Patient Century By Pakistani Coach

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30947, 31 December 1965, Page 15

Patient Century By Pakistani Coach

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN.

An innings of 111, monumental in patience as well as in total, by the Otago professional coach, K. Ibadulla, saved his side from disaster on the first day of the Plunket Shield cricket match against Auckland at Carisbrook today.

Ibadulla, who opened was ninth man out after being at the wicket for more than five hours. His score included 12 boundaries.

Otago was dismissed for 216. R. S. Cunis took the bowling honours for Auckland with five wickets for 48 runs. In the 40 minutes left for play Auckland lost the wicket of R. I. Harford for 24.

The pitch was true and lifeless, giving the pace bowlers no lift and curbing stroke play. The ball rarely came through much above half the height of the wickets. Ibadulla and G. D. Beer gave Otago a fair beginning by putting on 38 in the first hour after only 10 in the first 30 minutes.

The Auckland pace attack, handled by Cunis and R. E. Sutton, with D. J. Millener later to come in as the change, was quick to sense there could be more profit from bowling wide of the offstump than at the wickets.

Beer Caught The tactics paid dividends, for Beer, after making 23 and looking to be welil settled in, was caught at slip off the bowling of Cumis. The bowler should have had Ibadulla caught at slip earlier when the total was 27 and the batsman only on eight. G. M. Turner was held down to 10 runs in an hour and then opened out against J. T. Sparling, hitting the off-spinner for two successive fours. The Auckland captain had come into the attack just before noon and pinned the bats-

men down with fine control of flight and spin. Turner’s wicket fell when he played across the flight of a Sparling delivery and was bowled before lunch, which was taken with the score at 91 for two.

After lunch the Otago middle order crumbled. S. N. McGregor, R. Hendry and G. D. Alabaster all went quickly to the CunisSparling combination and the score slumped to five for 103.

P. C. Semple was quickly into his stride, the first batsman to look like taking charge of the attack. He wa-s bowled by a beautiful ball from Sutton when the score was 138 and his total 16.

From then on it was a question whether Ibadulla would reach his century before running out of partners. He received the necessary support from he bowlers N. T. Woods and F. J. Cameron. Auckland opened with R. M. Harris and R. I. Harford, who replaced T. W. Jarvis in the batting order. Jarvis was suffering from a bruised forearm muscle, but will be able to bat tomorrow. Scores: OTAGO First Innings K. Ibadulla, c R. Harford, b Cunis ..111 G. D. Beer, c Behrent, b Cunis .. . 23 G. M. Turner, b Sparling 18 S. N. McGregor, b Cunis .. 4 R. Hendry, c Behrent, b Sparling .5 G. D. Alabaster, c Harford, b Cunis 0 P. C. Semple, b Sutton .. 16 J. C. Alabaster, run out .. 4 N. T. Woods, c R. Harford, b Millener .. 19 F. J. Cameron, not out .. 7 B. D. Milburn, c Morrison, b Cunis .. 0 Extras (7 byes, 2 leg-byes) 9 Total .. ..216 Fall of wickets: One for 18. two for 90, three for 97, four for 102, five for 103, six for 138, seven for 152, eight for 185, nine for 216.

Bowling O. M. R. W. R. S. Cunls .. 20.4 6 4S 5 R. E. Sutton .. 17 4 44 1 D. J. Millener 24 12 44 1 J. T. Sparling 31 16 43 2 R. W. Morgan 8 1 28 0 AUCKLAND First Innings R. M. Harris, not out .. 10 R. I. Harford, c Milburn, b Cameron .. 11 R. W. Morgan, not out .. 2 Extras (1 no-ball) .. 1 Total for one wkt. .. 24 Fall of wicket: One for 20. Bowling 0. M. R. W. F. J. Cameron 6 3 9 1 N. T. Woods .. 4 1 12 0 J. C. Alabaster 2 0 2 0