Test pair’s 180-run stand rescues faltering Otago

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33111, 29 December 1972, Page 16

Test pair’s 180-run stand rescues faltering Otago

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN.

Magnificent centuries by the test pair, B. E. Congdon and K. O. Campbell, saved Otago from humiliation at the hands of Central Districts, after it had won the toss and opened its Plunket Shield match at Carisbrook on a fairly docile pitch yesterday.

Otago was dismissed for 250, and with Campbell making 111 — his highest score in firstclass cricket—and Congdon getting 105, the scoreboard presented an astonishing sight.

None of the other Otago players reached double figures in the face of an attack which was tidy enough, but never really menacing.

Congdon and Campbell

came together after A. B. Jordan and B. L. Cairns sent back G. M. Turner, W. L. Blair and R. W. Anderson in less than 30 minutes and at. a cost of only 21 runs.

Otago record

But the Central bowlers had no more success until 20 minutes before tea, when Congdon was bowled off his pads by Jordan with the total on 201. The fourth-wicket stand of 180 established a new record for Otago in first-class cricket.

The bowling hero for Central was the right-armed Jordan, who took seven for 82 off 20.5 overs, and ended the Otago innings by magnificently catching Campbell off his own bowling.

But Central Districts also began badly. In the 50 minutes remaining before the close of play: it lost three wickets for only 17 runs.

Comfortable start

There was nothing to suggest that 13 wickets would fall during the day when Jordan and Cairns took up the attack against Blair and Turner.

There was less to suggest it when Turner, in Jordan’s second over, majestically square-drove him to the fence for the first boundary of the game. But, in the same over. Turner edged a catch to second slip and D, W, Neal made no mistake.

With his next delivery, Jordan had Anderson glancing the ball into the safe hands of J. H. Howell at leg slip, and Otago was two down for seven. This was the last delivery of the over.

Slow off pitch

Congdon came in and faced the first delivery from Jordan’s third over with the fieldsmen clustered around the bat, sensing the chance of a hat-trick. But Congdon back-cut the ball to the fence and 10 more runs were to come off the over. When Blair went for seven, Otago was in a sorry plight

on a pitch all in favour of the batsmen, except that the ball was coming through a little slowly. Congdon and Campbell proceeded to show just how comfortably the attack could be handled. Both watched the ball carefully, especially the late out-swinger from Jordan, and Cairn’s in-swing from the other end.

By lunch they had carried the score to 87, their 50 partnership coming up in 70 minutes. The rest of the innings belonged to them, and to Jordan and Cairns, the only other wicket-taker. He took three for 60 and did not have a run scored off his first seven overs.

Unusual dismissal

The 100 partnership came up in 163 minutes and soon after Congdon reached his 50 without a semblance of a chance. Indeed, he did not give a chance all through. His century was scored in 245 minutes and included eight fours, and he was dismissed in rather unusual fashion.

On 105, he was struck on the pads and there was an

appeal from Jordan for legbefore. While Congdon watched for the umpire’s decision, the ball trickled back on to his stumps, dislodging a bail.

Campbell took much longer over his century than did Congdon, but he was placed in the position of trying to hold things together after losing his partner. His 100 took just over five hours and he hit 12 fours. He added another two boundaries before being last man out.

Central’s reply was a most shaky one, none of the batsmen being comfortable against either J. A. Cushen or in particular, B. Andrews, who swung the ball from the off very late across the batsmen. OTAGO First Innings W. L. Blair c Neal b Cairns 7 G. M. Turner c Neal b Jordan .6 R. W. Andefson c Howell b Jordan 0 B. E. Congdon b Jordan .. 105 K. O. Campbell c and b Jordan . 11l W. K. Lees c Schofield b Jordan 0 C. R. W. Dickel lbw b Cairns 9 G. D. Alabaster c Schofield b Jordan .5 G. A. Powell c Schofield b Cairns .. 3 J. A. J. Cushen b Jordan .. 0 B. Andrews not out .. 0 Extras (4 leg-byes) .. 4 Total 250 Fall of wickets: One for 7, two for 7, three for 21, four for 201, five for 201, six for 212, seven for 235, eight for 238, nine for 239.

Bowling 0 M R w Jordan 20.5 3 82 7 Cairns 21 9 60 3 Howell 11 4 18 0 O’Sullivan 22 5 41 0 Shrimpton 12 0 45 0 CENTRAL DISTRICTS First Innings D. H. Payton not out 10 P. B. Coutts c Anderson b Andrews 1 H. C. Sampson c Congdon b Andrews 1 R. C. Schofield b Cushen 3 M. J. F. Shrimpton not out .. 0 Extras (2 byes) .. 2 Total for 3 wickets .. 17 Fall of wickets: One for 6, two for 12. three for 17. Bowling O M R W Cushen 6 4 8 1 Andrews 6 1 7 2