repeated. The other opening bowler, E. Dunn, was unimpressive in his first, spell, but when changed to the railway end. he infused more fire into his bowling, and quickly disposed of both Haig and Gill, besides racing right up the pitch to catch and bowl E. A. Watson.

Dunn gained little movement off the pitch -or through the air. although he swung the odd ball away from the right-handers. J. Turnbull, however, moved the ball disconcertingly off the pitch at times, and in his first few overs repeatedly beat Watson and Gill. He could not maintain his accuracy, and was later severely dealt with by Alabaster and Smith. The ground fielding and catching of the Auckland team were sound, with D. L. Perry and J. B. Morris most efficient. but lack of pace in chasing balls hit along the ground was a disadvantage. Scores:— OTAGO First Innings ,T. A. Gill, c Perry, b Dunn .. 20 G. M. Aim. b Hambrook .. .. 2 E. A. Watson, c and b Dunn .. ..28 W. S. Haig, b Dunn .. .. 5 L. D. Smith, lbw. b Lissette .. 24 G. D. Alabaster, not out .. .. 46 C. G. Graham, not out .. ..4 Extras (18 byes, 5 leg-byes) .. 23 Total for five wickets .. 152 Fall of wickets: one for 3, two for 65, three for 75, four for 86, five for 142

Bowling O. M. R. w. T. S. Hambrook ..16 6 31 1 E. Dunn .. 23 8 35. 3 J. Turnbull .. 27 11 54 0 D. D. Taylor 1 n 6 0 A. F. Lissette 6 3 3 1