MELBOURNE TEAM

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1927, Page 14

MELBOURNE TEAM

PLAY AGAINST CANTERBURY (By Telegraph.— Press Association.) CHRISTCHUiCCH, 4th March. The Canterbury representatives and the Melbourne cricket team commenced a match at Lancaster Park to-day. C. Olliver and Talbot were unable to play for Canterbury, and were replaced by Gregory and Patrick. Warwick Armstrong was still absent from the visiting side. The weather was perfect, the wicket looked a first-class one, and it played true and fast. Canterbury's total of 316 was a very creditable performance, for there was little or no luck in it, practically every chance that was given being taken. The visitors themselves were impressed by the Canterbury batting, and it certainly, was a good knock to put on 346 against a really strong bowling side. Ebeling was the outstanding figure among the Melbourne bowlers; the others were all of good average merit, but of a class that never—or hardly ever —had the batsmen stuck up, but relied largely on the batsmen getting themselves out. Ebeling always looked dangerous; considering his pace, he kept an excellent length and direction, and he occasionally got a little off turn that left the batsmen standing. Patrick; Boon, and Merritt were unlucky enough to encounter them, and in each' case the ball looked as though it might bowl any batsman. Eansford captained the visitors, whilst Page led the Canterbury men. Page won the toss and elected to bat. Gregory and Hamilton opened, but Gregory soon went lbw. 14 —I—9. Patrick, who followed, had his leg pin knocked out of the ground first ball. 14— 2—o. Page followed, and neither batsman looked happy with Ebeling, whose fast deliveries were not relished. Hendry then went on at Ebeling's end, the latter bowling from the pavilion end. Page soon reached double figures and sent 30 \ip. Hamilton reached double figures and then alt a long hop for four, sending 40 on the board. This was the signal for a change in the bowling, and T. Armstrong replaced Ebeling. Johnston bowled in place of Hendry, and a single gave Hamilton 20, Page getting to the same figure a moment later. The Canterbury skipper off-drove Armstrong finely for four, and cent 60 up by banging a full toss to the pickets. Singles took the total along to 70 and Hamilton drove Johnston to the off for four; he repeated the-shot, and sent 80 up. With the total at 91 Ebeling replaced Armstrong, and in his first over Hamilton was caught by the wicket-keep-er, standing back. Nixon joined his skipper, and Sandford replaced Johnston at the south end. In Ebeling's next over Nixon got a nice four to fine leg, sending 100 up for an hour and fifty minutes' play. Page off-drove the fast bowler nicely for four, and then the luncheon adjournment was taken with the total at 107

On resuming, Hendry bowled from the south end, and Nixon got him to the leg boundary and off-drove him for another four. Ebeling bowled from the other end and seven came oH the over, including a nice three to leg by Nixon. Page reached 50 with a lovely straight drive for four. The applause was renewed when Nixon off-drove the fast bowler for another Tour. Page got a lucky four for a leg snick, and with some sharply-run single 3 play was very interesting. A single gave Page 60, and sent 140 up, and he then off-drove Hendry finely for four. Nixon reached 30 with a nice square-cut to the fence, and 150 went up. lluus were con-ing freely. Nixon cut the i'as^t bowler beautifully for four, and Page drove him past point for another boundary. Nixon got Ebeling past cover with an off-drive tor four, and a fine leg boundary to Page sent 170 up. Still another 4 came to Nixon for a lovely ofE-drive. At 178 Armstrong replaced Jibeling, and in his first over Page edged out to one and was smartly stumped. 178—4 .—77.

Koberts joined Nixon and opened with v dangerously-run single. Johnston replaced Hendry, and this change also came off, Nixon giving an easy catch in the slips. 181—5—45.

Boon went in and the scoring became slow. After some uneventful play Boon opened his account with an oif-drive ior four and two similar strokes to Roberts put the latter into double figures. Then Boon lifted Johnstone over tuo fence for 6. Thia brought 200 up for 3 hours 5 minutes' play. Hoberts got a tricky four through the slips, but after some slow play he lifted one to mid-olf, where Ebeling made no mistake about the catch. 214—0—10.

Evans filled the gap and Sandford replaced Johnstone. Evans got the new bowler to the on for 3, and Boon lifted Sandford for 6. At 241 Ebeling replaced Armstrong, and Evans late cut him for i. At 248 Jewell bowled in place of Sandford, and Boon got 3 for a nice cut. He sent 260 up with a lovely stroke behind point. After the tea adjournment Jewell bowled from the south end and Boon reached 50 with an off drive for 2. He got a 4 through the slips next ball and a single sent 270 up. Boon got Ebeling to the off fence, but then the express bowler clean bowled him. 270—7 —59. Read was the next batsman, and he scampered for a Bingle off the fast bowler. Armstrong replaced Jewell, and Head off drove him for 4 and lifted him to the ona for another i. Sharply-run singles kept the score moving, and Read sent the third hundred up with a 4 to the on. It had taken i hours 20 minutes. Evans off drove Ebeling for 3 and Eead lifted Armstrong to the off boundary. He then put one into Johnstone's hands at cover. 311— 8—32. Herritt opend with a single, and Evans twice drove Armstrong to the off fence. In Ebeling's next over he beat Merritt ■with a good one. 327 —9—2. Cunningham was the last man, and he broke the ice with a sharply-run single. Evans straight drove the fast bowlcs* for a well-run 3, and this took him past the 50 mark. Cunningham got a nasty crack on the hand from the fast bowler, and then got him to point for 4. The innings closed by Evans being run out. A total of 346 had been reached in- five hours. Jewell and Campbell opened Melbourne's innings at a quarter to six. Head bowled a maiden to Jewell from the south end, but Cunningham was not so lucky. Campbell ■ hit him for three 4's and a 3, and Jewell got a single—l 6 eff the over. The last ball of Read's next over clean bowled Jewell. 18—1—3. Rogerson followed, . but Read in Mb third over clean bowled Campbell, and stumps were then drawn for the day. Scores: — CANTERBURY. j First Innings. G. R. Gregory, lbw, b Ebeling 9 T. M. Hamilton, c Campbell, b Ebeling 45 W. R. Patrick, b Ebeling 0 M. L. Page, st Campbell, b Armstrong 77 D. C. Nixon, c Hendry, b Johnston 45 A. Roberts, c Ebeling, b Armstrong .. 19 C. E. Evans, run out 54 W. K. Boon, b Ebeling ' 50 E. J. Read, c Johnston, b Armstrong 22 W. E. Merritt, b Ebeling 2 W. Cunningham, not out 8 Extras 11 Total 346 Bowling Analysis.—H. I. Ebeling took five wickets for 102 runs; T. G. Rogerson, none for 5; T. Armstrong, three for 93; R. C. Johnston, one for 44; H. C. A. Sandford, none for 22; R. Jewell, none for IS. MELBOURNE. First Innings. E. Jewell, b Read 3 K. Campbell, b Read 20 11.I 1. E. S. Rogerson, not out 2 Extras 0 Total for two wickets 25 Bowling Analysis.—Read took two wickets for 4 runs; Cunningham, none for 21.