CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19697, 26 January 1926, Page 7

CRICKET.

CLOSE OF PLUNKET SHIELD GAME. OTAGO DEFEATS WELLINGTON VICTORY BY FIVE WICKETS Fine weather prevailed for the continuation of the Plunket Shield cricket match between Otago and Wellington at Carisbrook yesterday. The visitors had made a total of 420 i i their two innings, and Otago having compiled 239 in their first venture were left with only 182 to make to win. For a team of considerable batting strength like Otago the task did not appear at all a formidable one and as as a matter of fact it proved well within their capacitv, though when two first-class wickets had 'go le for eight runs the local prospects were not particularly cheerful. Both Worker and Shepherd failed to gee going, but Galland and M’Mullan settled down to a businesslike partnership that retrieved the situation. They carried the score to 99 before Galland, who hit two sixes, was caught in the slips by Badcock, M’Mullan and A. Ailoo carried on to 123, when Henderson bowled M’Mullan with a curious one. Blamires contributed 10 and then retired Ibw to Huddleston. A. Ailoo and Cberrv knocked off the remaining runs reouired. The Wellington fielding was hardly up to their standard shown in the first "linings, and several good chances went begging. The change bowlers, Hiddleston and Henderson, were more successful than Brice, M’Girr, and Badcock, Badcock had 4S runs knocked off him without getting a wicket. For an off-day the attendance round the rails was good. Lambert, the visitors’ twelfth man, fielded in place of Collins, who is unwell. The outfield had been partially cut. but owing to trouble with the machine the work could not be completed before the game started. When the groundsman, Mr A. Boss, set about completing the work during the luachean adjournment ellmg ion put in a protest against cutting being done in the lunch hour, and accordingly the work was discontinued. THE PLAY. On the resumption of play at 11.6 a.m. Shepherd and Worker were sent in as Otago’s opening batsmen. Brice bowled from the pavilion end to Worker. His first was a no-ball which the batsman placed past slips for three. Shepherd got a nasty blow on the foot from the fourth ball of the over. He put the seventh round dangerously to the on, where Badcock just failed to reach a catch. M’Girr came on at the Workshops end and Shepherd cut him for a single. Worker added a single to leg Brice sent down a maiden to Worker. Shepherd got M'Girr to square leg for one and then Worker hit him hard into Hiddleston’s hands in the slips, and the chance was held. 7—l—4. M’Mullan followed to the wickets and plaved out the over. Brice was no-balled. Off* the next ball Shepherd, in trying a hit to leg was well caught by Badcock, and two of Otago’s best batsmen had gone before double figures were reached. B—2 Galland was the incomer. He got square on to his second ball from Brice and landed it over the pavilion rails for six, the first six of the match. M'Girr s third ball went for four byes, and MMunan added one for a nice stroke to leg. Galland brought 20 up with a single to leg and one for an overthrow. He out the last of the over dangerously through the slips. Each batsman got a single off Brice, and Galland scored four for a pretty cut to ( the fence. Two singles were added off M'Girr. and 59 was hoisted. M’Mullan cut him for a brace. Badoock took over the attack from Brice, and Galland smote his first to len- for a three that was just cut off at the boundary by Dempster. Three singles followed from the over. M’Girr bowled a maiden to M’Mullan, the first to his credit during tile match. A 'bye gave M Mullan the bowling again in the next over, and Badcock sent him a maiden. Galland cocked up H’Girr dangerously to mid-on but it fell short, A third successive maiden was bowled by M'Girr to Galland. M-Mullan pulled "Badcock hard to the rails and the 40 mark was passed. He cut the last through slips for a couple. Galland did not seem happy to M'Girr, and probably playing the defensive game did not suit him. For the third time running M’Girr bowled a maiden. M'Mullan got a quiet single off Badcock and then Galland skied him high among fieldsmen waiting to leg. M’Girr and_ Hiddleston went lor ’t, and Hiddleston drew back leaving it to M'Girr. Possibly this disconcerted the fieldsman, but anyhow M'Girr dropped it, and Galland had a simple let off. Galland cut M'Girr for what should have been two, but one of them was short. Fifty oame up for 59 minutes’ play. M'Mullan got Badcock to leg for a single and another was added for a leg bye. The Wellington bowlers were sending down good stuff that always demanded careful watching and the batsmen did not look like mastering it. M'Girr bowled a maiden to Galland and then M'Mullan broke the quiet spell by cutting Badcock for three. Galland twice hit him to leg for two and added another in the same direction, bringing 60 up Nine runs and a bye came off the over. M’Girr at this stage had bowled nine overs for 12 runs He was swinging awkwardly. Three singles came off M'Girr’s next over. Galland brought 70 up and roused the applause of the gallery by lifting Badcock for another six into the grandstand. Then he cut him for three. Badcock was provin<r easily the most expensive of the bowlers. Brice went on in place of M’Girr, and bowled a maiden to Ga - land. M'Mullan opened out and drove Badcock squarely to the fence, the only score ot the over. Galland cut linco pioely to the fence bringing £0 up and drove him for another fou l- . The visitors tried another change of bowling, and Henderson took over from Badcock. M'Mullan placed him for one and Galland drove him to the off for another. The batsmen stole a number of singles from Brice’s slows ana 90 went up. Half of Otago’s task was now completed. Galland passed his half century by on-drivin Brice to the boundary. He had been at the crease for 78 minutes and the total was but two short of the century. Henderson was sending down some wild stuff, but Galland hit up one of them, and it was safely held by Badcock in the slips. go—s—s 3. The retiring batsman had played the game wanted at a critical time, and his partnership with M'Mullan had added SI and put a very different aspect on the e T.V Ailoo came in next. M'Mullan brought the century up for exactly 100 minutes play with a single off Henderson. Ailoo opened his account with a pretty fine out off Henderson to the fence. M'Girr came on at the Workships end and M Mullan got him to leg for a brace. _ Ailoo added a two off Henderson, one being for an overthrow. M'Girr took the last over before the luncheon adjournment, and M’Mullan cut him sweetly to the fence. The adjournment was taken with the score at 112 for three wickets. M’Mullan hod scored 55, and A. Ailoo six. With seven wickets in hand Otago had 70 runs to make. When piay was resumed Ailoo off drove Henderson for a hard run three. Two singles were added and Ailoo gave a difficult chance to Badcock at second slip. M’Girr kept Ailoo quiet bowling him a maiden, Henderson’s first" ball went for four _ byes, and 120 went up. M’Mullan got him to leg for a brace and then was beaten by one that came beck and got the top of his wicket. 123—4—38. M’Mullan was warmly applauded for a patient and valuable innings that lasted 110 minutes. Blamires, the Otago captain, had a good reception on going out. He got Henderson’s last ball to leg for a single and added a similar one from M'Girr. Two singles to each followed. One hundred and thirty came up when Blamires placed Henderson for one. Ailoo out him uppishly just out of reach, and then square cut him for two. Blamires off-drove M'Girr for four, Ailoo put Henderson to square leg for one and Blamires got. another from the same over. A nice stroke to leg off M'Girr added two to Blamires’s total, and brought 140 up. He got another off the last ball of the over. Henderson he turned prettily to leg - for a single and Ailoo drove him to the boundary. With the total at 146, Hiddleston took the ball from M'Girr. Blamires cut his second almost to the boundary for a brace. In attempting to turn a. straight one to leg Phmirc.s missed and was out 1bw.148—5—16. The captain's runs had been compiled with stylish, forceful cricket. Thirty-four were now wanted. Cherry was the new-comer. Henderson sent down a maiden to Ailoo. Cherry opened his account by cutting Hiddleston for a hard-run three, 150 up. Lambert stopped another hard oie, this time from Ailoo. on the boundary, and a two resulted. Cherry got a quiet single from Henderson, and Ailoo drove him hard back for four. Badcock now replaced Hiddleston at the Workshops end. and bowled a maiden to Ailoo. Hiddleston took the ball from

Brice at the pavilion end. Cherry stole one off him, and 160 went up. Another single came from the over. Ailoo mishit Badcock for one. The scoring now grew slower as the critical point of the game approached. Ailoo smote Hiddleston for one. The field was brought very close in for Badcock. Ailoo, who was now 29, returned one hard to the bowler, but Badcock dropped it. Brice came on at the pavilion end, and Cherry got him to the on for one. Ailoo hit him to square leg for another. Cherry further reduced the deficit by hitting Badcock to leg for three. Brice was no-balled, but the batsman ran for an overthrow, and Cherry had a very narrow escape of being run out as Kortlang threw down his wicket. 170 up. Cherry lifted Badcock hard back to the boundary, and put him to square-leg for a couple. Ailoo placed one of Brice’s slows for a single. Both batsmen now seemed to be looking for a big hit to end the match. One of Brice’s went for four byes, and one was wanted to win. Cherry got it off the next ball, which he drove to Lambert at long-on. The game concluded at 3.25 in a win for Otago by five wickets and one run. Ailoo was then 31 and Cherry 17. The innings lasted 189 minutes. The performance was recognised to be a very .good one against a formidable team, and it was warmly applauded by the crowd. The following are the scores:— WELLINGTON. First innings 270 Second innifigs -• 109 OTAGO. First innings .. , •• •• 239 Second Innings. R. Worker, c Hiddleston, b M’Girr .. 4 J. Shepherd, c Badcock, b Brice .. .. 3 J M’Mullan b Henderson A. Galland, c Badcock, b Henderson .. no A. W. Ailoo, not out .. M o. Blamires, Ibw, b Hiddleston .. 30 R. Cherry, not out I? Extras Total for five wickets .. .. 182 Bowling Analysis.—Brice, SO balls, 38 runs, 2 maidens, 1 wicket; M’Girr 128 balls, 33 runs, 5 maidens, 1 wicket; Badcock, 104 balls 48 runs, ) maidens; Hiddleston, 3balls, 10 runs, wicket; Henderson, 80 balls, 38 runs, 3 naiden, two wickets.