M.C.C. v; WELLINGTON

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 24, 29 January 1923, Page 4

M.C.C. v ; WELLINGTON

BOTH SIDES FAIL

PROCESSION OF BATSMEN,

A most unusual experience in big cricket—that of twenty-nine wickets falling during one day's play—occurred in the M.C.C.-Wellington match at the Basin Reserve on Saturday. It came about as the result of heavy rain on the preceding day, when the match was scheduled to commence, causing the wicket, which hacT been subjected to a very careful preparation, to be very soft ancj^sticky. Saturday was quite fine for the match, but the wicket had been drenched to such an extent that the improvement in the weather had. not time before the commencement of play to make the pitch anything like suitable to the batsmen. To them batting was rendered a baffling proposition, and there were iew who were able to survive for any length of ■time the puzzling, nature of the deliveries, sometimes "submarining," somatimes bumping high, and seldom lacking danger. It was a p bad day for batsmen, but their fall—the M.C.C. as well as Wellington—did not deprive'the spectators, between 3500 and 4000, of the interesting afternoon that they anticipated. Certainly the run of play was quite different from expectations, but with its long procession of batsmen to and from the pavilion it was something new, as well as entertaining. To the bowlers and the fieldsmen it wa's a day out, and they excelled themselves. " Calthorpe, Gibson, Freeman, Brand, Brice, M'Girr, and Ber-. nau all took a hand in the bowling, and all took, wickets. Equal to the best of their efforts was Wellington's display of fieldirgj—much keener than has been seen from" a local team for many a day. As detailed in "The Post" on Saturday, Wellington batted first and were dismissed for 104. The visitors^ in their first innings, met an almost similar fate; scoring only three more runs than their opponents. Wellington batted again and could only manage another 104 for the loss of nine' wickets. THE PLAY. When "The PosV' went to press on Saturday, the visitors had just commenced their reply to Wellington's first inning s score of 104. The opening had been disastrous, Wilkinson being dismissed by Brice's first' delivery—l.b.w.' Titehmarsh and Lowry were, however, doing well, 10-12, and the wicket appeared to be improving slightly. It was not long, however, before the balls began to play up on it, as they had done with Wellington. Neatly-executed strokes by both batsmen, ' partial to cuts, through the slips, /kept the score moving at a fast rate, the total reaching 30 in twenty minutes. Bernau was more expensive than Brioe, his first three overa accounting for 22 runs. The fourth had a very different result, the last ball being tipped by Titehmarsh into the safe hands of Brice at first slip. Titehmarsh had batted well. . 36—2—21. ■„ When Chapman appeared on the scene, the crowd waited expectantly. Would he, a batsman of. considerable note, overcome the conditions under which others had failed ? He opened quietly, yet confidently, but before he had much.chance of scoring he saw Lowry and Calthorpe dismissed. ■■Lowry, after failing to hit oile ball of Brice s fifth over, was caught, off Bernau, the stroke being similar to that which had dismissed several of the Wellington batsmen—a catch to the fieldsman at short, "silly" mid-off. 37-—3—- • 15, Calthorpe gave s Kortlang a hard chance in making his first stroke," and two balls later he was clean' bowled by Bike. 38—4—0. VISITORS ALSO FAIL; With the visitors also (overtaken by the tide of disaster, the spectators found new interest in the game. It was even made entertaining to them, as Hill-Wood showed his discomfiture in facing Bernau. Chapman was more at ease, but after scoring three singles he had a narrow escape from being caught at short leg. The ball was just out of reach of the fieldsmen, and it was just hard enough to produce 4. A feature of the play was the keen fielding by the home team. Careful play graduaUy carried ■ the total to 50, after fifty minutes' batting, and further quietness was at length broken by Chapman, who sent a ball from Brica past point to the boundary. ' HillWood was unable to last any longer, being clean bowled by Brice. 58—5—4. CHAPMAN'S DISMISSAL. ; Mac Lean filled the vacancy, and open-, ed with a 2, whereupon Collins called upon M'Girr to bowl in place of Bernau (two for 31). It was a happy decision. M'Girr caused a stir among the spectators by getting Chapman's wicket with his first delivery. Chapman sent the ball to the danger spot ("silly" mid-off)," and Kortkng accepted on easy catch. 60—6—18. Hartley -was next,,, and • nearly went without scoring, tipping a ball from M'Girr to the wicketkeeper. It was not held. 'The next incident was a fine effort by Kortlang to make a catch. He' just failed, and MjjGirr did likewise in his next over, jumping for the ball and stopping it but failne to gather it up as it fell to the ground. Hartley did jiot last long. After scoring 2, tipping the ball past the wicketsj he was beaten by Brice. Seven for 65 wag anything- but a bright outlook for the visitors when, the tea adjournment was taken. EIGHT FOR 70. After the tea adjournment, Brand accompanied Mac Lean to the crease, and opened out to Brice. Mac Lean adopted similar tactics. The fruits, however, were small, each batsman getting a single from Brioe's uncompleted over, and Brand falling to a good catch by Hiddleston in the outfield, off M'Girr's fourth ball. 70—8—1. Gibson filled the vacancy, to see MacLean succeed in driving M'Girr to the boundary. The newcomer badly misjudged in hitting- out to the first -ball he faced from Brice, and exhibited a little more caution with subsequent deliveries. Mac Lean, however, notched a 4, which took the v M.C.C total past 80. With that there was a resumption of aggressive tactics. From M'Girr's fourth over, four runs were obtained, after which Mac Lean. sent two successive deliveries from Brice away to the boundary, the over (Brice's fourteenth) producing 11 runs. The total was taken to 98, when Mac Lean lost his wicket in the same way as Brand—caught in the outfield by Hiddleston, off M'Girr. 98—9— 29. WELLINGTON'S SCORE PASSED. With the score only six runs short of that made by Wellington, there was some excitement as Freeman, the last man,' made his way to the crease. Gibson, however, having run for the catch which dismissed Mac Lean, -took strike to M'Girr, and, with a big hit, he brought the M.C.C. total to 104—equal to that of Wellington. The ball was sent over the. on boundary for 6, and the effort vrp.a loudly appkudod. A siiigle divaetly afterwards s^P. tha visitors the lead or

the first innings. The end was then awaited, as Freeman faced M'Girr, but he was, equal to the task, and "broke his duck with a single. Again, as he faced Brice, the crowd' w.as expectant, but Freeman was not to be beaten. Another sinsrle, and Gibson took strike to Brice. This time he was beaten, and with each side having completed an innings and the visitors three runs ahead, the game was at a decidedly interesting stage. The visitors had occu- , pied the crease for only an hour and a half, leaving Wellington in the unsatisfactory position of having to bat again for nearly two hours on a wicket that was still unfavourable for the batsmen. A shower of rain during the interval did not improve matters for Wellington's second effort. Details :-jM.C.C. First Innings. Wilkinson, Ibw, b Brice . 0 Titehmarsh, 422113413, c Brice, b Bernan 21 Lowry, 141111213,- c Dempster, b Bernau 15 Chapman, 11141121141, c Kortlang, b" • M'Girr 18 Calthoxpe, b Brice 0 Hill-Wood, 211, b Brice i Mac Lean, 2211344414111,. c Hiddlesto^; b M'Girr 29 Hartley, 2, b Brice 2 Brand, 1, c Hiddleston, b M'Girr ... 1 Gibson, 2131161, b Brice 15 Freeman, 11, not out... .2 Extras '. L 0 Total .... ; 107 Fall of wickets: One for 0, two for 36, three for 37, four for 38, five for 58, sbc for 60, seven for. 65, eight for 70, nine for 98, ten for 107. ■ 0. M. R. W. Brice" .... 15 2 52 5 Bernau .'.. 9 1 32 2 , M'Girr '. .' .5 I 23 3 WELLINGTON'S SECOND EFFORT. At 4.45' p.m., Wellington commenced their second innings, Hiddleston and Baker being the opening batsmen. Calthorpe bowled from the northern end, j and Hiddleston obtained a 3 (through ! the slips) off the fourth ball. The same batsman cant the first ball from Gibson (bowling from the other end) to the off boundary, and a couple from a stroke which beat the two slip fieldsmen. -After Baker had played through Calthorpe's second over without, scoring, he fell a victim to the first ball which" he faced from Gibson, a confident appeal for a catch behind the stumps being upheld. 11—1-0. Kortlang joined .Hiddleston, and showed no desire, to lose his wicket as cheaply as in the 'first innings. A number of deliveries were treated with the "care which they demanded, and then Kortlang opened his account with a straight drive to the boundary, subsequently increasing his tally to 9 by. well-placed strokes. Hiddleston, meanwhile, had been shaping confidently, and had .17 to his credit. It was then that he was beaten by Calthorpe, Wellington's total being 29. 5... Tattersall, who >had carried his-bat in the 'first innings, \vas .sent in to assist Kortlang, but found the latter unable to connect with a good ball from Gibson. 29—3—9. Wellington were thus faring worse than in their first innings. There was evidently hope that they would do better, as Collins decided upon Grant as the next batsman The principal batsmen would be more useful for. the. second day's play, but as matters, turned out, they were required before the drawing of stumps. Tattersall, and Grant succeeded, to some extent, in 1 stemming the rot. By the exercise of much care, they held out for 1 some tinie, .although Grant on one or two occasions "popped upV a rising ball,' fortunately i too close in for a catch to be made by the fieldsmen, who were gathered, round that batsman. Tattersall was inclined to use, more punch, but scoring w,as exceedingly slow. The quiet period was broken only by a good straight drive \vj Tattersall which produced 3. When ths total was 35 Freeman,, the slow bowler, who had not been required in the .first innings, was tried in place of Calthorpe. (one for 22). The change did not .disturb Tattersall, who made some good scoring strokes. In playing Gibson the j batsman also became more confident, and I it was not long before the score reached. SO (time occupied, 54 minutes). . j .'/ HOPES RISE AND FALL. Another bowling change, Brand going on in place of Gibson (two for 15), had the desired result. In sending down his first two deliveries Brand was "no-ball-ed." Before completing the over, however, he clean bowled Grant. 54—4—7. I Collins came next, but it was only to see Tattersall, who had played soundly, dismissed by a catch off Freeman. 54— 5—17. Bernau joined Collins, and by the confident manner in which the pair shaped-hopes were entertained that there would be a stand. Runs came slowly until, with the total at 66, hopes were dispelled. Collins, in attempting a. forceful shot past cover, was dismissed by avery fine catch by Calthorpe, not before the fieldsman had juggled with the ball. 66—6—2. M'Girr's opening stroke gave promise of a turn of the tide. Big hits were made by Bernau and M'Girr, »and in running 4 for a forceful stroke by the latter, M'Girr somersaulted in making sure of getting to the crease. That was the finish to his brief display, as he was itumped from the next ball. 79—7—7. NINE FOR 104. Dempster, who came next, assisted Bernau in effecting, an improvement. By well-placed strokes at intervals the score was increased at a- fairly good rate, considering the circumstances. Dempster obtained a couple of 4's, one resulting from a smart return by Chapman, which the wicket-keeper failed to stop, and Bernau followed up a 4 by sending one of Brand's deliveries away over the bowler's head for 6. At 98, Calthorpe replaced Freeman (two for 27), and Bernau quietened down. Dempster brought the score to 100 (after 94 minutes' batting) by a cut through the slips. The next ball from Brand found hjs stumps, but his lack was in, the umpire having called "no-ball." Bernau was not so fortunate in Calthorpe's next over, sending a catch to Chapman! 102—8—21. It was not long before the time for drawing stumps when Brice took his place at the crease. However, he was deprived of a chance of batting. In attempting to run three for a stroke by Dempster he was just too slow in getting to the crease, and for the second time in the match he was run out. That was the end of'the day's play, Wellington having reached their first innings total (104) for the loss of nine wickets, Dempster 16 not out. Details:— .. -. WELLINGTON. First Innings 104 Second Innings. t * Hiddleston, 3421412, b Calthorpe ... 17 Baker, c Mac Lean, b Gibson 0 ' KorMang, 423, b Gibson 5 Tattersall, 3221131211, c Brand, b' Freeman 1? Grant, 111211, b Brand 7 Collins, 11, c Calthorpe,'b Brand ... 2 Bernau, 211224621, c Chapman, b Calthorpe ■ • 21 M'Girr, 124, st Mac Lean, b Freeman 7 Dempster, 1414222, not cut 16 Brice, run out Extras (byes 24, no balls 11) ... 6 Nine wickets f0r.... '. •• 104 Full of wickets: One tot 11. tw° f°l' 29, Jhifisi ior 29, four for 54, five forj

54, six for 66, seven for 79, eight for 102, nine for 104. <■ 0.. M. R, .W. Calthorpe -„... 8.5 2 24. 2 Gibson 9.4 15 2 Freeman 8 1 27 2 Brand 7 — 30 2