BRIGHT CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 5, 7 January 1928, Page 7

BRIGHT CRICKET

SPECIAL MATCH OTAGO V. WELLINGTON 0001) PEEFOKMANCES Cricket of a bright order was witnessed at the Basin Reserve yesterday, the first day of the special match between a Wellington eleven and the Otago tourists. Wellington took advantage of their first use of the wicket, nnd compiled the handy total of 3G3 runs. Lamason, Lambert, Badcock, and M'Girr, all of whom played bviglit cricket, were mainly responsible for the tally, although other members of the team gave valuable assistance. The Otago bowlers stood up to their job manfully, and the fielding was good throughout the day. Otago made a disastrous opening in their reply, three wickets falling to Massey at trifling cost. M'Mullan, Alloo, and Cherry came to the rescue, however, and when stumps were drawn .157 runs were on the board for four wickets. Details of the play after "The Post" went to press yesterday are as follow: — Badcock had "a "life" when he was 21. He drove a full-toss from Douglas straight to Alloo, who was fielding at mid-off, but the Otago captain dropped it. Elmes came on at 272 in place of Alloo, but M'Girr relished the change,' and hit a four and a two off successive balls. With the total at 293, Knight relieved, Douglas (one for 46 off eleven, overs), and Badcock pulled him to the ropes. Douglas replaced Elmes (none for 53 off seven overs). A single each to M'Girr, and Badcock brought 300 up after 200 minutes. M'Girr was 50 (scored in forty-five minutes) and Badcock was 33 (scored in sixty minutes). M'Girr continued to bat aggressively, opening his shoulders and driving the bowlers. Badcock was also batting freely, but was not beating the field as skilfully as M'Girr. With the total at 313, M'Girr, who had played delightfully free cricket, returned one to Knight, and the bowler held it. 313—G—60. M'Girr's total included four shots to the boundary. Reaney, the Hawkes Bay colt, was next, and he opened in promising fashion, getting Knight away to the on for a couple. When the score had reached 322, Torrance was given the ball in place of Douglas, and the change brought about the desired result, the last ball of the over bowling Badcock. 323—7—40. The Wellington captain, W. S. Brice, joined Reaney, who continued to shape with confidence. Brice also opened up, and he hit Knight over the ropes on the on side for 6. Reaney dispatched Torrance to the fence, the stroke bringing him into double figures. Soon afterwards he was run out in attempting an impossible run. Brice did not shift from his crease. 336—8—11. Massey went in to join Brice, but the latter did not last long, Vorrath taking a splendid one-hand catch iv. the slips off Knight. 338-0-9. Beard was next, and he and Massey both improved the score by boundary shots. At 353 Douglas replaced Torrance, and Beard got him away to the leg boundary, the stroke giving the Hutt player 10. He followed this up with a sixer, but in attempting another big hit lie was caught by Elmes. The innings closed for 303. A DISASTROUS START. Olago commenced their first innings at 4.55 p.m., Knight and Vorrath going to the wickets to open. Massey opened the attack from the northern end, and Knight secured a single off the third ball. Off the fifth ball, Vorrath touched one into the slips, and Brice accepted the catch. I—l—o. M'Mullan was nest, and the first ball he dispatched to the boundary, a nice square cut. Beard bowled from the southern end, and his first over was a maiden, although four byes came off it. Massey bowled a maiden to M'Mullan, but in his next over he bagged Knight as a victim, Airey accepting a smart catch at short leg. 12—2—3. Massey had taken two wickets for five runs. Cavanagh was next, and saw MMullan place Beard nicely past point for three. In Beard's next over M'Mullan drove one nicely to the ropes. Cavanagh ondrove Massey for a couple, but did not survive much longer, Massey clean-bowling him with a sharp break back. 22—3—2. Alloo, the Otago captain, was next, and M'Mullan welcomed him by driving Beard to the off boundary. Massey continued to bowl well, and had the batsmen well puzzled with many of his deliveries. Beard was also keeping the batsmen fairly quiet, although he did not appear to be dangerOlWith the total at 38, Lambert replaced Beard, whose seven overs had cost 16 runs and he had Alloo beaten with his first two balls, although he managed to get the fifth ball away for four and the sixth for two. Badcock went on in place of Massey (who had taken three wickets for 15 in eight overs). The batsmen welcomed the change, and both batsmen scored- with freedom, M'Mullan twice sendin" him to the fence. Ten came oil the over. M'Mullan reached 30, but soon after he lifted one from Badcock to Lamason's safe hands. 00-4—33. M'Mullan had shaped nicely. A GOOD RECOVERY. Cherry joined Alloo, who was now going well, stepping out to Lambert and driving him. Cherry opened his account with a single, and followed it up with a high shot for two. Cherry later on-drove Badcock to the fence. At 82, Brice relieved Lambert (none for 23 off five overs). Two came off the over. Off the fourth ball, Alloo gave Beard a hard chance, but the iicldsman failed to hold it. Alloo was then 30. Brice did not trouble the batsmen greatly, and eight came off one over. At 98 M'Girr replaced Badcock (one for 2(5 off eight overs), and Cherry placed his third ball to the boundary. This brought 100 up aiter 03 minutes. Keaney relieved Brice (none for 11 off four overs). His first over proved expensive, nine being hit off it. In his next over Cherry survived a confident appeal for a catch behind the wickets. Both batsmen continued to shape attractively, and the score mounted steadily. At 126 Massey relieved Reaney, and Alloo got him away to the square leg boundary. In the nest over Cherry drove him to the sight screen. Beard went on in place of M'Girr (none for 16 off five overs). Cherry reached his half-century with a nice boundary shot off Beard. This also brought 150 on the board, nnd Brice took over from Massey, whose last few overs had proved rather expensive, and Lambert replaced Beard. Alloo also secured his fifty just before 7 o'clock, when the score stood at four wickets for 157. Details:— WELLINGTON. First Innings. AY. F. Airey, c Vorrath, b Alloo .... 17 H J Tattersall, st Galland, b Alloo.. 24 J. Lamason, c M'Mullan, b Douglas .. 53 W. Dustin, c M'Mullan, b Alloo .. 28 H. M. Lambert, c Torrance, b Knight 79 V. T. Badcock, b Torrance 40 H. M. M'Girr, c and b Knight 00 T. P. Reaney, run out 11 W. S. Brice, c Vorrath, b Knight 9 TI. B. Massey, not out 8 L. Beard, c Elmes, b Douglas 1G Extras: Byes, 13; leg byes, i .. 17 Total 363 BOWLING ANALYSIS. O. M. R. W. Eastman 5 1 10 0 Torrance 2(> 2 77 1 Alloo 23 3 80 3 Douglas Hi 1 70 2 Elmos IS 0 ?,1 0 Knight 16 0 02 3 Fall of wickets: One for 39, two for 86, three for 108, four for 189, five for 224, six for 313, seven for 323, eight for 336, nine for 338, ten for 363. OTAGO. First Innings. A. Knight, c Airey, b Massey 3 W. Vorrath, c Brice, b Massey 0 J. M'Mullan, c Lamason, b Badcock 33 V. G. C'avauash, b Massey '2 .A. W. Alloo, not out 50 ]'. W. Cherry, not out 57 Extras: Byes, 9; leg byes, 2; noballs, 1 12 Total for four wickets 1.">7 Fall of wickets: One for 1, two for 12, three for 2,'S, four for 60.