AUCKLAND V. OTACO.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 85, 3 January 1908, Page 6

AUCKLAND V. OTACO.

PLTJNKET CHALLENGE ' SHIELD MATCH.', (by XELEGEArn —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) '

. Auckland, January 2. ' : Tho weather was favourable for the opening day of ;tlio . match between Auckland and Otago, .which'is' being played m the Domain.'' The r wicket _ was in' fairly good order,'-' but did\ not materially assist, either the -bowlers .or. tlio batsmen, ■ the ball failing to rise much. . Over'lsoo were present in tho afternoon. The contest is tho second for tho Phink'ct .Challenge Shield, and the first to he-held in Auckland. Lord Plunket arrived oti tho, gronnd shortly after 3 o clock; and watched tho ganio for some considerable time. The teams,--are :— . .THE TEAMS. ' ' ; , ' Auckland—L. 'G. 'Hemus, W. B. Smith, A E. lielf,"A. 'Haddon, E. V. Salo, G. oum- • tilings, L. Prime,"'C. Olliff,; A. Robinson, A' /Kerr, ■ • and'P. White. - , •>•.,, ' Otago—C. G.'- -Wilson, (captain), G. G; Austin, A. , Adams, ,T. Adams, H. G. Siedeberg,'R. C.:Torrance,,A. Eckhold, A. Eckoir, W. M.. Mackersey, I!., Williams, F. O. Watson, arid W. Kilgour (substitute). , THE • PLAY. '• Auckland won tho toss, and elected to hat. Hemus and Brooke-Smith ' opened the' batfcitigj' Torrance and Eckhoff bowling. The Hemus and' Brooke-Smith opened, the batscore up to ten. Hemus then opened his score by snicking one to the off.' The opening ball-of Ecknolf's next over nearly cost Hqmus his wicket', , tho bowler running up a second too ' lato. i.ln Torrance s next overßrooke-Smith. lifted, ono to the boundary very finely. ~ Wilson, who was fielding.... cleverly, ...twisted his ankle,, at this, stage, and'., had to retire after, about, twenty-fiyo minutes' play, tho score being 28. Sicdeberg nowkacted as captain. Brooke-Smith scored raths gnipkly; not 'so Hemus, whose total was only nine for forty minutes' f 'batting. With-- the score at 4.2, Torrance was • replaced. by. Austin. • The Otago fielding became keen, and the play became slow. ' Sixty-three a'ppeared T on the board, as "a ; qf' the . hour's - play. Hemus was now doing' , most of the scoring'. 1 At . 71, . the' -second -.change in. tho . howling ''ivas '■ made, '■ Mackersey replacing 'Ecklioft. 'At the luncheon -adjournment,' : 1.30, the scoro stood at 86, BrookeSmith .beini 47' and'Hemus 36. Shortly afterwards, Tickhoff again went on bowling. The century was hoisted, as the resnlt of an hour and twenty minutes' play. Both tho men no\v appeared thoroughly'at home, and Brooke-Smith especially punished the bowling. ' Mackersey. again' went on in place of Eckhpff.''His second ball was hit up by Hemus'-to ' A.' Adams; at : cover point, and .the 'chanco was accepted;., Us—l—4l'. • Relf was • the next man in. His partner Bcored freoly. • Torranco was given another chance.'with, tho , ball' of Austin. Brooke-Sniith'lifted a, ball from Mackersey ..for six, the feat being greeted with cheers. ■A .few runs later Watsdribrilliantly' caught Brooke-Smith near the" : boundary. The retiring batsman's score included seventeen 4's and orio 6.' He had been batting two hours and ten'minutes.' The board showed 170—2 —no. - ;

The'vacant creafo was filled by, the -Aucklarid.skipper Haddon....'He played three balls ahd'.'.ti'ied 'to> glance the ■ fourth ball' to. leg; biit. the 'wicket-keeper went out a'hd,niade a very fine catch. 170—3—0.

' Sale'partnered the Englishman Relf, who had ''not" been 'taking anychances, 1 ' but i was showing some pretty, cricket. Before • tlie newcomer' had scored ho glanced Mackersey on. ' 173—4—0. ' - '

.rCumniings was-'tho sixth man inV He operied'his score with'a trio'to. the off, sending'up 180 on the board. A further'change wbs'. irinde.'in the bowling, Austin' replacing Torrance/ Belt brought his score up to 30 with an off drive-to the pavilion "boundary. .CumniirigG-'got, into'-double 'figures quickly; Rclf did not last long after the afternoon tea adjournment.. Ho had been doing a lot of running between the wickets, and attempted a third run, but a smart return -by Austin; beat him; ' 214—5—42.V. . 'L, Prime was the newccmer. Shortly af.torwtvrds Torrance beat Cummings. 223—6— 16. Olliffi followed. Play had.been slow for some timo. Before! Olliff had opened an account lie got in front of the wickot to Torrance, arid was.''out'. ',225^7—0. Robinson, 1 .who filled the vacated crease, hit oiit freely. Pie .gave a bad chauco to 'Eckhold, : who-failed to-hold'the'ball at th(S' second attempt. . Robinson's life was not spared long; for next' ball he wiis out l.b.w. 233-8—1! . ' . : !'i!''\;. !: " '-.Kerr was the'.Jnoxt' man. to .. bat. At '247-Eckhoff was'put! on, and Mackersby given a spell. '-'Play...continued, slow, the batsmen playing principally defensive,'crick'ot. Kerr square-cut ono and Austin mado. a good attempt, but the ball was a little too high. Shortly afterwards/ however, he lifted one to the outfield, whpre A. Adams brought off a,(me catch: l .'. .262^-9—5. " "White was the last 'man in. Primo added

thrco by snicking Eckhoff through the slips. White broke his duck with a co.uple to tlio slips. ; A'_ couple of S balls later the innings onded, Prime's-stumps being_ scattered .'by Torrance. ZG^IQ—2S. • ' 'At; seren..minutes''to six Williams and A. Adams -filed oilt 'to bat, Relf and' Haddoii trundling. Relr with his third ball scattered Williaps s. wickets just'on tlie call of time. , •' AUCKLAND. . . . 'Fibst.lnnings. • L. G; Hemus, c.. • Adams, b. Mackersey 41 W. B. Smith, c'.. Watson, b.. Mackersey 110 A. E. : .Relf,'run 0ut..." "... ..." 42 A. Haddon, c.'Williams, b. Torrance ... ■ 0 E. V. Sale, b. Mackersey'... ..'. ... 0 G. .Cuirimings, b. Torrance 16 L. Prim?, ,b. Torrance ... ... ... 25 C. Olliff, l.b.iv.j b. Torrance ... 0 ,W.. Robinson, b, Torranco ... 7 A. Kerr", .is. Adams,' b; Eckholf 5 P. White,, not,out ... ' •' 2 ' ■ '.'Extras ... . ... ...' .19 ... Total ..... . 207 Bowling Analysis. .Overs, jfdns. Runs. Wkts. Torrance .;..30.4 } "11 ' .62' 5 .Eckhoff.', ... 21 . 7 . 52 , 1 . Austin ... 17 . 3 . .54 0 ' 26 . 6 80 . 3 OTAGO. .. • " , First Innings, F. Williams, b. Relf ... • 1 A. Adams, not out ... ... ... ... 0 .Extras ... .-' ... ••... 0 Total, for one wicket ... , ... 1