CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13544, 17 March 1906, Page 5

CRICKET.

MELBOURNE v, OTAGO. DAPITAL BATTING PERFORMANCE BY BAKER. A match between an eleven from the Melbourne Cricket Club and a team representing Otago was commenced on the Carishrook Ground yesterday afternoon. At the dart there was a fair attendance, which grew to a crowd of considerable dimerifiions as the afternoon wore on. The wicket was easy and the outfield in good order. Tlie teams were as follow: — Melbourne.—W. Armstrong (captain), A. A. Aitken, C. Butler, G. Henty, M. Irwin, P. T. Jennings, C. Lavcr, C. M'Leod, D. Mailer, V. Ransford, and W. Wilkinson. Otago.-C. G. Wilson (captain), 0. G. Austin, T. P, Adams, J. Baker, A. Downes, A. H. Fishei, 11. Graham. E. C. Howden, H. G. Sic-dcucrg, R. C. Torrance, and F. Williams.

The display of cricket in Otago's innings was nothing brilliant. Baker, who helped to raise the score from 22 to 124, batted ■with eome freedom, and the s]«ctators witnessed some good cricket when lie was at the wickets, but some of the others showed a pitiable lack of nerve. Armstrong's bowling was a treat-to the spectators, not to the batsmen. His leg break was particularly .puzzling. He was plainly bowling for his field, and he was eminently successful. M'Leod kept a good length,'and ably assisted his captain. The fielding of the visitors was (splendid. Hansford brought off some beautiful catches, and M'Leod easily saved a score of runs by stopping some •warm balk that would have travelled far down the field. Wilkinson, behind the wickets, was very smart. His clean work was much admired. Otago's innings closed at 5.12 p.m., after two and three-quarter hours' play, for 130 runs, and at 5.27 p.m. tho visitors went to ths wickets, but drizzling ram stopped tho play after two overs had been bowled.

Wilson came out on lop in the spin of the coin with Armstrong,' and elected to send Otago lo the wickets.

AI, 2.13 p.m. Siedeberg and Adams appeared us the pioneer batsmen for tho homo team. Siedeberg, at the ca6t one), took strike to M'Leod, and hit his first ball for a. single. Adams hit file bowler into the slips, narrowlv escaning bein°caught, and Ihe next ball he put into the hand of Aitken, at. point. I—l-0. Graham was next. The last ball of the over he snicked for a single. Armstrong took up Ihe ball at. the other end. (iraham got the first, ball awav to the boundary- for 4, and safely withstood the rest of the over. M Leod sent down a maiden lo Siedeberg. Armstrong's slow breaks did not disconcert Graham in any way. He stepped out lo one, but did not, get, a good hold of it. The last ball of the over he pulled lo \c for a quartet. 10 up. M'Leod was credited with another maiden. His pace is fast and 3ns delivery varied, and plainly puzzled the batsman now and again. Graham got M'Leod away for a single, and Siedeberg played out the remainder of Ihe over without scoring. Graham, with a hard, clean stroke, sent M'Leod to the on for one, and in the next over put Armstrong to leg with a. rather flukey hit for a like number! The captain's trundling was somewhat puzzling to the batsmen, especially so to Siedeberg. Graham added another single by hitting M'Leod stronjrlr to the off, the batsmen making a. smart run. The same batsman lifted Armstrong to leg for a Bingle, and Siedeberg again played out. the over without, adding anything to his score. M'Leod bowled a maiden to Graham. Armstrong then found his way into Siedeberg's Btumps. 15-2-1. Austin was next, Armstrong unsuccessfully appealed for leg before, and tho next ball tho batsman put to the leg for 1. M'Leod varied his length considerably, but Austin nlaved him carefully and patiently, and the over produced no runs. Graham hit Armstrong for a brace, and then lifted him gcnt-lv into the hands of Henty at mid-wicket, 18-3-16, Wilson joined Austin, who turned M'Leod to leg for 2, sending 20 up. Wilson got ArmBtrong.away for 2, and was then templed to sky him to leg, where Ransford brought off a good catch. 22-4-2. Baker filled the gap, and opened his account by cutting M'Leod for 2. He then put the bowler away for 1, and 2 more wero got from an overthrow. Baker let out at several of Armstrong's but only got under one, which he sent down the field to a safe, place for a single. Two to tho same batsman off M'Leod brought. 30 into sight. Austin rant Armstrong to the grand stand for 4, and dealt with the rest of the Over very gingerly. Several of the balls heat him very badly. Baker drove M'Leod for 1, and got Armstrong awa-y for another one. Austin safely negotiated the rest of tho over, playing very carefully. Baker hit M'Leod into the slips, and, the fieldsman missing the ball, a single was run. The Grange representative tried several times to slog at Armstrong's 6low ones, but could not manage it; He got fairly under one, and lifted it on to the grand l stand for 5. This brought 40 into sight. It was a good, safe hit, and Baker deserved the hearty checra ho got for it. The same batsman fob M'Leod to leg for one, and hit Armstrong to tho same quarter for 1. A ball from Armstrong that went as high as Austin's shoulder tho batsman skied to leg, but no ono wa« near it, and a single was run. Austin hit M'Leod for 2, a.nd a smart return by Ransford nearly brought about Baker's retirement. Singles to each batsman caused 50 to bo signalled, after 55 minutes' play. A single to Baker off M'Leod was followed by a life to Austin, who 6kied the bowler into the slips. Baker again let out wildly at some of _ Armstrong's loose stuff, but mado no capital out of it, and Armstrong was oretlited with his first maiden. Each batsman scored a single off M'Leod. Baker got Armstrong away to log, but Ransford stopped it and one in place of four was run. An even drive by Baker off M'Leod added another single to the batsman's steadily increasing credit, and a strong boundary hit to the on, off Armstrong, put 4 more on to it. Austin snicked M'Leod for a couple, and 60 was telegraphed. Baker hit Armstrong hard for a single. Tho ball was well-fielded, saving sovcral runs. Austin cut Armstrong for a single, and Baker at last managed to get under one and lift it to the grand stand. At 67 Austin lifted M'Leod into Ransford's hands at cover-point. 67—5—16. Howdcn followed. Baker snicked Arm-

strong and one ot the fieldsmen letting it past 'him two were ran. M'Leod sent down a maiden, his second in succession. Baker got well under another of M'Leod's and again lifted him to tho grand stand for 5, bringing 70 up. M'Leod's next over Baker dealt with cautiously. He let out hard at one or two, but good fielding kept down tho score. Howdcn then had tho misfortune to get his leg before the wicket to Armstrong's bowling, and retired without having scored., 74—6—0. Fisher partnered Baker, who scored a sin»ie oft' each bowler. Fisher was soon in difficulties with Armstrong, though he kept his wicket up.. Bakor continued to holt verv hard at M'Leod's fast ones, but (irst-class fielding by the bowler himself kept the score steady. At 4 p.m. an adjournment was made for 20 minutes for afternoon tea.

On resuming, Fisher got one olf M'Leod. and Armstrong bowled a maiden. Fisher then skied M'Leod very high to the wickets, and the ball fell into Aiken's hands. 797—2. Downes joined his club-mate, and like some of his predecessors found that hitting out, at Armstrong was not so easy as it seemed. Several powerful stroke's on the part of the newly-arrived batsman were purely wasted effort. Both bowlers were credited with a couple of maidens, but Downes broke Hid monotony by hitting Armstrong for a single. The bowlers were keeping up their pace remarkably well, varying their length nicely. Armstrong mixed his slow breaks, which are mostly from tho leg. with some very fast bowling. Downes lifted M'Leod to the boundary for 4, and Baker attempted to do the same, or better, with' Armstrong, but on the part of the former if was mostly wasted effort. Downes had a life, hitting M'Leod to mid-off, where the fieldsman just failed to reach it. Downes gave another chance in the slips, which was not taken, and then hit M'Leod for one, annlher being run for an overthrow. A quartet to Downes, off M'Leod. brought 90 up. Baker again lifted Armstrong to the grand-stand for 5, tho ball parsing very close to some spectators. Downes caused 100 to rise, amid cheers, after two and a-quarler hours' play, by hitting M'Leod to the on for 4. This he followed up by putting ihe same bowler away for a single, and Baker followed suit. Two byes were run. Baker hit M'Leod strongly for a. single. More wild strokes at Armstrong produced nothing in the way of runs to Baker, and the bowler was credited with another maiden. After Downes had added one more to his score he was clean bowled bv Armstronc. 107—8—18. Torrance, who followed, snicked Armstrong past Ihe wicket-keeper for 4, sending 110 up. Another single to Baker raised his score to 50. for which he was accorded a hearty round of applause. Torrance made another boundary hit off the Melbourne captain, and Baker did llw same, off M'Leod. Baker's time had come, However. He skied Armstrong to leg, whero Hansford made sure of it. 124-9-55. Baker had been at the wickets nearly two hours, and was accorded an ovation, on returning to the pavilion. Williams, the last man, tipped Armstrong past the wicket-keeper and was credited with 4 runs. Torrance brought the innings lo a close by lifting M'Leod into Ransford's hands at mid-elf, the score standing at 130.

The wickets fell in Ibis order;—l for 1, 2 for 15. 3 for 18. 4 for 22, 5 for 67. 6 for 74. 7 for 79, 8 for 107,-9 for 124, 10 for 130.

At. 5.27 Mailer and Aitken went to the wickets for the visitors, the latter taking strike to Downes, who bowled from tho west end. Tour was scored off the first ball, with a clean bit to leg, followed by a single, Mailer hitting the next, ball for another 4. Fisher had the ball at the pavilion end, and 4 runs were scored off his first over—a single to Mailer, and a single and a brace to Aitken. At this stage heavy rain came on and it was decided to postpone further play until the next morning. Scores: — Otago—First Innings. T. D. Adams, c Aitken, b JL'Leod ~ .. 0 H. Siedeberg, 1, b Armstrong 1 H. Graham, 144111112, c Henty, b Armstrong 1G G. G. Austin, 1241121121, c Ransford, b M'Leod in C. G. Wilson. 2. c Ransford, b Armstrong 2 J. Baker, 23121115111111141425115111114, c Itansford, b Armstrong ' .. .. .. 55 B. Howdcn, lbw, b Armstrong .. .. 0 A. Fisher, 11. c Aitken, b M'Leod .... 2 A. Downes, 14214111, 1> Armstrong .. 18 E. C, Torrance, 41412, c Ransford, b M'Leod , t 12 P. Williams, 4, not out ~„ 4 Extras „ *. .. „ „ ~ ~ 4 Total , ~ .. 130 BOWLING ANALYSIS. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wide. Armstrong .. 34 7 75 G M'Leod .. ... 34 10 51 ' i Melbourne.—First Innings. D. Mailer, 41, not out .. ~ .., 5 A. Aitken, 4112, not out ~ .. „ '~ 8 No wickets for t. »• aK „13 Messrs Smyth and West were the umpires and Messrs A. Courtis and A. E. Titchener the scorers. Play will be resumed to-day at noon. WARNER'S TEAM IK SOUTH APRICA, CAPETOWN, aiaroh 15. (Received Match 16, at 8.44 a.m.) The South Africa team won the second and third test matches against the Marylebone Club's team (captained by Warner) by nine wickets and 243 runs respectively.