CRICKET Otago Makes 82 In Second Innings

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30036, 22 January 1963, Page 14

CRICKET Otago Makes 82 In Second Innings

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, January 21. Otago succumbed almost ingloriously in its second innings of the Plunket . Shield match against Wellington at Carisbrook today with the pace bowler, R. W. Blair, ripping the heart out of the batting. Otago was dismissed for 82 runs before lunch.

Wellington had a winning margin of 239 runs and its victory was assured from the time the first over of the day was bowled. The opener, R. I Long was dismissed without addition to the overnight score of 16 without loss.

From then until a grand last-wicket stand between the injured J. Hill, the last batsman in, and L. R. Pearson, the bowlers did as they liked against an opposition which showed little or no fight. Pearson was rarely troubled by the attack when scoring his 43 runs, and Hill kept his end up by refusing to be intimidated by any of the bowlers or the ring of fieldsmen who surrounded him during his 38 minutes at the wicket.

The dominant figure of the morning's piay was Blair, who was twice within sight of a hat-trick while dismissing four batsmen within the space of five deliveries. Blair led the Wellington team in th? final session of play in the absence of J. R. Reid, who was nursing an injured groin muscle. Blair took the wickets of S. N. McGregor and L. A. Watt with successive deliveries and then missed a chance of his first hat-trick when be bowled a bumper lacking direction to T. Flaws.

He had Flaws finely caught in the slips by G. T. McConnell with his next delivery and then had J. C. Alabaster lbw immediately after. F. J. Cameron steered his next ball through the slips and the second hat-trick chance went astray. Blair bowled with excellent control but without many signs of real hostility on a wicket that played as well as it did for any time of the match. Otago's lamentable

batting was the foundation for his success. . , The Wellington bowlers second wicket of the day was that of S. N. McGregor, who was caught at the wicket off his gloves and walked toward the pavilion without awaiting the umpire's decision. This was more than just another dismissal for Blair, because this wicket brought his tally in Plunket Shield cricket to 300. Play was adjourned twice during the session when heavy showers drove the players off the field for a few minutes each time, but the weather was fine when the last wicket fell. Scores:— WELLINGTON First Innings ..Ml Second Innings (for eight wickets declared) .. IM OTAGO First innings •• IM Second Innings R, A. Holloway, c Haskell, b Blair •• K R. I. Long, c Bilby. b Morrison .. .. J R. Hendry, run out .. • S. N. McGregor, c Barton. b Blair .. • • 3 L. R. Pearson, c sub., b MeConnell •• «* L. Watt, lbw, b Blair .. # T. Flaws, c McConnell, b Blair .. .. • J. C. Alabaster, lbw, b Blair • F. J. Cameron, c Haskell, b Blair .. .. » R. G. Anderson, c Dick, b Morrison .. • • ? J. Hill, not out .. .. 4 Extras (1 bye) .. 1 Total .. .. «3

Fall of wickets: one for 16, two for 22, three for M. four for 33, five for 33, six for 39. seven for 39, eight for 55. nine for 56.

Bowlint O. M. R. w R. W. Blair .. ia 8 31 • W. J. R. Haikel! 3 1 7 0 B. D. Morrison it a 43 1 G. T. McConnell 1.4 i • 1