REPRESENTATIVE CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 22198, 28 November 1935, Page 18

REPRESENTATIVE CRICKET

HONOURS WITH SOUTHLAND OTAGO’S DISAPPOINTING DISPLAY The 200 or 300 spectators ivho attended the representative cricket match at Carisbrook yesterday between Otago and Southland probably regretted that they had done so, even though the price of admission was lower than usual for representative fixtures for the display given, particularly by the Otago batsmen, was very poor. The result of the match was a draw, but Southland may, with every justification, claim the honours. The young team that W. Jl. Patrick, the former New Zealand representative, brought up acquitted itself very well, and undoubtedly there is budding talent which under the coach’s care should raise the standard of Southland's cricket in the near future. Southland was unfortunate at the outset in that its skipper lost the toss, and the visitors were compelled to bat on a wicket which, affected by the rain °f hist week, was in a state enabling several of the bowlers to do something with the ball which made matters very uncomfortable during the morning session 4 Later the wicket improved, and the last few Southland batsmen made good use of it, the visitors staging a splendid recovery, for after live wickets had fallen for 21 the later batsmen made a much better showing, and the innings closed for 162, made in just under hours. Slow though the rate of scoring was, Otago fared worse, and to the surprise and disappointment of the home team’s supporters the local eleven shaped very badly indeed against an attack which, though steady, was not by any means deadly. The bright spot in the Southland innings, and indeed in the whole day’s batting, was V. Poole’s 37 not out. This player, who is the son of a former well-known Southland, representative cricketer, was not afraid to lay on the wood, and although lifting the ball on a few occasions his strokes were usually safe. Included in his score was a G over the long-on boundary. Poole is a left-hander, and he dealt severely with the slow stuff. 1,. M. ITttlcy played a sound innings and upheld the family reputation by scoring 34, gained mostly by forcing shots on the on, and while his defence was sound he was able to pierce the field and play quite an attractive knock. A left-hander in G. Brittendeu put together 36, and dealt with the Otago bowling, which with one or two exceptions was anything but steady. G. It. Dickinson kept a good length, but was somewhat faulty in direction, obtaining two wickets from balls well outside the off stump, and which the batsmen rather unwisely attempted to score from. Dickinson’s- average of four for 18 was by far the best of the day, and there is no doubt that his unusual pace accounted for his success against young batsmen meeting him for the first tirae. x F. T. Badcock bowled 24 overs, including 10 maidens, for 49 runs and threo wickets, but so long as the opposing batsmen were content to keep him out he did not look particularly dangerous. However, the coach’s experience was useful in obtaining wickets. , A disappointing feature was the comparatively poof -showing' of the two University bowlers, N. Henderson and, IA. 11. Cameron, . .neither of whom seemed able to. reproduce the accuracy and spin that had led to success in club matches. Henderson imparted whip to the ball, but persistently pitched them outside the off pin, and rarely looked as though he would claim a victim. Dickinson gave .him . every, chance, and in the last two Or three overs he did manage to pitch them on the wicket, hut these deliveries were easily played, and he was not successful' in obtaining a wicket, 13 runs coming from his 10 overs, six of which were maidens. Cameron, though getting two wickets, was fairly heavily punished, and he really deserved to be, because Ills length was erratic. He had nine overs from which 44 runs were scored. No doubt the wicket was not quite suitable for his style of bowling, but that did not excuse the delivery of far too many full tossers and half volleys that ho sent aong. B. O. Talbot, as usual, was steady, and claimed one victim at a cost of 12 runs.

As indicated, the Otago batting greatly flattered the Southland attack, and the local players’ ultra-careful-ness against very ordinary bowling led one to wonder how the same batsmen, if they obtained selection, would fare in the important matches against bowling which must necessarily be much more deadly. It may be claimed that Badcock’s early dismissal warranted the batsmen following him assuming caution, but it certainly did not warrant that caution being extended to more than two hours of play, during which only 9o runs wore scored for the loss of eight wickets. . Innumerable opportunities for forcing Strokes were ignored completely. To see reputedly first-class batsmen patting plain, straight bowling back to the bowler or feebly driving it straight to the fieldsmen was anything but exhilarating, and the small crowd showed its feelings by cheering not the scoring strokes of the batsmen, but their dismissal or near dismissal. Badcock survived only a few balls, and in the case of each he showed an undue desire to hoist it out of the ground. He failed to get fairly on to one from Utiley, and was ificcly taken in the long field by Brittenden. C. Saxton batted neatly, playing some very nice shots to deep and square log, but when 18 be was out Ibw to Warburtou. As to the rest of the batsmen who went to the wicket the less said the better. F. Kerr, although making .‘l9, was painfully and unnecessarily slow, and took two hours and 10 minutes to compile his modest total. F Toomey was in just on an hour for a contribution of 19. J. Blakeley, the country representative, was also on the slow side, but doubtless he was anxious to consolidate his position. Yet his display was not sufficient to make a very favourable impression upon the critics. He just reached double figures before getting out with rather a crude stroke. The fielding of both sides was quite good, and some excellent catches were taken. The Southland team was very keen in the field, and its stopping and returning were quite good, two Otago batsmen being run out. The respective -wicketkeepers, Toomey ( Otago) and G. Hecnau (Southland) performed creditably. With regard to the Southland bowlers, steadiness was the main factor. All of them kept an excellent length, and on the whole the direction was also good. This fact was no doubt the cause of Otago’s slow-rnotion batting. for which, however, there was no excuse considering the quality of the attack. llttley put plenty of spirit into his deliveries, and got all the pace there was to be got out of the rather dull wicket. C. Warburtou was the most successful so far as averages went, and

lie sustained his attack very well indeed, taking three for 26 off 21 overs, eight- of which were maidens. Warburton is on the tall side, and made use of his height, keeping the cautions batsmen worried. Scnndrett, who is a slow leg-break bowler, also maintained a length and was treated with respect. Summed up, the whole match was rather disappointing, and the sole selector, Mr J. M. M'Mullan, cannot have derived very much inspiration for the future. Indeed, his difficulties would seem to have been increased by the mediocre display of some of the Otago players who were looked upon as first-class. Details SOUTHLAND. First Innings. W. Spence b Badcock 1 J. ’APGowan b Dickinson ... ... 6 C. Warburton c Talbot b Badcock 0 J. Scandrctt b Dickinson 6 A. T. Anderson b Badcock 5 L," M. Uttley c Henderson b Talbot 34 G. Brittenden c Smith b Dickinson 36 W. 11. Patrick c Smith b Dickinson 11 ll.’Pollock c Badcock b Cameron ... 12 V. Poole not out *37 G. Heenan c Kerr b Cameron ... 3 Extras - Total - ... .... ... I- - 162 Fall of wick.ets; One fur .7, two for 7, three for ,11, four for 13, five for 21. six or 73, seven for 98, eight for 116, nine for 139, ten for 162.'

bowling ANALYSIS. 0. M. R. W. G. R. Dickinson ... 19 10 18 4 F. T. Badcock ... 24 10 49 3 N, Henderson 10 6 13 — L. Smith ■ ... 2 — 15 -- R. 0. Talbot ... ... 11 7 12 1 A. K. Cameron ... 9 — 44 o Dickinson bowled , three no-balls. OTAGO. First Innings. C. Saxton Ibw, b Warburton 18 F. T. Badcock c Brittenden b Uttley F. Kerr c Pollock b Brittenden ... 39 J. Blakeley b Scandrett 10 G. M'Gregor run 0 F. Toomey c and b Warburton ... 19 L. Smith c Uttley b Warburton ... 5 R. 0. Talbot run put ... 1 N. Henderson not out ... ... ... 0 G. R. Dickinson not out ... ... 0 Extras ’ 3 Total for eight wickets ... 95 Fall of wickets: .One for 0, two for 31, three for 48, four for 48, five foi 89, six for 91, seven for 95, eight foi 95. ■ ■ BOWLING ANALYSIS. 0. M. R. W. C. Warburton 21 8 26 3 L, M. Uttley ... ... 10 3 18 1 J. Scandrett 10 2 23 1 J. M'Gowan 5 3 5 — W. R. Patrick ... 3 1 4 — W. Spence 4 — 10 — G. Brittenden 5 3 6 1