Mangonui’s Narrow Win

Northland Age, Volume XVIII, Issue 36, 8 February 1949, Page 1

Mangonui’s Narrow Win

Mangonui's first innings total of 178 gave them victory by 36 runs in the elimination game against Bay of Island in the Dargaville Shield series played in Kaitaia on Friday and Saturday. Bad strategy on the part of the Bay of Islands tea nr probably cost them an outright win, whilst some instances of poor fielding by way of missed catches, allowed them to get within striking distance of Mangonui’s total. Holding a keen interest for the good crowd of spectators, until the last ball was played and stumps were drawn, Bay of Islands had crept up s.eadily until the Bay team required only 21 runs for an outright win. On the first day, V. Pearson and P. Smith, playing for the visitors, were dropped when at 5 and 9 respectively, they still being at that when stumps were drawn. At the end of the first day’s play Mangonui had made the pleasing total of 178, and the Bay of Islands had lost 7 wickets for 58 runs. The game at this stage had every appearance of being in favour of Mangonui, with a definite chance of there being a follow on. But the commencement of the second day’s play saw a change. V. Pearson went on with the other not-out batsman, P. Smith, and this pair made a stand that notched 52 on the scoreboard. . Pearson stayed at the wicket until his side was all out for 142, he having made 57 of this total. When the game opened, Mangonui elected to bat with Russell and Foster as the opening batsmen. Russell was soon dismissed for 1, and Archbold replaced him, staying with Foster until the score had reached 22. Hoddle replaced Archbold, and gave an almost faultless display to make the top score for his side, and with Mackintosh replacing Foster, this combination made a valuable stand before Mackintosh was dismissed by McGregor-McDonald. Harrison joined Hoddle at the wickets, and immediately collared the bowling, knocking up a lightning 47 in 25 minutes, hitting four sizes and two fours during that time. Upon Harrison’s dismissal, the Mangonui tail went cheaply, the innings closing at 175. Harrison for the Bay of Islands was the only batsman to make any sort of showing at all, he making 28 before being bowled by Dawson. At this stage it looked as though the Bay team would go cheaply before the fttack of Dawson and Harrison who cere bearing most of the atack, but as has already been mentioned, the dropping of Pearson ana Smith proved more than costly for Mangonui. When the match opened its second day, it was apparent that the rain through the night had placet the attack at a distinct disadvantage, and the Bay team hammered away steadily at the bowling with Pearson and P. Smith being right on top. Dawson’s bowling in both innings was the feature that brought about the downfall of the visitors. He kept a good length and maintained a steady pace, serving to keep down the runs whilst also getting a steady stream of wickets. His figures of 5 for 33 in the first innings demonstrate this aptly. Harrison on the first day’s play also bowled well, he delivering 15 overs, four of which were maidens, and taking three wickets for 29 runs. Findlay closed the Bay’s innings when he was bowling to Pearson, by catching McGregor-McDonald out of the crease at the bowlers’ end by at least three yards. He promptly snicked off the bails, and his appeal was upheld. This was cricket in true representative style, and the demonstration of keenness and knowledge if the rules of the game was pleasing. Mangonui opened its innings confidently, the highlight being the magnificent innings of K. Archbold who batted confidently and stylishly tc compile the top score of the match — 67. Runs were badly needed after this player’s dismissal by Smith to place the home side in a more or less unassailable position, but things looked not too rosy until Findlay went in He batted solidly, holding up an end for Archbold and when the latter wa> gone, made a fine ninth wicket stanc with Dawson. Dawson also followed well his skipper’s instructions, and kept his enc up for Findlay and added a sorelj needed 20 to the total. The innings closed on Dawson’s being caught bj J. Smith off P. Smith with the scor< standing at 180, Thompson being 1

Bay Beaten on First Innings

not out. This left the Bay 217 runs to get to win, and this was where their strategy was at fault. There was only two and three-quar-ters hours’ left of play, and the opening men went in and tried to play themselves in, thus wasting valuable time. They had nothing to lose as they were already beaten on the first innings, and an outright win would have meant no more to Mangonui. It would have been much better for them if they had gone in and attempted to send away everything that came up the pitch to them. Harrison was a distinct loss to them when he was caught by Dawson off Russell for 2. It was some time before the side really w'oke up that runs were needed, and from then on they set about getting them, running singles that in the normal course of cricket would not be attempted. But this was their only hope. As time wore away, so did the tempo of the run-geting step up. The batsmen were hitting freely at every ball that u T as sent up to them, and every man on the field was on his toes. The Smith brothers and the Pearson brothers made 152 between them. Bott and the captain, Blundell, hitting freely, ran up another 30 in very short order, and it was only the call of stumps that saved the day for Mangonui as there were only 21 runs required to win with four wickets to fall. Details of the scoring are as follows : Mangonui, Ist Innings Russell, c Pearson b B. Pearson 1 Foster, c P. Smith b J. Smith .. 14 Archbold, c V. Pearson b Hamilton 4 Hoddle, c McGregor-McDonald b Hamilton 51 Mackintosh, b McGregorMcDonald 15 Harrison, b Hamilton 47 Switzer, b J. Smith 9 Rogers, b Hamilton 0 Findlay, b Hamilton 0 Dawson, b J. Smith 4 Thompson, not out 0 Extras 33 Total 178 Bowding : B. Pearson 1 for 15, Hamilton 5 for 39, J. Smith 3 for 29, Sigley 0 for 6, Harrison 0 for 21, McGregor-McDonald 1 for 35. Fall of wickets : 4, 22, 27, 67, 143, 170, 170, 170, 173, 178. Bay of Islands (Ist Innings) Bott, c Foster b Thompson .... 8 Harrison, b Dawson 28 K. Pearson, b Dawson 0 Hamilton, b Harrison 0 Blundell, c and b Dawson 4 Drury, lbw b Harrison 1 P. Smith, c Foster b Dawson .. 31 •T. Smith, c Russell b Dawson .. 2 V. Pearson, not out 57 Sidley, b Dawson 0 run out . . 1 Extras 10 Total • 142 Bowling : Russell 0 for 29, Thompson 1 for 24, Dawson 5 for 33, Harrison 3 for 29, Findlay 0 for 11, Mackintosh 0 for 6. Fall of wickets : 27, 29, 31, 47, 48, 50, 53, 105, 115, 142. Mangonui, 2nd Innings Russell, lbw b Hamilton 15 Foster, run out 5 Hoddle, cP. Smith b Pearson .. 15 Archbold, b J. Smith 68 Mackintosh, c Hamilton, b Drury 0 Harrison, b Pearson 8 Switzer, lbw b Hamilton 2 Rogers, b Hamilton 0 Findlay, c J. Smith b P. Smith 28 Dawson, c Hamilton b P. Smith 20 Thompson, not out 2 Extras 17 Total 180 Bowling : Pearson 2 for 45, Hamilton 3 for 49, P. Smith 2 for 21, Drury 1 for 1, Sidley 0 for i, J. Smith 1 for 20, Harrison 0 for 19, McGreg-or-McDonald 0 for 7. Fall of wickets : 22, 32, 46, 48, 81, 103, 103, 144, 175, 180. Bay of Islands (2nd Innings) Harrison, c Dawson b Russell .. 2 V. Pearson, c Archbold b Dawson 50 K. Pearson, c Rogers b Dawson 38 P. Smith, c Hoddle b Russell . . 32 J. Smith, c Rogers b Russell .. 32 Bott, not out 20 Blundell, not out 10 Sidley, c Thompson b Russell . 5 Extras 6 Total 195 Bowling : Russell 4 for 36, Dawson 2 for 58, Findlay 0 for 29, Harrison 0 for 45, Thompson 0 for 'J, Mackintosh 0 for 13. Fall of wickets : 7, 83, 107, 150, 166, 178.