CRICKET Australia’s Good Start In Match Against Otago

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1950, Page 7

CRICKET Australia’s Good Start In Match Against Otago

DUNEDIN, March 10 (P.A.).— Making fairly good use of a perfect wicket and the ideal conditions, Australia had scored 334 runs for the loss of only four wickets at stumps on the first day of the cricket match against Otago. The captain, W. A. Brown, scored a chanceless century and K. Meuleman, an opening bat, made 86. Although the total was reached in less than even time, the score, in the circumstances, could have been greater, for the bowling was no more than steady, and the batsmen were always on top.

The crowd fully appreciated the Australians’ quick running between the wickets, but the majority would rather have seen the visitors forcing the pace a little, so that a decision will be reached on the last day.

The most eventful periods of the day were the first and last half hours. Meuleman took a four and a two off the first two balls from Overton, but for the next 30 minutes both he and J. Burke “had a look” at the New Zealand representative. Overton was making the ball swing a little and Burke was not comfortable. He eventually went to a brilliant catch at leg slip by Sutcliffe off Overton’s bowling. Brown and Meuleman were untroubled in the remaining hour and a quarter to lunch. Brown began to outstrip his young partner, and was just short of his century when Meuleman attempted to chop a ‘ball from Smith through the slips, but played it on to his wicket. With Brown he had put on a valuable 173 runs, his own score including seven fours. The Australian captain reached an almost inevitable century a few minutes later. He had been at the crease for 162 minutes. T. A. Freeman, who had bowled willingly, if unspectacularly, had an unexpected success when Brown, playing over a ball which was well pitched up, was bowled. It had been a sterling and instructive innings, which yielded 184 runs in 271 minutes, with only one chance.

Otago received further encouragement soon after when P. Ridings was run out, but Howard and L. Duldig played out the remaining few overs till stumps, after an unsuccessful appeal against the light. Scores: —

AUSTRALIA First Innings K. Meuleman, b SmithSO J. Eurke, e Sutcliffe, b Overton .. .. 5 W. A. Brown, b Freeman .. .. .. .. ISI It. Howard, not out 40 I’. Hidings, run out .. t 1 L. Duldig, not out .. .. .. 2 Extras (bj-es 11. leg byes 1) .... 10

Total for four wickets . 334 Bowling Analysis 0. M. It. W. G. W. F. Overtoil .. 25 y 48 1 T. A. Freeman .. 28 y 68 1 A. M. Moir 27 0 94 0 K. Watson .. .. 20 8 36 0 L. D. Smith .. .. 1!) »> 69 1 B. Sutcliffe .... 2 0 9 0