CRICKET.

New Zealand Mail, 4 January 1900, Page 32

CRICKET.

OTAGO v. WELLINGTON. Glorious weather favoured the ericketora for the opening day of the Otago v. \\ elluigion match. The wicket was ijt perfect order, and the outfield much taster than in the preceding match with Canterbury. There was a fair atterdtuioe of t tie public, about 1000 persons being present. As predicted in these columns, tho bowling of tho visitors who lost the toss, proved weak, and alter Quco and Ash bolt had been disposed of early. Tucker and Midlane ha<f no difficulty in obtaining a complete mastery over the opposing trunttilers. M ebb was the only bowler who iqipeared up to interprovincial standard. Owing to a strained side. Hope's services wore not available. Tiie fielding of the visitors, though at times good, was decidedly patchy. The. roughness of the outfield was to some extent responsible for inisfiolding. Midlano had the distinction of playing an tunings of over a hundred, the "first century compiled on the Basiu Reserve m a representative match since the visit of the 1886 Australian team. As Midlauo is still not out. he stands a good chance of beating L. A. Cuff's ihterprovmcial record of 176. Tucker is to bbcongratulated on his finished display. His innings was all the more meritorious as his runs were made, as in the match against Canterbury, when things were going badly for his side. The local men. w-ith three wickets down for 281. t*houUi create a new record for iuterprovincial matches, tlie* present best be-

ing 404, made by Wellington against Canterbury on tho Basin Reserve two years ago.

Richardson, the Wellington captain, won the toss, and sent in Quee and Ashholt to lace the bowling of Webb and Eckhoff. The former ; a right-hand medium-pace bowler, with a slight break both ways, soon had Quee in trouble, and finally got him l.b.w. 3—l—l. Tucker followed, and after about twenty minutes’ painfully slow play 10 went up. Ashbolt, however, was immediately clean bowled by Webb. 10—2—2. Midlano came in, and Tucker livened up tho play somewhat. Ho late-cut Webb prettily for 2 and hit a fuli-pitch from the same bowler to square-leg for 4. With 20 up Midlane should have been stumped off a ball from Webb, which kept low; but Williams, imagining the batsman had played tho ball, made no attempt to take it. Tucker now began to score freely off both bowlers, and after sending 30 up with a fourer at tho expense of each, he showed his versatility by scoring 13 off the last four balls of Eokhoff’s next over, eaeli ono of his hits being a different stroke. Continuing his brilliant display, Tucker sont tho half-century up by driving Wobb for 4 and late-cutting him prettily to tho ropes. This brought about the first change of howling, Gcddes going oi> in place of Eckhoff. Sixty went up as the result of tb>e first hour’s play, and Tucker, square-cutting God cl os for 3, brought his total to 60 out of 63. Midland brought up 70 and ran into doubles by hitting Webb to fine-leg for 4. Midlane had taken fifty minutes to get into doubles. Austin then relieved Webb, and Midlane brightening up started rapidly to overhaul Tucker. Webb relieved Gcddes tit 88, and with 92 up Eckhoff came on again in place of Austin. After a brace to each batsman, Midlane sent up tho century with a 4 to leg off Eckhoff. With the score at 112 Liggins relieved Eckhoff, but lie was terribly erratic, Bis first over being responsible for 2 wides and G byes, and his second for 15 byes, 1 wide and a 4 to Midltme’s credit off the last ball, the first within the batsman’s; reach. Gcddes c-ainq oil vice Liggins, :mcl Midlane immediately sent 150 up with it 4to leg off the new bowler. Siedeberg thou relieved Webb, and Midlane brought his score to 50 with a single at his expense, but in Siedeberg’s next over Tucker, trying to force a haifvollo.v on tho leg stump to square-leg, misjudged the pace of tho ball and was clean bowled. 163—3—74. Tucker was batting one hour and three-quar-ters for his runs, and up to his dismissal had not given his opponents a semblance of a chance. As usual, bis cutting and leg placing were very effective. and were responsible for the majority of his runs. Tucker’s score included nine fours, and his partnership with Midlane had added 153 runs for the third wicket. Richardson joined Midlaue, and another prolific stand was made. W itli his scoro at 62 Midlane gave Siedebcvg a hot one-handed chance of caught and bowled, but the bowler failed to rise to the occasion. The batsman showed his gratitude by immediately driving Gcddes to the ropes and cutting him prettily for 3. sending 180 up. Richardson, not to be outdone, pulled the next two balls for 2 rind 3 respectively, running into double .figures and making 12 runs scored off the over. Gcddes was then retired in favour of Webb. The new bowler seemed to puzzle Richardson, who, in fact, had not seemed altogether at home to tho preceding trundlers. Bv driving Siedeberg _f or 2, Midlano brought liis scope to 75. or oue ahead of Tucker, a fact which was duly appreciated by the crowd. With the score at 197 Siedeberg handed the ball to Eckhoff, ami Richardson, pulling the latter’s first ball, a long-liop, for 3, brought the second century in view at 4.10. the rate of scoring up to this having averaged 80 runs at hour. A 4 for a forward cut to Midlane and a square-leg hit to the ropes to the same batsman, assisted by 4 byes, sent up 210. Eckliofrs over was responsible for an addition of 15 runs to the total. At 221 Austin relieved Eckhoff. and the rate of scoring slackened. Richardson getting most of the bowling. Midlane. after staying at 87 for twenty minutes, got well on to a leg ball from Austin, but the umpire being unfortunately in the way, only 2 runs resulted. With 240 up Siedeberg replaced Webb, and Midlane. placing him to the on for 2, ran into tho nineties, bringing up 250 in tho same over by driving a short one from the new bowler for 4. Fa cine Austin, Midlane brought liis score to 99 by hitting a leg ball to the ropes, and with the spectators in a liusli of excitement secured the coveted century in the same bowlers next over by lateeutting him nicely for a brace.' The Phoenix colt had taken two hours fifty m unit os to compile his hundred, and his batting throughout had been remarkably free from faulty strokes. With only twenty minutes left for plav. the batsmen contented themselves by playing put time. This they were successful iu doing, Richardson in the meanwhile miming into the fifties. Stumps were drawn at 6 p.in.. with the score standing at 281 for three wickets, Midlane not out 109 and Richardson not out 56.

SECOND DAY. For the continuation of the match Otago v. Wellington on Monday, players and public were greeted with' ah ideal day the sky being beautifully clear, with a light, cooling breeze blowing across the Basin Reserve. Continuing their innings, the local men again mastered the oppos-

ing howling, carrying the score to 464 before the last man was disposed of. Richardson, Midlane and Williams were principally responsible. The first-named got well over the century, while Midlano added 40 runs to his previous total of .109.- With the wicket in good order, the inexplicable collapse of the visiting team surprised everyone. After making a bad start, the team never recovered, and tlio innings closed after oue liorir and a quarter’s batting for 54. This is the second occasion on which Ashbolt and Upham have dismissed the Dunedin team for a very small total, the previous case being in Duuedin in 1894, when the Otagans made exactly the same score, Upham’s figures on that occasion being five wickets for 13 runs. In their second innings the visitors made a fine recovery, running uo 70 for tho loss of one wicket, when stumps were drawn for tho day. At 10.50 tli&_Otago men took the field, followed by Midlane (not out 109) and Richardson (not out 56). Eckhcjff and Wobb were entrusted with the bowling. Runs came freely from the jump, principally off Eckhoff, the third century being sent up at 11.5. At 309, Austin relieved Eckhoff, and Webb meeting with severe punishment next over, changed places with Wilkie, a left-handed bowler, with a rather low delivery, who arrived on Sunday by the Rotomahana to take Hope’s place, the latter being incapacitated owing to a strained side. The new bowler, though, did not meet with success, both batsmen scoring freely from his deliveries. Austin, however, at the other end, plugged away steadily. Richardson, with a 4 to leg off Wilkie, ran into the nineties, bringing the total to 350. Sixty-nine runs had been added in exactly an hour. A double change of was tried, Webb and Geddes going on in place of Austin and Wilkie respectively. Play immediately slowed down, five overs from the two new bowlers producing only 2 runs, and these the result of an overthrow. Richardson, however, broke the spell, forward cutting Geddes for 3. Midlane, with a 4 and a single off the same over, sent 360 up, bringing on Broad, but the only result achieved by the Otago captain was to enable Richardson to reach the century, which he did after batting.for two hours fifty minutes. Baker then replaced Webb, and in liis first over Midlane was badly run out. 370—4—149. Midlane had been batting four hours and threequarters, and his score, which was marred only by two difficult chances on Saturday, included twenty-two 4’s. The colb displayed admirable patience throughout, repressing the desire to hit, which brought about his downfall against Canterbury. With Richardson lie put on 207, a record, the writer believes, for the fourth wicket for the colony in interprovincial matches. Williams joined his captain, ancl at once began to score rapidly. Ten coining off Broad’s second over, he handed the hall to Eckhoff, but the latter met with no better success, Williams cutting his second ball square to the ropes and then late cutting him prettily for a 3. Continuing to lay on the wood, Williams ran into the twenties by placing Eddioff nicely to leg for a quartette, sending 400 up in the same over with a square-leg lac to the boundary. With the total at 400, Siedeberg relieved Eckhoff, whose two overs had produced 18 runs, and the change was immediately successful, Richardson being caught by Geddes off a mishit. 412—5—113. The \\ ellingtcn skipper had batted three hours twenty minutes for his runs, and lie gave no chance. Though greatly handicapped by a had hand, he score much faster than usual, taking advantage of everything loose. His score included five 4’s." C. Hickson was next, and Williams greeted him by cutting Baker past point for a quartette, but after hitting Siedeberg twice to the square-leg boundary, he was prettiij caught by Austin low down in the slips off Baker. 43-5—6 42. Williams had been missed the previous over through Johnstou misjudging the ball. His runs were made in exactly 30 min--11 j S ’ * Waters filled the vacant crease, and with Hickson, kept his stumps intact till the luncheon adjournment, the total being 44b—Hickson, not out. 1-t - Waters, not out, 6. On resuming at 2.15 the batting collapsed. Waters being immediately run out. while, Hickson, after adding a single, was clean bowled bv Webb. Lpham and Stephenson took the score to 460. when the fast bowler, in attemot- ! n £ *°. h> s e a ball from Webb, was caught b . v Eiggms at deep mid-on. Hales came in, and after driving Baker for 4 was clean howled, the innings closing tor 464. a Nine bowlers were tried bv the visitors. but with the exception' of Webb none rose above mediocrity. The fielding T lsl *, or * an improvement on their Saturday s display. .The Otago men began their first innings with their usual pair. Baker and Johnston and Upham and Ashbolt had charge or the bowling. The start was auostrous. Johnstou being run out with m d - a w Sl< i sc ° red V , Austin eame.ii,. W td- f glancing Lpham prettilv to bn, to, 4 was clean bowled in the mme over. -Geddes filled the vacant only to see Baker bowled bv a bear'tv from Ashbolt. 5-3-1. With LJgms Geddes immexuatelv got fo wo, a. cutting Lpham nieelv to the rop t s. and driving the fast 'bowler to arw-snir,.3 from

Without any addition to the score-* Broad was clean bowled by Ashbolt ri Wilkie, who bats as well as bowls left! handed, and Siedeberg then made a—temporary stand, but with 30 up Ste- A phenson badly missed- Wilkie at point h off Ashbolt. The escape, however, not greatly avail the batsman, as 9 runs l later lie, fell a victim to the Williams---Upham combination, caught behind tho - wickets. Webb came in, but failed to v add to the score, being taken nicely in--the slips by Ashbolt off - Upham. WfliAr liams followed, and sent 40 up by drivD't ing Upham to the off boundary, but getting opposite Ashbolt he was given out-i l.b.w. 48—9—4. Eckhoff, the last? l man, joined Siedeberg, and after batting'Lsteadily for a few minutes, was caught by Upham in the slips, the" innings,- ’ which lasted for an hour, and a quarter’ 3 closing for 54. Siedeberg carried out U his bat for a nicely compiled 15.

Haring to follow on,, the . visitors be-M gan their second innings, with Baker, >J and Siedeberg. Ashbolt and Upham U were again entrusted with the leather. I Both batsmen played confidently, Baker " occasionally opening his shoulders and d-riving with tremendous power. Upham’s first delivery went like a flash to tlio boundary. Twenty went up off the first five overs, principally oft Up- v haul, but the fast bowler getting a bet- ■ ter length, the batsmen steadied down. 1 With the score at 35, Hales replaced • Upham, and after a single to Siedeberg, ,j Baker sent 40 up with a powerful off \ drive. With the score at 43, Baker [ gave Stephenson a chance at point,,", which tlic fieldsman gracefully refused ’: to accept. Two runs Siedeberg returned one to Hales, but the chance was a bit too sudden for the fast bow- ■ ler, and lie failed to take the opportunity. Baker then sent the half-cen-tury up by snicking Ashbolt for 4, bringing on Stephenson. Runs continued to come, principally off Hales. Baker drove the fast bowler magnificently to ' the off boundary, the ball travelling like a shot from a gun. With the score at 65, Upliam went on again, rice Hales, and succeeded in immediately disposing of temdeberg, caught in the slips by Ste- “ phenson, the first wicket falling for 65..„ Siedeberg’s contribution was 19, inade in exactly ah hour. Johnston joined Baker, and both players contented . themselves with out time/;' This they were successful in doing. When stumps were drawn the score stood at 70 for one wicket —Baker, nob out, 34; Johnston, not out, 4.

THIRD DAY. With Otago hopelessly in arrear, very little interest was taken by the public in the closing stage of tlie representative • cricket match, which was brought to a conclusion on the Basin Reserve at 12.45 p.in. on Tuesday, when Wellington won by an innings and 256 runs. Though everything was in favour of run-getting, the wicket wearing well and the weather, save for a fairly strong northerly, almost perfect, the visitors quite ; failed to follow up their admirable opening, and after the second wicket had fallen with the score at 109, they were? q all out in less than an hour for an additional 45 runs. Tucker was mainly lesponsible for their downfall, his six wickets costing only 21 runs. The ground fielding of the home team / was exceptionally brilliant throughout, ■ though the catching was at times faulty, while Williams, behind the sticks, showed improved form, stumping three men in Otago’s second innings. At 10.50 a.m., Baker and Johnston, the not-out- men of the previous day, resumed batting, Upham and Ashbolt being entrusted with the bowling, the scoring board showing 70—1—23. Both bowlers being on the spot, runs came very 1 slowly. Ashbolt, in particular, was hard. to get away, his first ten overs yieldingi only 4 runs. With 80 up, Johnston had* two lives, the first- a difficult one-handed chance to Ashbolt in the slips, which the ; fieldsman just touched, and the second a chance of stumping off Ashbolt. After about forty-five minutes’ monotonous batting, Baker sent up the century with a fine square-leg hit off Ashbolt to the boundary, bringing his own score into the fifties. W ith the score at 105, Hales relieved Upham, and in his first over succeeded in dissolving the partnership, Johnston,, in attempting to pull a long hop, landing the ball into the safe hands of Upham at short-leg. 109—2—23. Johnston had shown good defensive cricket during his stay at the wickets, and his innings had lasted seventy-five minutes. .Tucker then superseded Ashbolt, and 7 runs later Austin played the Micllander safely into Ashbolt’s hands at mid-off. 116—3—0. Baker, after afine on-drive past tlie bowler to the boundary, was easily taken by Ashbolt in the slips off Hales, the fourth wicket falling for 120 runs. Baker, in compilmg his 64, alternated between masterly defence and powerful hitting. He was -- batting two hours and three-quarters, and liis score included ten 4’s. With the score unaltered, Geddes left-, stumped off Tucker, and 4 runs later both Broad and? Liggins were disposed of. Wilkie, who came in next, showed a disposition to bn. but at lost Webb, the latter; making a pair of specs, in the match, and. at 131 Williams, the last two batsmenj ■ snaring the same fate, stumped off Tuck-; ?£\ Eckhoff, the last- man, came in, and: -... \\ llkie hitting merrily; 23 runs were put on before the left-hander returned a ball to Tucker. The innings closed for 154 e .2? leaving Wellington victorious' bv an in-' nings and 256 runs. Scores: '

WELLINGTON. —First Innings. W. Quoo, 1, 1.b.w., b Webb... . 1 F. Aslibolt, 11, b Weob . ... .• 2. K. Tucker, 211241111144423441431111 2132111111411, b Siedeberg ... 74. F. Midlane, 1131241112411214434441 14411114321244211224421411144 • 143414132414, ran out ... 149. C. Richardson, 1112122313121113142 - - 111311223111121131332413324214 323111111241, c Geddes, b Siedeberg ... ..; ... ... 113 A. B. Williams, 4231431141411444, e Austin, b Baker ... ... ... 42 C. Hickson, 14141211, b Wells ... 15 V. Waters, 1131, run out ... ... 6 E. Upham, 3, c Liggins, b Webb ... 3 'F. G. Stephenson,4ll, not out ... 6 Hales, 4, b-Barker ... 4 Byes, 124344444124 ... ... 37 keg byes, 233 ... 8 . Wides, 1111 4 Total ... ... 464 Bowling Analysis.

OTAGO.—First Innings. Baker, 1, b Ashboit ... ... ... i Johnston, run out ... ... ... q Austin, 4, b Upham ... 7.. ..." 4 Geddes, 44121, c Williams, b Upham ' 12 Liggins, 1, b Upham ... 1 Broad, 1, b Ashboit... ... j Siedeberg. 11441112, not out .” 15 Wilkie, 141131, c Williams, b Upham 11 Webb, e Ashboit, b Upham... ... 0 Williams, 4, 1.b.w., b-Ashboit ... 4 Eckhoff 11, c Upham,' b Ashboit ... 2 Byes ... ... ... ... 2 Leg bye ... ... ... ." \ Total 54 Bowling Analysis. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Upham ... 12 4 27 5 Ashboit ... 11.1 4 24 4 OTAGO.—Second Innings. Siedeberg, 231111411211121, c Stephenson, b Upham ... ... 23 Baker, 41211111142114144411124244 1114, c Ashboit, b Hales ... 64 Johnston, 11111112221414, c Upham, b Hales ... ... ... 23 Austin, c Ashboit, b Tucker o Geddes, st Williams, b Tucker ... 0 Liggins, c Stephenson, b Hales ... 0 Broad, 4, c Miuiane, b Tucker ... 4 Wilkie, 31414411, c and b Tucker ... 19 Webb, st Williams, b Tucker ... 0 Williams, 3, st Williams, b Tucker.., 3 Eckhoff, 214, notout ... .... ... 7 Byes; 431 ... •;... ... ... g Leg-byes, 111 ... 3 . . Total .. ..1,. , ... ... 154 Bowling Analysis. , Overs. Mdns. Rns. -Wkts.

Webb Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts 55 .23 98 4 Eekhoff 28 8 85 Geddes 20 5 59 Austin 25 . 10 51 Liggins 2 1 4 Siedeberg 18 5 51 2 ' Wilkie 5 1 17 Broad 2 - 15 Baker 14.4 2 35 2

Up ham Ashbolt ... 21 9 34 1 ... 22 12 35 Hales ... .17 •' 4 44 . ;3 Stephenson Tucker t ' ... • 7 O 921: . s.i 1 6