OTAGO CLOSE TO BIG WIN

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33425, 5 January 1974, Page 30

OTAGO CLOSE TO BIG WIN

(New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH. Otago had won a commanding position with one day’s play remaining of its Plunket Shield match against Central Districts at Fitzherbert Park.

After heading Central by 100 runs on the first innings, Otago pressed home its advantage by .capturing seven wickets |for only 121 at the close.

The pitch offered no help to the bowlers, but the Central batsmen certainly offered their wickets cheaply to the Otago attack. Otago began the day needjng 81 runs to overhaul 'Central’s first innings of 161, but found itself in trouble to the bowling of A. D. Jordan and D. Morland, and was five down for . 112. CAPTAIN’S INNINGS Then, R. Hendry, the Otago skipper, and the hardhitting Powell came together in a partnership of 108 for the seventh wicket. Both reached their halfcenturies, Hendry with 64 and Powell with 56, and this was a stand which Otago badly needed and got. Central began its second innings in disastrous fashion. In the first over, G. Edwards, attempting to hook M. G. Webb, was caught by S. Boock at mid-wicket. This was a bad ball by Webb, well outside the off stump, and •an equally bad shot by Edwards. Worse was to follow. AV. Burtt was the next to fall, in the next over, a victim of Thomson, and Morland was not long in following Burtt

back to the pavilion. From ) another delivery by Webb outside the off stump, he 1 waved his bat, got the edge,, and B. D. Milburn behind the stumps took the catch. NEAL BEATEN Central was three down for 11, and it soon became four for 23 when D. Neal, out of touch this season, was completely beaten by a delivery from Thomson. The Central captain, I. Snook, joined the young R. Pierce, who looked the only batsman able to stem the tide. Both applied themselves well, running short singles, and the partnership was worth 60 before Snook was beaten by G. Powell. Pierce completed his halfcentury but lost his wicket six minutes before stumps when he felt for a Webb ' delivery, again outside the off stump, and Milburn took the catch. Otago took nine bonus ■ points, four for bowling and five for batting, and Central one for batting and four for i bowling. [ ’KEEPER’S SUCCESSES i Despite his team’s troubles.) the day was a personal triumph for the Central wicket-keeper, R. Schofield. With his four catches in OtagoX first innings, he surpassed the previous number of catches for Central by I. Colquhoun. Schofield has 102. Later, batting in the second innings, Schofield passed another mark when he took his batting figures to more than 1000. CENTRAL DISTRICTS First innings 161

Second innings G. Edwards c Boock b Webb 0 D. Morland c Milburn b Webb 5 W. Burtt c Blair b Thomson 5 D. Neal b Thomson . .3 R. Pierce c Milburn b Webb 50 1. Snook b Powell .. . 31 R. Schofield c Lees b Boock 20 R. Ellis not out o R. Wylie not out 0 Extras (bl. Ibfii . .. 7 Total for seven wkts 121 Fall of wickets.—o. 9. 11 23. 83. 117, 121. Bowling.—Webb. 15 2, 50. 3; Thomson. 7. 2, 17. 2; Powell, 9. 2, 23. 1; McKechnie, 2. 0. 10, 0; Boock, 4. 0. 14 1. OTAGO First innings W. Blair b Jordan . .44 H. Sampson c Ellis b Wylie 10 R. Anderson e Schofield b Morland . 25 B. Milbuyn c Schofield b Jordan .. .18 W. Lees b Morland .. 0 R. Hendry lbw b Ellis .. 65 B. McKechnie c Schofield b Jordan 11 G. Powell c Snook by Wylie 56 M. Webb c Schofield b Ellis 10 S. Boock b Ellis .. 1 G Thomson not out . . L Extras ibfi. Ibll nb4) .. 21 Total 261 FaU of wickets.—39. 69, 111. 111,112,135,243.250.258. Bowling.—.lordan 24. 1. 79 3; Wylie, 11. 0. 56. 2; Ellis. 10.2, 2. 32. 3: Morland. 20, 8. 53, 2: Brown, 3 0. 20, 0.