Second Day’s Play DAMP, DARK, DEPLORABLE

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32234, 28 February 1970, Page 13

Second Day’s Play DAMP, DARK, DEPLORABLE

It was a dark, damp day of dismal cricket at Carisbrook yesterday, when the Australians passed Otago’s 182 with seven wickets in hand and went on to reach 293 for four at close of play.

And it was a close the spectators must have welcomed as much as the Otago fieldsmen.

The only relief from utter boredom was provided by G. Chappell, who hit hard and made many handsome strokes while scoring 82, from a hint or two of violence from M. G. Webb, and from a determined spell of bowling containment by K. 0. Campbell. Otago was hindered by a wet ball and damp run-ups. rain having reduced the morning play to 23 minutes, but after tea the game lost all hint of quality, partly because of. some strange tactical manoeuvres by the Otago captain, G. D. Alabaster. The bowling descended to the standards of junior schoolboys, and with it went the fielding. WEBB BOWLED OUT The most interesting aspect of the day was the mystery of J. C. Alabaster’s exclusion from the attack, when untalented performers bad to be called upon. G. D. Alabaster decided, quite properly, that conditions did not suit, his own bowling, nor that of the legspinner, J. C. Alabaster, and that left him only with Campbell, an earnest but not greatly gifted bowler of medium pace. He then bowled M. G. Webb out and kept Campbell going until he almost dropped. He bowled himself very little until late in the day and J.

C. Alabaster did not have an over all day. Perhaps conditions were not helpful to J. C. Alabaster, but he would surely have been a better proposition than L. R. Pearson, who had a spell of near-wides and full tosses, a display which coincided with disinterestedfielding which gave away runs regularly. RUNS PRESENTED It was a deplorable display, and although G. R. Davies reached a quite dazzling halfcentury in 91 minutes, his runs were presented to him in heaps by some of the worst bowling seen in any firstclass match in this country for| a long time. The cold weather was un-i pleasant, but most of the Otago players were far too ready to accept that the tide! of affairs was turned against them, Campbell bowled tightly for a time but as the day wore on he lost his accuracy and was hammered hard. Webb’s hostility was shortlived. He had to bowl too much in conditions which clearly concerned him, and his steady reduction to medium pace did not bring with it improved accuracy. He had more than half his bowler’s century taken from him between mid-wicket and fine, leg. G. D. Alabaster was all' full tosses and long hops. LUCKY ESCAPES The Australians added 12 in 23 minutes before rainl halted play. Only four morel had been made after lunch! when D. Chadwick, hooking, was caught on the leg side by 1 B. D. Milburn off Webb. Chappell began dread- , fully. He mishit his first ball i from Webb most inelegantly; just over the heads of the' short leg fieldsmen, and the next hall he had. also from Webb, was again in the air. between point and gully '■ Thereafter, Chappell’s in-’ nings was a flower in this I desert of incompetence. Inverarity batted comfortably for 282 minutes, reaching his century just before close of play. OTAGO First Innings •... .. 182 AUSTRALIA First Innings D. Chadwick c Milburn b Webb .28 S. Trimble e Turner b Webb 0 A. Turner c Milburn b Webb W J. Inverarity not out 100 G. Chappell lbw b Campbell 82 G. Davies not out .55 Extras 1 wide, 5 byes, 2 leg-byes, 4 no- ; balls) . .12 Total for 4 wkts 293, Fall of wickets: One for 10,j two for 31, three for 55. fouri for 183. Bowling.—Webb, 17, 1, 101. 3; I Campbell, 21, 4, 76, 1; J. C. Ala-! baster, 1, 0. 3,0: G. D. -Alabas-f ter, 10, 0, 47, 0; Hutchison, 6,0, | 30, 0; Pearson, 6,0, 24, 0.