Auckland-Otago Game In Interesting Stage

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6747, 4 January 1932, Page 8

Auckland-Otago Game In Interesting Stage

BOWLERS HOLD UPPER HAND Per Press Association. ■ AUCKLAND, Last Night. Tho Plunket Shield match, Auckland v. Otago, was continued yesterday at Eden park in fino weather. The wicket was in good order and tho outfield was fast. On the first day’s play Otago made 347 and Auckland had lost two wickets for 24. Continuing their innings to-day, Auckland were all out for 200. Auckland's innings was rather a disappointing exhibition under tho conditions. Tho fortunes of the game were not with tho homo team, as Vivian, Weir and Gillespio went in an unexpected manner, while Lyon and Hay were botli suffering from ankle injuries. Auckland’s failure, however, must not bo attributed to ill-fortune or the luck that plays an important part in tho game of cricket. All credit is duo to tho Otago players for their good all-round bowling and fielding exhibition. The visitors’ fielding was vastly superior to that of Auckland, while tho bowlers maintained a much more accurate length, at the same time getting more work on the ball. Auckland made a good start, Weir and Vivian putting on 05 runs before being separated. They left within a few minutes of ono another, and curiously enough both wero caught behind tho wickets. Gillespie made a valiant effort to savo his side, but threw his wicket away by going for a second run when a fieldsman already had the ball in his hands. This was bad for Auckland, as six wickets were now down for 134. Lyon, AlcCoy and Alatkicson all made useful double-figure contributions. Smith held his wicket up and saw a follow-on averted. Vivian batted attractively, Ms scoring shots being played with plenty of: freedom and vigour. Weir’s was a solid exhibition, as he occupied tho crcaso for 74 minutes. Otago was really .fortunato to get rid of tlicso two batsmen in such a manner. Gillespie was at tho wickets for 48 minutes and was playing so confidently that ho looked set for a good score. AlcCoy batted attractively and lost his wicket in attempting to force tho pace. Great praise must bo given to the Otago wicket-keeper, Hawkcsworth, who caught three batsmen, stumped one and was associated in running out another. This in itself was a meritorious performance, but in addition ho allowed only one byo during tho innings. Tho Otago bowling was probably not so good as Auckland's scoro made it out to be, but every man who went to tho crcaso maintained a much better length than tho Aucklanders had done on tho previous day, with the result that runs had to bo fought for all the way. Very few loose balls wero sent, down throughout the innings. Moloney met with most success, thoroughly de-

serving it, as his length for a slow bowler was the best seen on tho park for somo time. Badcock bowled live maiden overs on end at ono stage, and his figures, two for 42 off 20.1 overs, wero very good indeed. Coupland, Dunning, Smith and Blunt all bowled well and inexpensively. Otago’s second innings opened disastrously, Badcock and Blunt being sent back to the pavilion with only nine runs on the board. Badcock was caught off a mis-hit after being nearly bowled by Weir. Blunt fell to a shot which has brought about his downfall on numerous occasion*'. —nibbling at a ball just outside the off stump. Smith played brightly for 3(3, his partnership with Cherry adding 57 runs. Cherry carried on steadily, finding it difficult to score off Weir, Vivian and McCoy. For a period of 25 minutes after tea he scored but five runs, which gavo him his half-century. He was eventually caught after an invaluable innings; indeed, Otago would have been in a bad way without him. Cherry was at tho wickets over 2-1- hours. The greater part of his total was made up of singles, thcro being but six boundaries opposite his name. He gave two hard chances.

Weir handled tho bowling in a praiseworthy manner. Without Lyon ho was in a quandary. Mathcson did not look dangerous at any period, and so the captain had to make the best of matters with only himself, Vivian and McCoy to carry on. That eight Otago wickets havo fallen for 190 runs says a great deal for Weir’s judgment. Scores:— AUCKLAND—First Innings Poetics, b. Dunning 3 Mills, b. Badcock 12 Vivian, c. Hawkesworth, b. Smith 35 Weir, c. Hawkesworth, b. Moloney 38 Gillespie, run out 29 Whitclaw, st. Hawkesworth, b. Moloney .. .. (i Hay, b. Moloney .. .. H Lyon, c. Hawkesworth, b. Coupland Hi McCoy, c. and b. Coupland 19 Mathcson, c. Knight, b. Badcock .. IS Smith, not out 9 Extras 4 Total .. .. 200 Bowling analysis: Dunning, ono for 37; Badcock, two for 42; Coupland, two for 31; Smith, one for 22. OTAGO First innings 347 Second Innings Badcock, c. Mills, b. Weir 3 Blunt, e. Mills, b. Vivian 9 Elmos, b. Vivian 1(3 Smith, run out 3(3 Cherry, c. Mills, b. McCoy .... 80 Dunning, c. Mills, b. Vivian .... 0 Moloney, 1.b.w., b. McCoy ...... 10 Coupland, not out 21 McHaffie, not out 11 Extras .. ~ .. 4 Total for eight wickets 190