CRICKET.

Evening Star, Issue 12765, 19 March 1906, Page 4

CRICKET.

m.C;C. f; otago. '■■ ';,:.,£;. '-;'. ''^pfi ; '^dp^yi:!-:r.v tfefe. agatin drawn a, little before six l o'clock oh Saturday,- this lime owing fo the failiiig light.' !, Otago had then &t.ir(edtheir "seconds innings,, after being headed by Melbom'he: iri the first iniiihgS* By 143 runs. This lead' might have" teen very much'"reduced'if the Otago fielding had been anything like irp to standard. Usually, sure fieldsmen made mistake after mistake, and Williams behind the; wickets was : far below his best form. After] the- dismissal of Henty for a very lively 46, which included four 4's and a 5, Irwin was the only one to offer' much resistance, and Downes greatly improved his bowling average towards the close of the innings. The home team's bowling was. not by any means weak. It was, in faefcj distinctly good, beiiifr the one department in the game, in wnicb. Otago compared well -with the* Melbourne team. The M<C.C innings' lasted over, four hours. ■.•*.. Otago made a poor start in their second innings. Siedeberg and Baker went, iii first, and the former began batting with much more verve than in the first innings. He seemed rather.too keen to get runs*.'and called Bafeer for a second run when the Grange man was hardly prepared for it. Baker chivalrously responded, but a fine return by Armstrong threw bis .wicket down. The score was then 16, and. Graham came in and helped Siedeberg to raise the score to 36, which was the total when stumps" were drawn. Graham bad a life off M'Leod, Rahsiord making a brilliant try for a catch at extra mid-off, but losing the ball through falling over. —To-day's Play;— In beautiful weather Siedeberg (23) and Graham (7) resumed batting when another start was made at noon to-day; M'Ledd and Armstrong being the bowlers. Irwin and Aitken had substitutes fielding for them, as they were too indisposed to take the field; Graham quickly ran into double figures, and drove M'Leod prettily to the 1 off boundary. After playing some of Armstrong's leg theory with-his pads, he began running out to drive that bowler, and looked fairly set when he ran .himself out. He played a. ball to Jennings, at mid-off and called Siedeberg, who sent him back, as the run was impossible. He just failed to get home in front of a shot at the wickets by Jennings—another instance of the deadly accurate returns of the visiting fieldsmen. The score was two wickets (both run out) for 46 when Austin joined his clubmac?. Siedeberg raised'his score to 35 by M'Leod to the on for 4 and 5 in one over, and then he gave Henty at point a low onehand chance off M'Leod, which was not taken. He continued to force the storing, and brought 60 up by pulling M'Leod to the boundary. They hung for a time ;n the 60's, and then Siedeberg brought 7D up by placing M'Leod to leg for 3, a*J reached 50 himself by bitting Armstrong hard to square-leg. At length Armstrong 4nado his first bowling change for the match, Ransford going on at 72 in place of M'Leod, off whom 41 had been hit. The young left-hander bowls medium pace, with a high, easy delivery. Armstrong kept on himself, and missed a Hot chance rathe 1 low down which Siedeberg gave him wh n 51. Hansford appealed unsuccessful against that batsman for lbw next ov-?r, and again Siedeberg was dropped by Armstrong off his own "bowling—an even hotter chance than the last. Armstrong calle- 1 Butler up to take his crease at 84, an.! Austin brought the score to 90 by hitting a very short one past cover-point to the boundary. Hansford had some of his lied grouped pretty close round Austin's bat, and seemed to be difficult to score off, bub Austin reached double figures after battia? an hour by turning Ransford to leg. Brier, one of the Melbourne Club's professional bowlers, appeared to try all sorts, both as regards pace and length, and Siedeberg hit a 'full toss to the square-leg bounddry. A few minutes before lunch the century was hoisted, and Henty took the gloves, while Wilkinson had a, bowl H place of Butler. At the other end Lavor relieved Ransford, whom Austin, after trying for some time to break through the field, had driven to the off boundary, ire score was 110 for two wickets when the players adjourned, Siedeberg being 65 and Austin 14. After lunch the same pair—-Wilkinson and Laver—-bowled, and Siedeberg was pretty severe on both with strong off strokes, three of which Went to the boundary in quick succession. Austin, also livened up, and reached 20 by glancing Wilkinson to leg. At 136 M'Leod took up his old crease, and Butler went on at the other end. The score was «x>n brought io 140, arid 3 for byes brought Otago's total level with the M.C.C. first, innings' score, and Siedeberg gave the home team a lead bydriving Butler straight to the CaTgfll goad boundary. His nest stroke was not such a, good; one, as he mishit Butler over M'Leod's head at point- Austin kept on gradually increasing .his score, chiefly by leg glances, until at 155 he snicked a ball, and it went high off Henry's gloves to the slips, where Mailer held it safely. Austin had batted over an hour and a-half for his runs, which he put together without giving a chance.. This partnership had put on 109 runs for Otago. Howden joined Siedeberg,* who was dwelling Some time in the nineties, but he brought his century almost in sight With an off drive to the' boundary. • Howden got 3 for a very pretty late cut off M'Leod, whom he drove along the grass to the boundary, but when 8 he was smartly taken by Laver very low down at point. There seemed - some doubt, about the catch. Howden appealed, and it is understood that one of the umpires would not pronounce, while the other gave him out. Howden. retired, and Wilson got halfway up the ground to take bis place. But _ Armstrong, presumably satisfied that a mistake had been made,"called Howden to come ini again. This sportsmanlike action of the Melbourne captain was warmly applauded by tho spectators. Howden showed gratitude by driving Armstrong to the bounda/ry. There was another cheer a little later as Siedeberg, who had been, in for two hours and three-quarters, at length reached his cantury. Howden. did net last much longer, as, when 14, lie was smartly stumped by Henty. who had been showing good form behind the wickets. Wilson was given out lbw to Armstrong first ball, and the board showed 184 for five wickets as Adams came in. A powerful off drive by Siedeberg was only partially stopped by. Vaugham, and 2 resulted. Armstrong at Uiis stage altogether! oka-raged tihe disposition of his field, having the ordinary number of men on the off. Though he still bowled leg-breaks, it was not "leg theory." He at length got Siedeberg's wicket, clean bowling the Carisbrook man, who tried for a big hit. Armstrong since coining on again secured three wickets for 9 runs. Siedeberg hadi played a good innings, but was favored a good deal by luck, being thrice missed in,' the field. He batted just over three hours, and scored eleven 4's and one 5. The sixth wicket fell at 187. Fisher brought 200 up by driving.M'Leod twice in one over to the Boundary. Wilkinson was again tried, nnd he bowled Adams'in his' first owr. The .field opened out for Downes, but Fisher kept the score moving by back-cutting a fast one from' Armstrong find hitting him dean to leg—both boundary strokes—which lw followed up with two n*-ie fours to kg off Wilkinson. Fisher had reached 30 by some brilliant batting. 24 of them being boundary strokes, all of which lie made in succession. At four o'clock Maker, who showed some of his old form, was caught off) Armstrong the telegraph showing 237—8—31. °' Melbourne C.Q.—First Innings. A. Aitken, run out ._ „. '_ _ : __ 24 D. Matfer, b Graham ~ ~. ._ 69 V: Ransford, b Downes ........ ... _■ 0 W. Armstrong, c- Siedeberg, b Fisher... 60 C. M'Leod, b Downes .„ -18 W. Wilkinson, c Williams; b Fisher Z 4 G. Henty, b Dowjies _ ' _ _ . ~. 4Q M. Irwin, run out .„ 'j. ■„ _ 26 P. Jennings, b Downes ~. „ 0 C. Laver, not out ~ _ C Butler, b Torrance _ _ ~ "-8 Extras 'i. «. J. •.__ Total ... „ ...„...„.-273 Bowling Analysis.—Downes, 216 balls, 9' maidens, 305 runs, four wickets; Fisher, 162 balls, 7 maidens, 67 runs, two wickets;

" ' ' ' - • '\ wicket; Grahamy 72 Trails*. 47'rUney- one' wicket; Austin,—42 balls, 2 "maidens, 14 runs, . '■.-,-,'-*; Of AGO'. First innings *.. t ,i .'.:'' 13~0 Second Inningsj J J. Baker, run out - ...."-... ... 3 H. Siedeberg, b Armstrong ' 102 H. .Graham,, run out 15> G. G. Austin, c Mailer, b M'Leod ... 28 C. ft. flowden, st Henty, b Arifistrong 14 C. ,G. Wilson, lbw, b Armstrong ... 0 T. Adams, b Wilkindbu 1 A. H. Fisket, c sub., b Armstrong ... 31 K. Torrance, b Butler ... 0 A. Dowhes, not out 19 Williams, c eub., b Armstrong ... ... 10 Extras.., .j. „. .., ... ... 30 Total ... , ... _ 253 The" visitors want 111 to win. " The takings on Friday wei2e £3l' aftd on Saturday, £ll4. „- • r lhe "previous highest individual score against the visitors was "by Blackldck (97), of tlw Wellington team which side compiled 313 iri their second innings. NEW ZEALAND v. M.C.C. Tucker (Wellington) has been selected to replace Wilson (Otago) ill the New Zealand team against Melbourne. The weather was fine for the matched in Christchurdh on Saturday. Jn the First Grado competition West "Christchurch beat Linwood by 9 runs fea the first innings, this virtually assures West Christchurch the championship, though there are two unfinished matches. Scores : Linwood, i 46 and 152 (A. E, llidley 49); West Christchurch, 155 (Dakin 71) dUd 79 for two wickets: Sydenham, beat East Christoliurch by 102 runs on the first innings. Scores: East Ohristchurchj 105 and 113 for- five wickets; Sydenham, 207 for'the first" inn-' ings. Riccarton beat St. Albans by 78 runs-.