Turner in great form, hits his 49th century

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33739, 11 January 1975, Page 36

Turner in great form, hits his 49th century

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN. Desperately needing a win in its final match to have a chance of taking the Plunket Shield, Otago’s hopes ran high when Glenn Turner scored an immaculate century against Central Districts at Carisbrook and the side made 295 for five declared.

But those hopes were dashed a little as Central replied with 80 for one wicket after batting for 87 minutes on a pitch which proved to be docile and true. When lan Snook won the toss and elected to give Otago first use of the pitch, it seemed as if he had made the correct decision. Captain deceived The pitch was green, appeared hard, and the atmosphere was heavy enough to suggest his seam bowlers would cause the Otago batsmen all kinds of trouble, at least during the morning session. Instead. Otago had scored 113 without loss at lunch, Turner and the 17-year-old lan Rutherford having posted their century partnership in 132 minutes and showing no signs of being troubled by the bowling. Fine placements Alistair Jordan and Lance Cairns used the new ball, but Jordan found the pitch had no real life and Cairns, bowling steadily in his spell of 12 overs, rarely beat the bat.

The first 50 runs came up in 75 minutes, and Turner went to his half-century in 105 minutes. His boundaries

were few but he was able to keep the score mounting as a result of fine placements to either side of the wicket.

The century partnership came up after 28 overs and Otago was so comfortably

placed that it was certain that after lunch the batsmen would take more risks. And so it proved.

Rutherford opened out immediately and began to match Turner’s run rate. But after he reached his 50 in 165 minutes. he lofted David O’Sullivan to the long-on boundary to reach 58 and then was caught trying to repeat the stroke. 145-run stand The pair had put on 145 for the first wicket in just over three hours, but Central did not have to wait long for a second wicket, Robert Anderson crashed three fine boundaries and was then legbefore to Jordan in the bowler’s first over of a second spell.

Turner was next to go, caught behind off Jordan from the only casual stroke he made in his fine innings of 105. His stroke play, parti-

i cularly his square cuts and on-drives, had been a delight. It was his forty-ninth century in first-class cricket.

Henry Sampson scored 36 of the first 50 runs he and Keith Campbell added in 62 minutes, and Sampson’s 50 came up in only 61 before he was caught behind off Jordan with the total 269. Jordan took the bowling honours with four for 78 off 17 overs. Central began its reply in

exciting fashion. Graham Edwards hooked Thomson for two fours in the first over and collected another three boundaries off the same bowler in his next over. But Thomson had the final say. With the first delivery of his third over he bowled the stocky young batsman. Central was one down for 22, Edwards having made all ibe runs to that stage.