CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13516, 13 February 1906, Page 3

CRICKET.

THE MELBOURNE TEAM'S FIRST

(Fee United Press Assocution.)

AUCKLAND, February 12. The Melbourne-Auckland cricket match was concluded to-day, the Melbourne team winning by nino wickets. Smith and Lusk played 6uporb cricket, the former being the steadier of tbe two. About £130 lias been taken at the gates. The Melbourne cricketers leave- for New Plymouth- tomorrow. At 10 minutes past 12 Auckland opened their second innings with Hemus and Lusk. M'Leod commenced the attack from tho hospital end, and bow'ed a maiden to Lusk, Armstrong bowled from the pavilion end, and his third ball Hcmus placed to tho on for 3. Hemus scored a single to the off in M'Leod's next over, and then a single off Armstrong. Lusk drove the latter bowler to the off boundary for 4. A nice lato out by HcnuJb off M'Leod brought 10 on the board. Hemus played forward to one of Armstrong's leg breaks, and put the bait up to the bowler. I—6—lo. Sale, the top scorer in the first innings, joined Lusk, and opened his account by wilting Jl'Leod for a couple. Sale drove M'Lccd in his next over foi a single, and Lusk played the samo bowler between midon and the bowler for a like number. Two balls later Sale put M'Leod up at point, and was caught by Irwin. 2—3—15. Smith joined Lusk, who was shaping well. The latter hit Armstrong's third hall to the on boundary, and brought 20 on the board by scoring a single off the same howler. Smith opened his account with a single off M'Leod, and a little later had a narrow escape from being run out in trying to sneak a run. Lusk put Armstrong up Tather dangerously, but a run was scored. Then he hooked M'Leod well for a single, which took the total past 30. He did the same to Armstrong, and very prettily, for it went to the boundary, and three balls later he brought 20 opposito his name by hitting Armstrong to leg for 2. The batsmen were running some very short ones. Forty appeared on the board as Hie result of as many minutes' piayrd. Smith hit a full toss from M'Leod to the square leg boundary for 4. and Lusk got on to Armstrong to leg. but only a single resulted, Lusk drove M'Leod nicely past cover for 4, which brought tho half century on the board. Smith lifted Armstrong's last ball for 4 Ic the on. and Lusk brought 30 opposite his name by placing M'Leod at the off for 3. He hooked Armstrong for 4 in the next over, and followed it up with another one. Ho scored 9 off the over. Lust- was batting confidently, and watching Armstrong closely. He, however, gave Irwin a chance at. mid-on off Armstrong. He signalised his let-off by straight driving the same bowler along the carpet for 4. Seventy was on the board, out of which Lusk claimed 44, and Smith, wlib was playing carefully, was 14. At this stage Armstrong gave the ball to Butler. This bowler is a righthander, and places all his field on the off, excepting mid-on—straight over his head. Lusk cut M'Leod well for 4. and followed it with a drive for 3, which placed the halfcentury opposite his name. Smith late-cut ' the samo bowler for 4, and two balls later repeated the stroke. Ransford, who is a ' left-hander, replaced M'Leod. Liisk drove ] Hansford for 2. and Smith did tho same with Butler. Two clean drives by Smith for 4 caused 100 to lie hoisted. The century ' had been scored in 95 minutes. Smith was ' 32 and Lusk 58. Lusk glanced Butler '• nicely to leg for 4, and then hit Ransford I into "M'Leod's hands at point, but tho ' ehanco was dropped. At the luncheon adjournment the score stood at 113—Lusk 64, Smith 33. Play was resumed at 20 minutes past 3 o'clock; M'Leod taking up the bowling at tho pavilion end. Lusk drove his first ball for 4 and cut the next for 2, thus making his score 70. Two balls later, however, Lusk gave Irwin a chance at point. He had boon'at the wickets about an hour and a-half. He played confidently throughout, and scored all round the wicket, but tho innings was marred by two chances at 40 and 60. Ho hit ten 4's and seven, 2's. 3—70—119. Mason joined Smith, who notched a single. Mason opened with nn oft drive for 2, and repeated the stroke in M'Leod's next over. , Smith square-cut M'Leod an over later for 3. Both men kept going until Mason hit M'Lcad into third man's hands. 4—12—139. The Auckland skipper (Haddon) followed, and sent M'Leod's fifth ball to square leg for 3 and Armstrong's first to the off for a single. Smith square-cut M'Leod nicely for 4, and Ecored a 2 and a single. Haddon scored 1 off Armstrong, and 150 appeared on the board. Smith late-cut M'Leod beautifully for 3, which brought 50 to his credit. Haddon square-cut the ball to the boundary, ind followed it up with a 3. Henty replaced ' Wilkinson behind the sticks, and Wilkinson replaced Armstrong with the ball, Armstrong had taken one wicket for 51 and M'Leod three for 69. Smith scored I, and an unsuccessful appeal for leg-before was made against Haddon. The next ball Haddon mis-hit. and was caught by Armstrong in the slips. 5—12-165. Auckland had now easily wiped off the deliciencv. Husscy joined Smith, and opened with a single. Off M'Leod's next two balls lie scored 4, and was then caught in the slips by _ Armstrong. 6-5-171. Olliff joined Smith, who was 54 and still batting carefully. Smith mishit one from "Wilkinson, and narrowly escaped being caught by Armstrong. He then touched one of M'Leod's off balls, and was nicc'y caught by AVilkinfon. He had played a chanreless innings, and never looked like getting out. His leg hitting was especially accurate, and he brought off some good off bits. It was a heady innings, for he allowed M'Leod's tempting off theory ones to pass over alter over. He hit six 4's and three 3's. 7—55— 174, Sloman took Smith's place at the wickets, and after nearly playing a coup'o of balls on gave the wicketkecpov a chance off 'Wilkinson. He opened Ms account with a hit to the square leg boundary. Three balls later, however, he stepiwd "out to i-it Wilkinson and was slumped. 8—4—179. Eobinson was the last man in, as S'temson was absent, being indisposed. OllifT lifted M'Leod over tho slip's head for 2, and a second later sent the ball past the bowler to the boundary. Eobinson notched a single off Wilkinson, and three balls later Auckland's inninzs closed foT 186 by Wilkinson bowling Olliff. Wilkinson is a right handed break bowler, and frequently swerves.

With a- deficiency of 20 runs. Melbourne opened their second innings with Irwin and Aitken, The first-mentioned took strike to •Haddon, who bowled from the pavilion end. Irwin hit two 2's off Haddon, which was followed by 5 byes. Mason was given the ball at the hospital end, and Irwin 6cored 3 off the over. Two byes were scored, and tt.cn Irwin lifted a full toss by Haddon to the square le<r boundary, and was caught by Hemus. 1—4—12. Vaughan followed, and Aitken banged Haddon to the boundary and followed it with 2. Two to Vaughan off Mason brought the score level with Auckland, and a wide by Mason gave Melbourne the match. Scores: — AvcKMm' First Innings 11G Second Innings. L. G. Henms, c and b ATnvslron«>' G H. B. Lust, c Irwin, b ITT.eotT .. 70 E. V. Sale, c Irwin, b M'Leod .. ,1 W. Brook-Smith, c Wilkinson, b M'Lcocl 55 Mason, c Vaughan. b M'Leod .. 12 A. Haddon, c Armstrong, h Wilkinson 12 J. Hii'sev, c Armstrong b M'Leod 5 O. OlliC h Wilkinson .... 7 A T.. Sloman, st Henty, b Wilkinson .. . .; .. 4 W. Kobinson, not out .. ~ .. 1 W. Stemson, absent ,', .. .. 0 Extra.; . 11 Total .. ,- ISC Bowling Analysis.—M'Leod, 5 wickets for 72 runs. [Tho rest of the analysis is unintelligible.] Meliourxf.. First Innings 252 Second Innings. >£. Irwin, c Hemus. 1» Haddon ~ 7 A. A. Aitken, not out d Vstii'lisn, not out .. ~ .. ~, 2 Extras ... ~.., 6 One wicket tea .. ~ gi The Second Grade match Grange v. Dunedin No. 1 was continued ou the Cale'donian Ground_ on Saturday, when the Grange, with eight wickets down for 225, resumed their innings, and were all disposed of for 229 (Weir 34, not out). Dunedin on going to the wickets lost two wickets for 16, when rain stepped play for the day. Tlie watch will be resumed en Wednesday evening at 6 o'clock sharp. The unfinished mateh Dunedin v. Albion Jill be continued on the North Ground on lhursday evening at 6 o'clock sharp.