FORTUNES CHANGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 30, 6 February 1939, Page 5

FORTUNES CHANGE

OTAGO DO BETTER

MODERATE SCORES IN SOUTH

(By Telegraph-—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, February 5. After ending the first day in the promising position of having dismissed Otago for 266 and started in reply with 83 runs for no wickets, Canterbury, were outplayed on the second day of the Plunket Shield match being played on the Carisbrook ground. The morning's play was disastrous for the visitors. The first wicket fell at 102, but five more batsmen were out with only 24 runs added, and the last wicket fell at 202, 64 runs behind Otago's first innings score. Otago batted for most of the afternoon and scored 146 for five wickets before bad light caused the abandonment of play 15 minutes before the scheduled time for the drawing of stumps. Considering that conditions gave the batsmen a good opportunity to score well throughout the day, . the score sheets were not impressive. The weather was overcast, and there was light rain for some time during the luncheon adjournment, and for a little time during play. The wicket was in good order, but the rain was sufficient to make the outfield heavy. SILVER AND MOLONEY. The Otago side was altogether more impressive in the field than it was on the first day. The bowling was handled with more appreciation of the value of variety in attack, and Silver arid Moloney both bowled at their best. Both kept a good length, and Moloney was turning the ball sufficiently to make all the batsmen play him carefully. He finished with four wickets for 53 runs in 18.6 overs, an excellent performance for a slow bowler who is really not a stock bowler. Silver earned his three wickets, and G. J. Robertson and V. J. Leader also bowled well. Otago's fielding was first rate, and the catching good, nothing being missed, and very few runs being given away in the field. Otago were given a fair start in their second innings, A. R. Knight playing some good cricket in scoring 41. He was going for his strokes confidently and hitting the ball crisply and some of his shots were delightful. GOOD PARTNERSHIP. It was not till Moloney and Robertson became associated, though, that the batsmen were in full charge of the game. Moloney immediately settled down to play most attractive cricket, producing a wide range of strokes with great freedom and taking full value from anything loose. The pair added 73 runs in an hour and of those Moloney had scored 51. Robertson was not always happy, but is not a free type of batsman. Both used their feet well to the slow-bowlers and hit the ball as though they meant it, which was a welcome innovation in Otago cricket this season. V. G. Cavanagh's innings on the first day was the only other chapter of aggressiveness with which the side can be credited this season. Robertson was unfortunately run out in almost exactly the same way as Moloney was run out against Auckland when the same partnership was broken. Then two wickets fell quickly, C. J. Elmes scoring only 3 and G. H. Mills,! scorer of a century against Auckland, getting a "pair" for the match. Moloney finished the day with 53 not out to add to his valuable bowling performance and the side's total was 146 for five wicke'ts. INTERESTING POSITION. The game is in an extremely interesting position. Neither side can be said to have an advantage, though the fact that E. Mulcock, Canterbury's stock bowler, suffered a recurrence of leg trouble and had to leave the field was not a favourable omen for Canterbury's prospects. If he is unable to bowl on Monday as well as he can, Canterbury's attack, which is not strong in any case, will be very weak indeed. The positioii is that Otago have a lead of 210 runs with five wickets in hand. Runs on the slate are always an advantage, but Canterbury have a strong batting side and it cannot be considered likely that so many good batsmen will be dismissed so cheaply again. There is material in the visiting side to score a big total and still two days' play. Details:— OTAGO. First innings 266 Second Innings. Uttley, b Mulcock 14 Knight, c Donnelly, b Cromb .... 41 Robertson, run out 29 Moloney, not out 53 Elmes, c Menzies, b Donnelly .9.. 3 Mills, c Davis, b Cromb 0 Extras .* 6 Total for five wickets 146 Bowling Analysis. O. M. R. W. H. Davis 13 1 38 0 E. Mulcock 16 3 36 1 F. W. Newton .. 5 1 18 0 I. B. Cromb .... 8.2 0 27 2 M. P. Donnelly .10 1 21 1 CANTERBURY. First Innings. Kerr, c Cavanagh, b Moloney 73 Bellamy, b Silver 38 Donnelly, c Knight, b Silver .... 1 Menzies, b Moloney ~,. 0

Cromb, b Silver . *. 1 6 Anderson, run "out 0 Shand, c Knight, b Leader 22 Webb, lbw, b Moloney 40 Davis, not out 11 Mulcock, run out 1 Newton, b Moloney 2 Extras 8 Total 202 Bowling Analysis. O. M. R. W. R. Silver 20 4 65 3 W. G. Lemin ... 4 1 15 0^ G. J. Robertson .7 1 22 0 V. J. Leader .... 11 2 21 1 D. A. R. Moloney 18.6 1 53 4 C. J. Elmes 4 0 18 0