Auckland’s Hard Task

Northern Advocate, 3 January 1939, Page 3

Auckland’s Hard Task

Late Cricket

i [Per Press Association. Copyright .] I DUNEDIN, This Day. i The weather was sultry and threatI ening when play was resumed this , morning in the Flunket Shield match i between Otago and Auckland at Carisbrook. I The wicket was still hard and dry. With two of their best wickets fallen for 53 and 375 runs to reach Otago’s total (427), the holder of the Shield had a big task ahead. Both Postles (11) and Pearson (3) were very quiet facing the opening overs of Moloney' and Robertson, until Pearson took the total to 70 by sweeping Moloney to the fine leg boundary. After bowling five overs for nine runs since proceedings were resumed, Robertson was replaced by Elmes. It was a solid front that the batsmen were presenting, but they occasionally enlivened their .display with - forcefwl strokes, Pearson especially punishing everything that was at all loose. The score gradually crept towards 100; Moloney was bowling at the peak . | of his form, keeping" the ball Well up j to the batsmen, and'making it turn to leg appreciably. • Neither batsmen could take the slightest risk with him. Elmes was inclined to bowl short on the left side, and Postles swept one ofthis kind to the leg boundary, that four being the -first , for a lengthy, period, r : At last the score was taken to 100, when Postles turned a ball from JVDoloney tordfine leg- for three. This total had taken 110 minutes, and the captain, who was the essence: of soundness, was 34, Pearson then being 27. Scores at lunch; — • OTAGO. ■ , First Innings ....... AUCKLAND. First Innings. Whitelaw, c Mills, b Purdue 0 Postles, hot 'out 44 Wallace, b Robertson 35 Pearson* not out ;.... 49 Extras 11 Total for two wickets 139