BENEFIT DAY FOR FAST BOWLERS

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33421, 31 December 1973, Page 16

BENEFIT DAY FOR FAST BOWLERS

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON.

What M. G. Webb achieved for Otago in the Plunket Shield cricket match at the Basin Reserve yesterday, E. J. Chatfield was able to do even better for Wellington.

That was the essence of the first day’s play as pace bowlers turned the game into a batsmen’s procession, with the fall of 18 wickets.

Wellington collapsed against Webb and his medium-pace team-mate, G. Powell, and was dismissed for a modest 121. But Otago struggled even harder against Chatfield and was 85 for eight at stumps. Chatfield, aged 23, in only his third shield game, took five for 26 from 13 overs. Webb continued a great record against Wellington in shield matches at the Basin Reserve and finished . with five for 48 from 13.4 overs. FIVE AN INNINGS In 1969-70, Webb had match figures of eight for 77, and in 1971-72, in Wellington’s only innings of a rainaffected match, he took seven for 49. So in less than three games, he has 20 wickets at an average cost of 8.7 runs and a striking rate of five wickets an innings. It was difficult to explain the diffident batting of either side, for the conditions appeared to be favourable. Indeed, some questioned the wisdom of the Otago captain, R. Hendry, in putting Wellington in to bat when he won the toss.

But Webb backed up his gamble by having B. Middleton out in the first over, and in the fourth he had G. A. Newdick caught behind by B. D. Milburn. START OF COLLAPSE R. G. Smith and G. P. Bilby struggled through to the 60s but neither was confident. Bilby was especially unconvincing, and during his stay of 85 minutes he might have been out several times. Smith, after making 24 (the day’s top score), went after 101 minutes and this triggered off a collapse. B. D. Smith, P. B. McGregor and Bilby followed quickly, leaving Wellington six down for 68. Only H. A. Morgan, hitting five 4s in his 22, showed any sort of aggression, and once he was out, spectacu-

larly caught by R. W. Anderson, retrieving the ball with his left hand when it dropped from his right, the Wellington innings quickly folded. UNDERRATED BOWLER Powell gave Webb good support with his in-duckers, and he also got five wickets. He looked innocuous, and it was probably this, and a desire to get away from the pressure of Webb, which caused the Wellington batsmen to underrate him. Otago went along sedately for almost an hour, but ran into bother in the 30s. The aggressive left-hander, W. D. Blair, was caught behind from Morgan’s 10th delivery, at 32. One run and one over later, R. O. Collinge bowled Anderson round his legs. Another run later Chatfield relieved Collinge and began his remarkable run from the southern end. He had immediate success when the patient R. N. Stewart, who batted 75 minutes for his nine, edged a catch to I. J. Therkleson. TRIPLE SUCCESS At 49, and in his sixth over, Chatfield removed the dashing H. C. Sampson, just when Sampson was beginning to look menacing. Then, in his tenth and eleventh

overs, Chatfield had a triple success, sending back Hendry, Powell and W. K. Lees. Chatfield’s burst left Otago 64 for seven, and the procession continued when B. Smith, in his first over, had Webb caught by Therkleson. Chatfield’s were the outstanding figures of the Wellington bowlers, but almost as spectacular were those of Morgan. Eight of his 11 overs were maidens, and of the 21 runs taken from him, 16 came in one over when Sampson produced a string of fine drives. WELLINGTON First Innings G. A. Newdick c Milbum b Webb 13 B. J. Middleton c Lees b Webb . . 0 R. W. Smith c Lees b Powell 24 G. P. Bilby b Webb .17 B, D. Smith c Sampson b Powell 3 P. B. McGregor lbw b Powell 0 H. A. Morgan c Anderson b Powell 22 I. J. Therkleson b Webb .. 4 T. Vaikvee b PoweU .. 6 R. O. Collinge not out .. 8 E. J. Chatfield lbw b Webb 5 Extras (b. 7, l.b. 5, n.b. 7) 19

Total 121 Fall of wickets —l, 23, 60, 66, 66. 68, 87. 106, 121. Bowling.—Webb, 13.4, 2, 48. 5; Thomson, 7,3, 9. 0; PoweU, 14, I, 45. 5. OTAGO First innings W. L. Blair c Therkleson b Morgan 22 R. N. Stewart c Therkleson b Chatfield 9 R. W. Anderson b Collinge . 0 H. C. Samson c B. Smith b Chatfield .17 W. K. Lees c Bilby b Chatfield 8 R. Hendry c BUby b Chatfield 0 B. D. Milburn not out .. 15 G. Powell b Chatfield . 2 M. G. Webb c Therkleson b B. Smith 3 S. Boock not out 2 Extras (b. 1, l.b. 5, n.b. 1) 7 Total (for 8 wickets) .. 85 Fall of wickets.—32, 33, 33, 49, 61 62, 64. 73. Bowling.—Collinge. 9,2, 30, 11 Chatfield, 13, 5, 26, 5: Morgan, 11, 8, 21, 1; B. Smith, 3,2, 1, 1.

slm offer.—The world heavyweight champion, George Foreman, has been offered SUSIm ($NZ670,000) to defend his title against Jerry Quarry on March 25. Golfer die*.—A 60-year-old Australian professional golfer, • E. Cremln, collapsed and died while playing golf at the Singapore Island Country Club on Saturday.