SHIELD MATCH IN DUNEDIN

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27861, 9 January 1956, Page 10

SHIELD MATCH IN DUNEDIN

Auckland 157 For Six

OTAGO DISMISSED FOR 266 (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, January 8. At the end of the second day’s play, neither team could claim that it had the advantage in the Plunket Shield game between Auckland and Otago, being played at Carisbrook. Otago scored 266 in its first innings, and at stumps on Saturday, Auckland had replied with 157 for six wickets. Play was delayed for 30 minutes on Saturday morning because overnight rain had drenched the pitch. The decision to give the pitch a chance to dry in the warm sun probably had an important effect on the final outcome of the game. The bowlers received little aid from the pitch, but they maintained an aggressiveness which resulted in 11 wickets falling for 271 runs on a batsmen’s wicket. Continuing from the overnight Otago score of 152 for five wickets. Alabaster and Graham were seldom in trouble, although steady bowling by Lissette kept the scoring rate down in the first hour. Alabaster’s Innings Alabaster was confident, and at times aggressive, in increasing his own score from 46 to 81. He was at ease with all the bowlers, but. with the prospect of a century close in only his third first-class innings, he was stumped by Sorenson off a mediumpaced ball from E. Dunn. The young left-hander had impressed with his stroke-making ability, scoring all round the wicket with firm shots. His favourite is undoubtedly the hook shot, which he uses effectively on any bowling pitched short of a length. C. G. Graham, too, used almost every shot in the book in compiling a valuable 46. His positioning for strokes by neat footwork was pleasing to Otago supporters; as was the way in which he treated the offspinner, J. Turnbull, by hitting two 4’s and a 6 in one over.

Although showing commendable aggressiveness at times, Graham took a long time to settle down, particularly against the accurate left-handed attack of Lissette. It was this bowler who kept the scoring rate down early in the day. His accuracy was inadequately rewarded with the capture of only one wicket. The most successful of the Auckland bowlers was E. Dunn, whose medium-pace bowling was accurate, but not spectacular. Perseverance was the keynote to his success, for with seven wickets for 66 from 40 overs, including 11 maidens, he seldom bowled a loose ball. A disastrous start, when J. K. Everest was bowled by Frank Cameron’s first ball, put Auckland, immediately on the defensive. Frame had bowled a maiden to D. L. Perry for the opening over, and caution had to be the watchword. Overton’s Success

Guy Overton was brought on when Auckland had scored 15. He gained an immediate success for Otago by having Perry neatly caught by E. A. Watson at first slip. With two wickets down for 15, Auckland was struggling, but J. B. Morris and B. J. Postles carried the total to 50 before a misunderstanding in running between the wickets caught Postles at the same end as his partner. Morris showed the way to D. D. Taylor, but soon fell to the pace bowling supplied from one end by Cameron and Frame. Smith kept the pressure on from the workshops end by the continual use of the faster bowlers, and bowled himself at the other end.

Taylor, however, was determined in his efforts to retrieve the Auckland position. His watchfulness and ability to punish the loose ball were well illustrated by the seven 4’s he scored in an unbeaten 51, made in a little more than an hour and three-quarters. Hambrook, too. attempted to bolster the unsteady innings. However, he was run out at 22. In what is reported to be his last Plunket Shield game for Otago, Overton gave a characteristic performance by taking the wicket of an opening batsman for 19 runs in 11 overs. Throughout Saturday, the fielding of both teams was exceptionally good. Highlights were the dismissal of Morris by a diving catch by Smith and an agile dive by Morris on the leg boundary to stop what looked to be a certain 4. Others who impressed were Perry and Postles for Auckland. About 2000 spectators attended on Saturday. The weather was sunny and warm. The gate takings were £BO for Friday and about £2OO on Saturday. Scores: — OTAGO First Innings. J. 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, st Sorenson, b Dunn . . 81 C. G. Graham, c Lissette. b Dunn 46 F. J. Cameron, not out .. 19 A. E. Berry, lbw, b Dunn .. 0 W. D. Frame, c Turnbull, b Hambrook .. .. .. 2 G. W. Overton, b Dunn .. 2 Extras (28 byes, 8 leg-byes, 1 no-ball) .. .. 37 Total .. 266 Fall of wickets: One for 3; two for 65; three for 75; four for 86; five for 142; six for 230; seven for 246:

AUCKLAND First Innings D. L. Perry, c Watson, b Overton 10 J.' K. Everest, b Cameron ... 0 J. B. Morris, c Smith, b Cameron 24 B J. Postles. run out .. 18 D. D. Taylor, not out ..51 G. A. Richards, lbw. b Frame .. 7 T. S. Hambrook, run out .. 22 B. Sorenson, not out .. 13 Extras (6 byes. 2 leg-byes, 3 no balls) .. ..11 Total for six wickets .. 157 Fall of wickets: One for 1; two for 15; three for 50; four for 73; five for 93; six for 132.

eight for 246; nine for 256. Bowling O. M. R. W. T. S. Hambrook .. 26 8 53 2 E. Dunn .. 40 11 66 7 J. Turnbull .. 33 12 81 0 D. D. Taylor .. 4 0 10 0 A. F. Lissette .. 16 7 19 1

Bowling O. M. R. W w. D. Frame 13 3 39 1 F. J. Cameron 19 6 44 2 G. W. F. Overton .. 11 2 19 1 E. A. Watson 4 1 5 0 j j D. Smith 15 4 30 0 A. E. Berry 1 0 6 0 W. S. Haig 1 0 3 0