BIG CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1927, Page 19

BIG CRICKET

MELBOTJENE Y. WELLINGTON LOCAL TEAM'S INNINGS CENTURY FOR KORTLANG Although Wellington's batting performance against the Melbourne Cricket Club's .team'at the Basin Reserve. yesterday was marked by a considerable amount of caution, the play had several interesting features and it was not devoid of sparkle. The Badcock-Kortlang partnership provided half an hour of dashing cricket, the coach in particular opening out to the bowling, which had been treated with great respect. There were some other bright patches, but generally the. play was on the slow side. Kortlang and Badcock each gained the distinction of reaching the 1000 mark for a season's batting, and the former scored the first century against the visiting team, his effort being another illustration of the value of a man who can keep one end "plugged up." Hiddleston also contributed well to the score, and was unfortunate in not reaching the century. Without Kortlang, Hiddleston, and Badcoek Wellington might have been in a very poor position, as those three players were responsible for over 75 'per cent, of the total runs. The bowling was well varied and demanded cautious treatment, Warwick Armstrong in particular giving the batsmen much thought PLAY IN DETAIL. At the fall of the fourth wicket Kortlang was joined by Foley, the Institute lett-hander. A smartly-run single started the newcomer's score. ' By this time Ebelmg had bowled his nineteenth over, and with the score at 163 he was relieved by Warwick Armstrong. Foley realised two from the captain's first delivery and added a single later in the over, both strokes being to leg. Kortlang kept his end going steadily. There came a period of brisk scoring when Foley hit a couple of Armstrong's deliveries to leg for four apiece, and Kortlang . red seven runs from two balls from Hendry. This state of affairs, however, did . not last long. When facing Armstrong again. Foley was bowled by a ball which he did hot attempt to play, and which glanced from his pads to the wicket. 189—5—13. BADCOCK LIVELY. .» Badcock was quickly under way, and, with a boundary hit, he shared with Kortlang the distinction of scoring 1000 runs in a season. ■ Further scoring shots gave Badcock double figures, while Kortlang also improved his score. Smart running between the wickets was now a pleading feature of the play. Prom 200, which total was reached after 210 minutes' play, the score mounted to 220 in fast time. Another bowling change was then made Jewell being brought on in place of Hendry (no wickets for 52 runs in nineteen overs). Badcock was in forcing mood, and he continued to rattle on runs, though he was fortunate on. one occasion in that a no-balj. was called when he lifted the leather to cover. When the tea adjournment was taken the score was 235 for five wickets—Kortlang 80, Badcock 32. RISKY RUNNING. Ebeling bowled from the northern end after tea, Badcock sending his first delivery between cover and point to the boundary. A leg-glance realised a single, and Kortlang then drove a ball to the off for four. In running one for a shot close in, Kortlang had a narrow escape from being run out. Jewell parried on . . the southern end, his first over after tea costing only a single. A splendid drive by Badcock to the boundary placed Wellington beyond the 250-mark.

At this stage the batsmen were taking risks between the wickets, and the result was that Badcock was run out. During a stay of just over half an hour at the crease Badcock compiled 42 runs in dashing .style, his score including seven fours/ The partnership was" fulTof life,: arid duced 64 runs at the rate of two per minute. 253—6—42. , . '

M'Girr joined Kortlang, and started off with a series of forcing shots, though, he could only realise singles, two of which were run at some risk: With a straight drive off the fast bowler M'Giir registered I a boundary, and he obtained another in lifting a ball over.^oint. Kortlang was 1 holding his end up, without getting many j r runs, but after a time he lost M'Girr, who in attempting to lift Jewell to leg sent an easy catch to 'he bowler. M'Girr had made 18, including two fours. 277 —7—lß. KORTLANG OUT. Lambert filled the vacancy, arid soon opened his account. For a period, however, the scoring was confined to singles. Kortlang had nassed the 90-mark, and when his total was 05 he gave a hard chance in the slips, the first of his innings. Just previously he had narrowly missed Being struck on the head by a bumping ball fom Ebeling. The run of singles was broken when Lambert made a good shot through .point to the boundary. With the score at ,293, Ebeling, who had bowled 27 overs for two wickets at a cost 0f,107 runs, was relievec' by Onyons, and a; drive off this : bowler gave Kortlang his century. Immediately afterward. 1 Kortlang elected to "have a go," only to find that the change of policy cost him his wicket. He attempted a big hit off Jewell, and was clean bowled. Kortlang had played a sound and valuable innings for his side, keeping one end going while the score was advanced from 18 to. 296. His score of 100 included nine fours. 296— B—loo. . , Brice ,was next and started with a hit to square leg for four. Onyons then accounted for Lambert, Hendry assisting the bowler with a catch in the slips. 300— 9-9. Beard was the last man, but in lifting a ball to the on he was caught by Sandford. The innings closed at 5.20 p.m. for 300 runs, Onyons I'aving been successful in disposing of the tail-enders. Jewell and Johnstone each took two wickets at comparatively small cost. Ebeling's two were expensive. T. G. Armstrong did not have a hand in the attack, being spelled on account of a slight injury. Hendry had no

success, and Warwick Armstrong took only on» wicket, though he had the batsmen thinking all the time. Before stumps were drawn; Badcock bowled an over for Wellington. Jewell and Campbell were the opening batsmen for Melbourne, and the former scored a couple of fours from the over. Details:— WELLINGTON. First Innings. Hiddleston, lbw, b Johnstone SI Hollings, lbw, b Ebeling ,'. S. Kovtlang, b Jewell 100 Lamason, b Johnstone 0 James, c and b Ebeling 10 Foley, b W. Armstrong '. 13 Badcock, run out ......... .... 42 fM'Girr, c and b Jewell .....]....[... 18 Lambert, c Hendr*- b Onyons 9 Brice, not out '" 4. Beard, c Sandford, b Onyons ....... 0 Extras: Byes 7, leg-bye 1, no-balls . 4 ••■• 12 Total ■........• 300 Fall of wickets: One for 18, two for W> three for 142, four for 161, five for 189, six tor 203, seven for 277, eight for 296 nine for 300, ten for 300. ' •

■ MELBOURNE. First Innings. Jewell, not out ; g Campbell, not out o No wickets for ..: ~g Bowling Analyisis.-Badcock'took' no wickets for 8 runs.

Boivling Analysis. t> ; ■, o. m. r.-. w. Kansford 7 1 iy . Ebeling ■........,.„■.'. 27 1 109 2 Heudry .... ; .... 19 5 52 _ W. Armstrong 17 6 .43 1 Johnstone 10 2 33 2 Jewell ...! 10 — 31 2 Onyons 1.4 J_ 3 9