PLUNKET SHIELD

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 112, 4 February 1933, Page 13

PLUNKET SHIELD

Canterbury Makes 272 FIRST INNINGS SCORE Otago Two Wickets for 53 BADCOCK CONSISTENT By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Feb. 3. After an overnight drizzle, the wicket was easy when the Pluniset Shield match, Otago v. Canterbury, commenced *t Carisbrook this morning. The weather was very threatening earlier, but when play started at 11.10, conditions improved greatly. Canterbury won the toss, the opening batsmen being Kerr and. Powell, but the former soon fell to a good ball from Smith that swung from the off and took the leg stump. Powell and Roberts were very restrained against the bowling of Dickinson and Smith, but when they had been relieved by Badcock and Dunning, Powell delighted the spectators with some vigorous hitting. The Otago skipper set a leg trap, but Powell counteracted this by lifting him well Into the outfield. Playing very attractively, until he was caught in deep field by Moloney, he had one life, and the score included six fours and one six. Only 19 runs had been added when Dunster was bowled by Badcock after having given an easy chance to Chettleburgh off the same bowler at silly midon. The century came up after 97 minutes’ play, at which time Page and Roberts were playing very carefully. Rapid Bowling Changes. Rapid changes of bowling’were made by Badcock, but although the batsjnen had some uncomfortable moments the score mounted slowly, Roberts reaching 50 after being at the crease for 106 minutes. The coach was bowling very well, and several times had both Canterbury men badly beaten, while after lunch Dunning also was throwing down an awkward break from off. , When Roberts had scored 56 he patted back an uppish one from Badcock, and Dunning hurled himself on the ground to take a beautiful catch. A total of 138 runs was on board, and Badcock had taken three for 38. Roberts always waited for the right ball to hit, and hit it hard, using principally a forceful square cut. The partnership yielded 57 runs. A few balls later Page got under one from Badcock, and was well caught at long on by Coupland. Page was in over an hour for his 16 runs, and was never very comfortable. Five wickets were down for 143. Cromb and Bellamy scored slowly against very accurate bowling, and the latter had only 7 runs on when he stepped in front of a straight one from Dickineon. 169 —6 — 7. With Cromb and Merritt together the rate of scoring livened up, and both batsmen played attractive shots all round the wicket. When 200 runs were on the board Smith was brought on again with a new bail, and in his second over got Cromb leg-before with one that swung in from the leg. The partnership had added 47 runs in, 30. minutes and provided the brightest batting of the day .until his dismissal.' Cromb did not look like going out. and attacked all bowlers with confidence. He occupied the crease for 70 minutes. Merritt’s Aggressiveness. Seven wickets were now down for 216 runs. Merritt continued in Characteristically aggressive fashion, and, partnered by O'Brien, carried his score to 50 before he fell a victim to Dunning, who took a brilliant catch off bis own bowling. The remaining batsmen did not last-long and the innings closed with the score at 272. Of this total 31 were extras. due largely to the great amount of leg-theory bowling. As usual, the burden of Otago’s attack fell on the skipper, Badcock, who bowled 42 overs, including, 18 maidens, for 74 runs and six wickets. Whether he was exploiting the leg or offtheory, he was consistency itself and had every batsman in difficulty at once stage or other. Although he secured only one wicket, Dickinson, the express bowler, was in fair form, and was unfortunate in that the wicket didn't suit, him and in having a number of catches missed. Of the remaining trundlcrs, the most successful was Smith, who got. a fair turn of speed and an awkward swing, accounting for two important wickets. The Otago fielding had a good number. of faults, but it was fortunate that the catches dropped did not affect Canterbury’s score to any great extent. Confident Commencement, Otago’s opening pair wore. Knight and Zlavanagb, who commenced in confident fashion to the bowling of Cromb and Burrows. They were very comfortable and ecored freely until Merritt was brought on. The googby bowler soon bad the batsmen in trouble and bowled Cavanagh with the last ball of his first over with a well-disguised off-break. ‘ Knight put up some opposition for a time, but was beaten when he had scored 20 by a similar ball, making no attempt to play it as it appeared to be going well outside the off stump. For the loss of no further wickets 53 runs were up when etumps were drawn, the not out men being Moloney and Leader. Cromb, who bowled 10 overs for lo runs, maintained an excellent length and frequently whipped in from off with disconcerting sharpness. The Canterbury fielding was very keen, except for one lapse, when three separate overthrows came from one ball, enabling the batsmen to run four where only a single should have been scored. Detailed scores ate ns follow: — CANTHRBURX.—First Inniugs. Kerr. b. Smith " Powell, c. Moloney, b. Badcock .vb Roberts, c. Punning, b. Badcock •»> Dunsterj b. Badcock ‘ Page, c. Coupland. b. badcock lb Cromb, 1.b.w., b. Smith oEellamy, 1.b.w.. b. Dickinson ‘ Merritt, c. and b. Dunning M O’Brien, c. Dickinson, b. Badcock .... I'l Burns, c. Dickinson, b. Badcock ■' Burrows, not Out 9 Extras '.. ci Total

OTAGO.—First Innings. Knight, b. Merritt 20 Cavanagh, b. Merritt 10 Moloney, not out !> leader, not out 5 Extras 0 Total for two wickets 53

Bowling .Analysis. W 0. At. K. Dickinson .... 21 7 40 1 18 74 G Smith • 8 IB * Dunning < 23 7 51 1 t'oupland .... 10 3 30 0 1 13 0 Chettleburgh .. 2 0 17. 0

Bowling Analysis. 0. M. R. W. Cromb .10 »•» 15 0 Burrows 2 0 6 0 0 8 0 Merritt 8 1 15 *>