CRICKET.

Evening Star, Issue 12766, 20 March 1906, Page 6

CRICKET.

M.C.C. v. OTAGO. ; exciting’finish. A DRAWN GAME. When Otago’s second innings closed at about 4,20 yesterday the home team and their supporters- congratulated themselves on the fine recovery they had. made in pulling well dear of an innings defeat. The chief question then asked was “WHI the Melbourne men knock off the runs in the time* 5 None thought of the possibility 'of a win for Otago, or, if they did, they were discreetly silent about it. The wicket was in splendid order—it lasted very well all through—there were some fine, forcing hats in the Melbourne team, and there were 111 runs to get in 85 minutes. Yet, instead of it being a question of time saving Otago from defeat, it turned out to be one of time saving Mdboume from defeat, and that by the narrowest of narrow abaves. Otago carried the war right into the enemy’s country. In the field they were unrecognisable as the team that performed so loosely in Melbourne’s first innings, and their bowling, particularly that of Downes, was magnificent. The start, was sensational. . Armstrong, from whom trouble was expected, was fairly beaten by Downes’s third ball, and at the other end Mailer played one on to his wicket in Fisher’s firm over. Wilkinson and Henty kept the ball out of their wickets for a few overs, and then the first run of the innings was scored by Wilkinson driving Fisher to the off boundary. Before any more were scored Tlenty could not resist having a go at Downes, whom he lifted high to long-off, and Wilson, waiting close to the boundary, took a good catch. Hansford came in, and, with Wilkinson, stopped tbs rot, but any hope of Melbourne getting the required runs in the time gradually slipped away. The bowling was far too good to take liberties with. Downes bad sent down seven overs, five of them maidens, and taken two wickets for 2 runs. Tlie first 20 runs took thirty-five minutes' to get, and after five more minutes without a run being scored Downes got another trimmer past Wilkinson’s bat, and made his average three wickets for 7 runs. M’Leod joined Hansford with four wickets down for 20, and the partnership proved the best of the innings. Hansford showed some beautiful strokes—well-timed and all along the giuss—but with all his batting resource and great variety of strokes the bowling and fielding were too good for him to score fast. He at length ent Downes to the boundary, Torrance just failing to save the 4. M’Leod was evidently in pain with his strained leg, and could only trot between wickets, otherwise a few more runs would have been scored. There was a general appeal for a catch at the wickets off Downes at 28, but it was not upheld. McLeod was then out of his ground, but got back before Williams thought of stumping him. The light, which had been getting bad, now improved, and Hansford brought 30 up by driving Downes straight for 4. There was still half an hour to play, and Melbourne needed 78 to win. Wilson brought Austin on in place of Fisher, and 5 were scored off his first over. It looked as though the move was not a good one at first, Hansford brought the total to 50 and his own score to 30 with the same stroke. When facing Austin he seemed to be rather in trouble with the sun, which had broken through the clouds and was sending out almost horizontal rays, besides causing shadows to creep across the wicket. In one of Austin’s overs 7 runs were scored off the first two balls, and then Hansford played forward to and missed the next, which knocked his middle stump out. Hansford had played an absolutely flawless and invaluable iunings against superb bowling. Tic was batting nearly an hour, and hit four 4 ! s. He got out *a.t a quarter to six. and with such a dangerous man out of the way the game became more and more interesting. He and M’Leod had raised the score from 20 to 58 for the fifth wicket. M’Leod get out immediately afterwards. He cocked Austin up between wickets, and three men went for it, but it fe.ll safe. However, it made no difference, as Austin bowled him the same over. There were now six wickets down for 59, and the crowd, greatly excited, shouted out “ Hurryup 1” to the incoming batsmen, for there was a bare chance of the last, three wickets falling before s’x o'clock. It was known that Aitken, though on the ground, would not be able to bat through being almost crippled by a strain, and that Ixwln, though his name was down on the batting list (last man), was not in very much better plight, leaver and Jennings were together, with ten minutes to go. Jennings did not improve on his recent record in the matter of “ ducks,” and .was given out caught at tile wickets for what must have been a very slight snick. Jennings, himself thought lie had not touched the'ball. but Wilson and Torrance in the slips both thought he did. There were still seven minutes to play as Butler came in, the board showing seven wickets for 59. Downes had men grouped all round Lavers bat, and a great roar went up as Downes knocked Inver’s wickets back. There was only Irwin to comqln at five minutes to six, and speculation ran Ugh as to whether Otago would win qr not. Instead of Irwin coming out. however, Armstrong came out, , after taking a look at the pavilion clock, and stumps were drawn. It seems that he and Wilson, the Otago captain, bad agreed that if a. wicket fell within five minutes of the ordinary time for an adjournment, the adjournment should be taken tnen, instead of the next man going .in. It is stated that this agreement was made in conformity with the usual practice in cricket in Australia. It has not been the custom here, hut still the agreement was made for this match. The point is whether it was intended to apply to tho finish of a game—the drawing- of stumps on the last 4ay —as well as to the incidental adjournments, because it was clearly come to merely for convenience in regard to the latter, Such an agreement being held to at the finish of a match seems to clash with the laws of the game, which allow two minutes for a man to come in, and. there was certainly that time, with something to spare, before six o’clock—the time fixed for the drawing of the stumps. It was rather an unsatisfactory ending, although the result might still have been a draw °if Irwin, or even both Irwin and Aitken, had come in to bat. Still,’ one cannot blame Armstrong for his action under the circumstances, especially with two cripples in the pavilion. Neither can one blame Wilson for keeping strictly to the. letter of his agreement. Scores: Otago. First innings ... 13q Second innings 253 Bowling Analysis.- Armstrong, 244 balls, 14 maidens, 65 runs, 5 wickets; M’Leod,’ 198 balls, 15 maidens. 65 runs, 1 wicket; Butler. 48 balls, 50 runs, 1 wicket; Wilkinson, 54 balls, 3 maidens, 57 runs, 1 wicket; Hansford, 54 balls, 4 maidens, 13 runs; Laver, 18 balls, 1 maiden, 12 runs. Melbourne Cricket Club. /First innings ... 275 '• Second Innings. D. Mailer, b Fisher 0 W. Armstrong, b Downes ... 0 G. Henty, c Wilson, b Downes 0 W. Wilkinson, b Downes 12 I'. Hansford, hj Austin 34 C. M’Leod, b Austin .„ 12 ,C. Laver, b Downes .„ 0 P. Jennings, c Williams, b Austin ... 0 C. Butler, not out 0 Extra , 1 Total for eight wickets 59 Bowling Analysis.-—Downes. 93 balls, 6 maidens, 30 runs, 4 wickets; Austin, 24 balls, 1 maiden, 14 runs, 3 wickets ; Fisher, 66 balls, 5 maidens, 14 runs, 1 wicket. When the,, news of Otago’s great fight got abroad, in the Oity yesterday evening a good crowd gathered round the Sports Depot, in the Stock Exchange Buildings, to see the results as they were posted. When the news of the rapid fall of the last three Melbourne wickets captured came to hand there were wild cheers, the excitement being more reminiscent of football than of cricket. ARMSTRONG. ON THE TOUR. During the course of a conversation last night on the New Zealand tour of the Melbourne C.C. Eleven, Warwick Armstrong stated that ho thought that New Zealand : cricket had improved a lot since lie. was .here with the Australian Eleven last season. Asked where, he thought the best cricket

was to be, found, h© said that he did not think that there was much to choose between Dunedin and Christchurch. He had a suggestion to make, however, in regard to coaching; It was that instead of the New Zealand clubs or associations getting bowlers over from Australia to couch our play cm, they should get-some good batsmen. “It would improve them a lot,” he said, adding that it. was necessary fora young player to see a good batsman making his strokes and to. have them explained to him. At. to. the bowlers met on the tour, Mr Armstrong thought that Downes and Monaghan (of Wellington) were the best pair-' Bartlett bowled very well against us in Palmerston North,” ho added, “and so did Malone, in Christchurch. Bartlett is an off-break liowler who came over from Sydney.” Mr Armstrong said that the biggest sure pr:sc to him was the selectors leavmg Blacklock out.of the New Zealand team, as the Wellington batsman played one of the beet innings so far played against his team. The wicket in Wellington was a very line one, .but the Melbourne captain said that they had struck good wicloetfe and good grounds throughout the tour. “ The wickefat Carisbrook hod nothing wrong with it,” be said. “There must have teen a lot of work put into its preparation. W© were very well satisfied with it.” Armstrong expects that the match at Christchurch on Friday against New Zealand should provide a very good, even go, as he thought there was not much to choose between the teams. As to whether Aitken will be able to play in that game he was doubtful, while Irwin, who has also strained some muscles, is going under hot air treatment. On the whole, the Melbourne captain said, his team had had an excellent time on their tour in this colony, and bo would like to thank the people in the different towns for the way they had treated ■the team. The only thing Mr Armstrong was disinclined to discuss was the umpiring over here. NEW ZEALAND v, MELBOURNE. Several alterations have taken place in the New Zealand team to meet the M.C.G. next Friday since the original selection was made. The team as now constituted will he: Lusk and Brook-Smith (Auckland), Hickson, Redgrave, Tucker, and Monaghan (Welington), Ollivier, Bennett, and Boxshall {Canterbury), Downes and Graham (Otago). Downes and Graham, the only two Otago representatives now left in the New Zealand team, leave for Christchurch to-mor-row. Wilson and Siedeterg, who were originally picked, were/ unable to spare the time to make the trip. The exciting finish to yesterdays gam© recalls the close of the Wellington-Mel-bourne match on the 27th ult There 103 runs were required—practically the number as yesterday—but when the M.C.C. second innings began it was only fortyseven minutes to six o ? dock, as against eighty-five minutes at Carisbrook. Armstrong (66 not out) banged at everything, and scored remarkably fast, wifi the result that the requisite runs were obtained just on the call of time. Melbourne lost three wickets in the feat, but two of these were run out in the effort to steal runs. Yesterday it was a case after the first couple of overs of using ©very expedient to ensure a draw. Sid. Callaway, the well-known Canterbury cricketer, who has been spending a holiday at the Lakes, and who was present at the Otago-Melbonme match, went North to-day. “ I never saw Aliek bowl better in his life” was bow he summed up Downes’s bowling yesterday.