Auckland loses chance to dominate Otago

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32803, 31 December 1971, Page 24

Auckland loses chance to dominate Otago

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN. Collapsing dramatically, to be all out for 210 after being 179 for one, Auckland surrendered what appeared as a commanding position on the first day in its Plunket Shield match against Otago at Carisbrook yesterday.

At the close, Otago was 64 for one, and in a far sounder position than could have been expected as late as 3 p.m., when Auckland had still to lose its second wicket.!

Fortune first began to turn against Auckland when its opening batsman, ,R. M. Harris, 'was struck on the face when attempting to turn a delivery from M. G. Webb. The ball glanced from his bat to his face and he was taken to hospital for observation.

BURGESS RUN OUT At the time Harris was on 53, and Auckland’s total was 97 without loss just after lunch. The second blow Auckland

suffered was when its captain, M. G. Burgess, was run out when he was taking control of the bowling. He had made 34 and had seen Auckland’s total go to 179. But lack of fortune had nothing to do with the ultimate collapse of the innings. A fine spell of off-spin bowling by the Otago captain, G. D. Alabaster, who finished with five wickets for 64 off 26.3 overs, allied to the good support of J. C. Alabaster, brought disaster to Auckland. The Otago captain had his share of ill luck, too. In his first over Harris gave two reasonably easy chances to slips, but the reliable G. M. Turner failed to get a hand to either. He appeared to be standing in a bad position to sight the ball coming from the edge of the bat.

ONE POINT EACH Auckland’s total was 23 when the first edge came, and 27 when the second chance was offered. From then on, and until Burgess was run out when backing up too far and being sent back by his partner, R. W. Morgan, Auckland looked fully capable of building up a big total. As it was, each team had one performance point during the innings. Auckland took a batting point in the sixty-second over and Otago a bowling,point in the next with Burgess’s dismissal. I

Auckland lost six wickets for the addition of only 171 runs. Alabaster’s off-spin accounted for the wicket of Morgan in the same over that!

Burgess was dismissed, and then the rot set in. LATE DECISION

Of the other Otago bowlers, Webb mustered some fine speed at times and beat the bat often, but he was not particularly accurate in his opening overs. However, he was suffering from a stomach upset and a decision as to whether he would play was taken only just before the toss was won by Auckland. Otago lost an early wicket when J. Williams caught and bowled W. L. Blair for two, with the total 16, but Turner and R. W. Anderson, although both were pegged down by the bowling of H. J. Howarth, played out to the close.