CRICKET MATCH DRAWN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19567, 21 February 1927, Page 14

CRICKET MATCH DRAWN

MELBOURNE AND TARANAKI. LATE STAND RY VISITORS. FINE DISPLAY BY WOOD. [by telegraph.—press association.] ' NEW PLYMOUTH, Sunday. The match* between the Melbourne touring cricket team and Taranaki concluded in good weather yesterday, the result being a draw. To Taranaki's first innings score of. 259 Melbourne replied with 250, a feature of the innings being tho display by Wood, who scored 75 in less than half-an-liour. His total included eight sixes—five of which were scored off successive balls —and five boundaries. Taranaki's second innings began disastrously, four wickets falling for 19 runs. However, the home side made a good recovery and tho score was carried to 132 for nine wickets when the innings was declared closed. Melbourne had only 20 minutes left for play and lost two wickets cheaply. When the visitors resumed their firstinnings yesterday morning with the total at 67 for one wicket, Onyons carried his overnight score of 45 to 48, and was then splendidly caught by Dykes in the outfield. Jewell had increased liis total of 11 to 21, when Kingston brilliantly stumped him. Wickets fell quickly, the comparatively slow pitch puzzling the visitors, and the sixth wicket fell with the total at 94. T. Armstrong and Wood then became associated in a partnership that added 101 runs. Armstrong gave an exhibition of steady but powerful driving, while Wood gave as bright a display of clean hitting and rapid scoring as has been seen here for many years. The only other batsman to make a stand was Warwick Armstrong, who played delightful cricket, forcing to leg with nice precision and driving and cutting crisply. Against the bowling of Ebeling, Tom Armstrong and Ransford Taranaki fared badly on the return to the wickets until Cheevers and Kingston stopped the rot. The former played a good, steady innings and took no risks. Bottrill and Cole both batted confidently, opening out as the time for declaring the innings closed drew near. Contrary to expectations, although only a brief time was left, Armstrong sent defensive batsmen in first. Sandford was caught off the first ball of the innings and Rodgerson went early. Details are:— TARANAKI. . First innings „. 259 Second Innings. Lash, 1.b.w., b Ebeling ..• •,. 2 Naismith, b Ebeling . . . ~ 2 Monaghan, bT. Armstrong . .. 8 Haughton, bT. Armstrong . . . . 5 Cheevers, b Ransford . . . . 41 Grayson, b Ebeling 7 Kingston, c T. Armstrong, b Rodgerson . . . . . . . . 16 Bottrill, c Ebeling, b Ransford . . 26 Dykes, c Sandford, b Ransford N .. 1 Cole, not out . . 19 Extras 5 Total for nine wickets (declared) . 132 | Bowling Analysis.—Ebeling took three ' wickets for 33 runs, Armstrong two for ' 47, Rodgerson one for 20, Ransford three for 26. ; MELBOURNE. I First Innings. I Onyons, c Dykes, b Bottrill . . . 48 Sandford, c Kingston, b Cole . ..9 Jewell, st. Kingston, b Bottrill .>• 21 ■ Rodgerson, st. Kingston, b Cole . . 5 , Johnston, c and b Cole .. 2 i Ransford, c Haughton, c Cole .. 5 s T. Armstrong, c Grayson, b Colo . . 41 ■ Wood, b Cole 75 W. Armstrong, 1.b.w., b Cole . ..33 Dukin, not out .. . .. 6 Ebeling, c sub., b Bottrill .. .. 1 Extras J . . . .» .. 4 Total .... . . . . . 250 Bowling Analysis.—Cole took seven wickets for 86 runs. Bottrill three for 67, Haughton none for 63, Dykes none • for 24, Monaghan none for 7. Second Innings. ' Sandford, c Cole, b Bottrill . . . . 0 Rodgerson, c Haughton, b Dykes . . 3 ; Dakin, not out 26 t Extras . . . . • . - 2 Total for two wickets . . r. 31