Auckland Beats Otago On First Innings

Northern Advocate, 6 January 1948, Page 3

Auckland Beats Otago On First Innings

Plunket Shield

j DUNEDIN, 1-ue. (Sp.h—Auckland I won the Plunkct Shield match at CarI isbrook from Otago by 107 runs on the | first Innrngs. Declaring its second innings closed I for 174, Auckland left its opponents the task of making 282 runs for an outright win. In a valiant effort Otago puf on 234 for seven wickets when stumps were drawn. Sutcliffe’s brilliant 103 was the feature of a fighting finish. The batting order of both teams was changed in an effort to force the pace for an outright win. Sutcliffe and Robinson tool: 20 runs off Cowie's first two overs. They added 02 runs in 38 minutes, and the game looked far from safe for Auckland at this stage. Sneddon was brought on and when Robinson reached forward to a goodlength ball he was bowled. Sneddon was making the ball swing, and at one stage lie had # clean-bowled three batsmen in five overs for 17 runs. HOPES VANISH Sutcliffe and Mills then got to- i gother in a valuable fourth-wicket j partnership, adding 79 in 53 minutes. Afte_r ifie dismissal of Sutcliffe and Mills all hopes for an Otago victory vanished. They had seven wickets down for 222 with only 15 minutes to stumps. Sutcliffe was at his brilliant best He hit the only six of the match, a hook off Cleal. He reached his 50 in GO minutes, and his century in 125 j minutes.

Otago had an early success in Auckland's second inning’s when Overton had Pearson caught behind the wicket. Wyatt ran to 41 before he was snapped lip at silly mid-on. He batted for 121 minutes and hit four fours. RobiTlson was the most successful .Otago bowler, taking 3 for 55. The Otago fielding was good and Mills gave a sound display behind the wickets. AUCKLAND First Innings 415 Second Innings. Pearson, e Mills, b Overton IS Wyatt, c Payne, b Robinson 41 Taylor, c Payne, b Robinson .... 20 Cleal. run out 2!) Kent, b Robinson . . 0 Cowie’, c St John, b Smith 18 Scott, not out 27 Dcas. run out 24 Extras 5 Total for seven wickets, dec. 174 Bowling.—T. Freeman, none for 47; G. W. Overton, one for 28; R. H. Robinson, three for 55; I. W. Payne, none for 15: L. D. Smith, one for 24. OTAGO First Innings GO* s Second Innings Sutcliffe, b Cowie ■ 103 Robinson, b Sneddon 21 Milnes. b Sncdden 0 Watt, b Snedden 1 Mills, c Deas, b Burke 311 Hunt, b Hemmingsbn 2° Payne, b Burke G St John, not out 13 Smith, not out 7 Extras 10 Total for seven wickets 234 Bowling.—Cowie. one for 61; Cleal. none for 41; .Snedden, three for 38; Burke, two for 56; Hemmingson, one for 28.