BOWLERS ON TOP

Evening Star, Issue 22247, 27 January 1936, Page 5

BOWLERS ON TOP

Plunket Shield Cricket

A sense of keen disappointment was aroused when, on play being resumed at 11 o’fclock, the remaining Otago wickets were speedily got rid of, the innings, which had promised so well when 100 runs had been raised before the first wicket well, realising only 188. The chief destroyer was the vimfnl and bespectacled Parsloe, who was in fine form and showed distinct improvement in his bowling to his showing of Friday. This bowler began in sensational style by dismissing Kerr, Smith, and Uttley in quick succession, the first with the fifth ball of his fourth . over of the day, and the other two with the first and second balls of his next over, thus narrowly missing the “ hat-trick.” Parsloe concentrated on length, and with a little assistance from the wicket was spinning them back nicely. This, added to his natural swing, him an awkward customer to deal with. He finished , with four for 37. No other bowler in this innings shaped at all impressively, and it was fortunate for Wellington that in the absence of Blundell and Newman, Parsloe was able to strike such good form, for the bowling, apart from this player, was undoubtedly weak. / BATTING FAILURES. Nothing much can be said about the displays of the remaining Otago batsmen oh 'Saturday, for they added only 26 runs. Three of them failed to score, and Mills, who made a dozen runs quite nicely, was the only one to get very far at all. Here, as later, and indeed in all Otago’s efforts of late, the inability of the Otago batsmen to use their feet in getting to the ball was a noticeable feature. Even the more experienced players such as Cavanagh, Elmes, and Dunning have this defect. The early part of Wellington’s second innings was a continuation of the batting failures which had characterised the morning’s play, the first four wickets falling for 19 runs. Later the innings was pulled together a llittle and reached 168, which, added to the 131 runs lead on _ the first innings, left Otago the formidable task of making 300 to win. DICKINSON’S INSPIRED SPELL. It was Dickinson on this occasion who was chiefly responsible for the early dismissal of so many Wellington batsmen. The. fast bowler kept a far better length than usual and for a longer period than it is customary for him to do, and for several overs in the early afternoon he bowled in a way that was reminiscent of his past suc/cesses against visiting first-class teams. Dickinson, like Parsloe narrowly missed performing the “bat trick,” he also capturing three wickets in four balls. His final figures were five wickets for 78 in 21 overs, and when it is seen that his victims were Moloney, Ell, O’Brien, Gallichan, and Ward the merit of his performance may be gauged. It was only when Dickinson tired a little and he lost. his command of direction somewhat that he was at all freely stored from. Badcock. as usual, bowled very ateadily, but without varying his methods to any great extent. That awkward ball which pitches on the wicket and swings away to leg was the one which he persistently sent down and which was effective ip preventing quick scoring. Badcock took' two for 34 in 19 overs, eight of which were maidens. Dunning, who also took two for 34 off 10 overs, did not bowl quite so well as he did in the first innings. Smith’s one wicket cost 18 runs, and it might be suggested that he ■ was rather fortunate in getting the umpire’s verdict in dismissing Lamason Ibw. The ball which was pitched on or just outside the off stuniip turned sharply and appeared as though it would easily have beaten the leg.

OTAGO WANTS 142 RUNS Five Wickets in Hand Another interesting day’s cricket was the outcome^ of Saturday’s play in the Plunket Shield match between Wellington and Otago at Carisbrook, the fortunes of the respective aides fluctuating to such an extent that at the drawing of the stumps the result might reasonably be assumed to be still in doubt. It was, however, the bowlers who held the upper hand for most of the dav’ and the batsmen were compelled to fight for runs. The wicket was perhaps not one of Carisbrook’s best, and there of tßis when the more pacey bowlers were able to make the ball hit considerably and when the bail came along at varying heights. In- comparison with the previous day’s scoring, when 481 runs were on the board for the loss of 14 wickets, 21 wickets fell on Saturday for 346 runs. ; The attendance was fairly h'.rge, and the spectators were kept in a state of expectancy throughout the day. The takings amounted to £9O. The weather conditions were quite favourable, there being practically no wind, and while the sky was somewhat overcast in the morning, the sun shone brightly in the afternoon and the light remained excellent. Members of the team wore black armbands as a mark of mourning to His late Majesty King George.

The fielding was again quite clean and good, and Mills again shaped nicely, taking one particularly good catch to dispose of O’Brien off Dickinson. BLANDFORD TOP SCORER. Chief scorer for Wellington was Blandford, who fell short of the halfcentury by two runs. This player for a while was anything but happy when facing Dickinsop, off whom he made some rather uncertain shots. He was, however, sound when operating against the other bowlers, and engaged occasionally in those old-fashioned sweeping leg hits which are rarely seen in big cricket nowadays. He was particularly partial to Dunning, and towards the end of his innings, which was brought to a close_ with an Ibw decision, made some bright and fullblooded strokes on both sides of the wicket. Moloney, who opened the innings and weathered the attack which proved so disastrous for his partners, again played a sound and attractive knock. This young ex-Otago player, in spite of bis comparative failures in some of his innings this season, is undoubtedly one to be perserved with in view of New Zealand’s cricket future. Moloney, who had been scoring consistently from forcing shots to the on, mistimed one on the leg side and “ skied ” it over his bead to be easily taken by the wicketkeeper. _ Lamason was going along quite nicely, and looked like helping to save tffe day for his side in a serviceable partnership with Moloney when he was dismissed in the fashion described above. Gallichan, too, had his promising career cut short just when he looked like repeating his first innings’ performance, a brilliant one-handed catch close to the ground by Saxton at third man, sending him back to the pavilion. Wilson, who also got 18, laid on the wood in quite refreshing style, but was bowled by Badcock in going for a big swinging hit. Griffiths also hit merrily towards the end of the innings, taking the risks and compiling 15 before being well taken in the long-field by Uttley. This was a finely-judged catch of a kind which of late is too often put on the floor. A DISASTROUS START. Otago, in setting out on their big task, made a poor beginning, Saxton being clean bowled by Parsloe for 7 and Herr being sent back in a similar way two balls later. It was at this stage that Badcock came to the wickets, and one might have expected that the coacli would have displayed reasonable caution for a while at any rate, instead of which, after scoring 9 in a few minutes by full-blooded strokes, he once more threw away his wicket by lifting Wilson high into the outfield, where either of two men fielding in the deep could have taken him, Lamason accepting the catch. Badcock has on so many occasions displayed this recklessness, for it can scarcely be described as anything else, that one wonders if he takes the situation seriously enough. A batsman of his undoubted calibre should be one who could be relied upon to use ordinary judgment, and it is a pity that his side should have to suffer from his omission to exercise this judgment. Knight, as in the previous three innings he has pla3 r ed for Otago in Dunedin this season, looked a real batsman, although two or three uncertain shots must on this occasion be debited against him. Still, his 24 was made in refreshing style, and Otago supporters were sorry to see him caught from a shot that was not a good one in the slips. Elmes was going along nicely, being a little more restrained than usual, in view probably of his failure to get properly going of late, and with neat strokes on the leg side and forward of point reached 26 before being taken behind the wickets off the destructive Parsloe. USEFUL STAND. Four wickets were down for 107 when Cavanagh and Smith became associated, and although each of these batsmen made strokes which were by no means perfect, and many that were only halfhits, warmed up to their work in the later stages and were responsible for an extremely useful stand, which at the drawing of stumps had produced 51 runs and brought the score to 158, leaving Otago with 142 runs to get with five wickets in hand. This stand rearoused hope in the breasts of the local supporters, who would have liked to see these batsmen allowed to go on for another hour, as their batting was getting sounder and sounder as time went on. Parsloe was again a menace, and he had taken four of the five wickets which fell for 43 runs off 17 overs, so that his total bag for the day, the result of a tremendous amount of work, was a highly satisfactory one to him and to his side. Wilson, who secured Badcoek’s wicket and had 24 runs knocked off his overs, had not been given the ball in the first

able, as the tall young trundler showed better form than two or three of the others who appeared at the crease for Wellington during the match. He makes good use of his height, and the ball on Saturday lifted in a nasty way on several occasions. Four other bowlers were tried without success.

Blandford again kept _ wickets soundly, and Wellington’s fielding generally was good, a particularly brilliant piece of work by Ward being responsible . for Mills being run out in the first innings, the fieldsman returning the ball like a flash from deep cover and the young batsman just failing to scramble back from an attempted run.

AFTERNOON PLAY IN DETAIL. Blandford square-cut Dickinson to the boundary, but Badcock had both batsmen exercising restraint, and the score was 99 when Dunning relieved Dickinson. Blandford hit Dunning through the slips for a brace, Uttley earning applause by saving the boundary smartly. The 100 came up in 98nmi. and Blandford swept Badcock to the leg boundary, taking his score into the thirties. Ho obtained another single to square leg, and he continued to score with facility on the leg-side when facing Dunning, collecting two 4’s, which made him 40. . Blandford had been monopolising the bowling, but Gallichan got Badcock away to leg for a single. He coverdrove Dunning for another single, and Badcock bowled another maiden. The runs were coming fairly steadily, and at 128 Dickinson was brought on again in place of Dunning at the Cargill road end, and off h,is second ball Gallichan was out to a magnificent catch by Saxton at third man, the fieldsman almost snapping the ball up from the ground. 128—7—18. Wilson joined Blandford, and offdrove Dickinson hard for 3, and Dunning took charge again at the pavilion end, Wilson off-driving him for a single. Blandford obtained a single to mid-on, and he placed Dickinson nicely through the covers to the grand-stand fence, and Wilson forced Dunning to leg for a single. Wilson was 5 when he put one from Dickinson into Saxton’s hands at extra-cover, the fieldsman failing to accept the chance. Blandford went soon afterwards, however, being out Ibw to Dunning. 144 — _ Blandford batted 74min, and hit eight 4’s. Partnered by Griffiths, Wilson forced Dickinson to leg for a brace, and drove him through the covers to the boundary, 160 appearing in 140 min. Griffiths drove Dunning high to the long-on fence, and Badcock spelled Dickinson, Wilson driving him over the bowler’s head. Griffiths square cut Badcock, for a single, and when he was 9 he lifted one high to tho on, Uttley making a valiant attempt to take the catch and just getting one hand to the ball. Badcock uprooted Wilson’s middle stump when the latter went for a smite and missed. 168 —9—lß. Ashenden was the incomer; and Saxton earned applause by stopping a hard drive almost straight. The end came without addition to the score, Griffiths lifting one from Dunning high to long-on, where Uttley judged the flight of the ball nicely and took a great catch, the innings closing for 168, Griffiths _ having made 15. The innings occupied loSmin. OTAGO FACES BIG TASK, Requiring 300 runs for an outright win, Otago commenced its second innings at 3.45, the opening pair being Saxton and Knight. The former faced Parsloe, who bowled from the Cargill Road end, Saxton opening with a single and Knight starting off by placing Parsloe through the covers to the boundary. Wilson took charge at the pavilion end, and his third ball went for four byes. Knight especially - began confidently, and scored at quite a good rate. Parsloe was bowling accurately, but both Saxton and Knight cut Parsloe back of point for a single. Wilson made the ball lift awkwardly at times, but Knight did not appear troubled,' and he was soon in double figures. He had a “ life ” then, however, cutting Parsloe hard to Griffiths at backward point, the latter failing to hold a very difficult chance.

Knight hooked Wilson to square-leg for a brace, and in the same over he rattled the square-leg pickets to bring 30 up. He placed him past forwardleg for a single ;and Knight made an uppish one through the slips to collect a 4 at the expense of Parsloe. taking his score to 20. Knight’s attractive innings came to an end when he edged one from Parsloe into O’Brien’s hands at third slip. 37—1—24. Kerr, who came in, survived one ball, ParStoe bowling him with one which might have beaten anyone. 37—2—0. Badcock' filled the breach, and started with an uppish stroke through slips for 3. Saxton was. bowled with the last ball of the over. 40—3—7. Parsloe had taken three for 18,

Elmes partnered Badcock and started with a short single ,off Wilson. Badcock off-drove Wilson to the boundary, and Elmes square-cut Parsloe for a single. Badcock on-drove Parsloe for a brace, and 50 was hoisted in 40 minutes. Badcock went for a big hit and lifted Wilson high to the on, Lamason taking a good catch almost on the boundary'; Cavanagh joined Elmes. who coverdrove Wilson for a single. Elmes obtained a single with an uppish stroke to third man off Parsloe, and Cavanagh survived a confident appeal for Ibw. Griffiths came on in place of Wilson at 63, and Elmes on-drove him to the boundary. Cavanagh cut Parsloe back of point for a single, and obtained a single to mid-on off Griffiths, bringing 60 up. Cavanagh hooked Griffiths to square leg for a single, and forced Parsloe to leg for a brace. Lamason came on in place of Griffiths, and Ashenden spelled Parsloe, but both Cavanagh and Elmes were now going along nicely. With the score at 93 a double change was effected in the bowling, Parsloe coming back in place of Ashenden, and Gallichan taking over, from Griffiths. Parsloe’s first was a maiden, and Cavanagh reached 20 by leg glancing Gallichan for a single, ’ Elmes obtaining another single in the same over. Gallichan sent down a maiden to Cavanagh, who- had several narrow escapes, and in Parsloe’s next over he survived an Ibw appeal to a ball appearing to be swinging away to leg. a single to each batsman brought 100 up in 97 minutes, and then Cavanagh drove Parsloe for a couple. The last ball of Gallichan’s next over Cavanagh swept to the on boundary. Elmes made a wild shot at Parsloe’s fourth ball of his next over, and Blandford snapped up the catch. 107—5—26. The fifth wicket had added 57 runs to the total.

The left-hander, Smith, played out the over, but he almost touched the last ball, when went into Blandford’s hands. Cavanagh lifted the first ball of Gallichan’s next over to the on boundary, and he on drove Parsloe for a brace. Smith off drove Gallichan for a single, Moloney making a smart pick up. Parsloe was no-balled, Smith playing a shot to leg. Smith started to run, but was sent back, having a narrow escape from being run out when Lamason made a smart return. Cavanagh swept Gallichan to the leg boundary, and reached 40 in 08 minutes. He turned Gallichan to leg for a single, and square cut Parsloe for a single. Smith placed Parsloe into the covers for a 3, and Cavanagh also drove him through the covers to the

boundary, 130 appearing on the board. Smith despatched Gallichan to the leg boundary, and drove him almost straight to the boundary. Griffiths spelled Parsloc, and Lamason replaced Gallichan at the pavilion end, and Cavanagh reached his half-century in 78 minutes by hooking Lamason to fine leg for a single, two more runs coming from the over. Griffiths howled tne last over of the day, which produced five runs, stumps being drawn with 158 runs showing for the loss of five wickets—Cavanagh not out 52, Smith not out 22. Details:—

WELLINGTON, First Innings 319 Second Innings. D. A. R. Moloney c Mills b Dickinson 33 C. Parsloe c Dunning b Badcock ... 8 J. Ell c Dunning b Dickinson ... 5 E. A. O’Brien c Mills b Dickinson 0 S. Ward b Dickinson 0 J. R. Lamason Ibw b Smith 19 J. A. Blandford Ibw b Dunning ... 48 N. H. Gallichan c Saxton b Dickinson 18 S. Wilson b Badcock 18 B Griffiths c Uttley b Dunning ... 15 J. Ashenden not out 0 Extras (1 bye, 2 leg-byes and 1 no-ball) 4 Total 168

OTAGO. First Innings ... 188 —Second Innings.— 0. K. Saxton b Parsloe 7 A. R. Knight c O’Brien b Parsloe 24 F. Kerr b Parsloe 0 F. T. Badcock c Lamason b Wilson !) C. Elmes c Blandford b Parsloe ... 26 V. G. Cavanagh not out 62 L. Smith not out 22 Extras (14 byes, ,‘i leg byes, and 1 no-ball) 18 Total for five wickets ... 158

—Bowling Analysis.0. M. R. W. G. R. Dickinson 21 1 78 5 F. T. Badcock 19 8 34 2 L. Smi'h 5 1 18 1 J. A. Dunning 10.1 0 34 2 Dickinson bowled 1 no-ball.

—Bowling Analysis, . — 0. M. R. w. C. Parsloe 17 5 43 4 S. Wilson ... 8 1 24 1 B. Griffiths 4 — 15 J. Ashonden .‘t — !) — .1. R. Lamason 4 — 22 N. H. Gallicban 7 Parsloe bowled 1 1 no-ball. 27 —