CRICKET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24529, 11 February 1941, Page 5

CRICKET

(Mors iMPkdvia) batting Defeat by an innings and 18 runs was the fate of Otago in the return cricket match with Canterbury, which finished 'st Carisbrook early yesterday afternoon. That is a heavy enough defeat conscience, but the fact that it. was"; riot considerably heavier was due to ]» much improved display of batting by some of the Otago players yes-terdiy;'-They started in the morning after hiding scored 187vand 118 for six wickets in reply to Canterbury's total <ji 507 for six wickets (declared), and AiM Knight, T. Chettleburgh and J. D.?'Blakely batted. so much more confidently 4hat there . were' grounds: for hope for some ttae that the. vjsit4

tors .would/have to bat again,. The last,Wicket; however, fell '*mfc, h«f an hjitix ; after the lunch adjournment. Knight took the honours of the an imnlnfs of 162, an addiUoti of s neat ltt te his overnight aeeM A :'fflth his. first innings score of M. ha* aggregate for the match wa»tH-a reatly outstondinj perYomhMe considering that his ***• '' best criciet of the match was patted v With CheMJoburßh dftying* :*bnfldently * -art* freel&jjfithe other enChe treated the bowling more, on rits'merits than he had at any urevious stage, and played some splendid cover drives, and cuts. His rate of scoring improved so much thatlie„-«cored. his first 50 yesterday in I%j, minutes, his ; ,in t&t minuKes, iand 150 in 248; minutes ■■■:, At no he attempt to force the pace unduly, but he was batting so well in partnership with J, D. Blakely that It was a surprise when he got out. He was '142. at lunch, and the spectators after the adjournment were waiting for him to pass V. James's 155 not but for, Canterbury, when .he played rather a tired defensive stroke at a ball from the slow left-hander. A. Burgess. The ball appeared to come back just sufficiently to beat and bowl him. This was easily Knight's biggest innInss for Otaco. In fact, it was his first century In a , major i match, his previous best being 83 against Auckland some years? ago. In addition, it will go on record as probably the most valuable innings .-in'-a long record that has in- -.'■■ ~*ii "-,•.':■ ■'■--.--..:-/< :,.-•■■/■:'■-•■. ■*■-. ' -:

eluded manv fine knocks. Altogether irt* 1 Knight batted 253 minutes, "hit 17 4's. and did not give a :^hanee.': : ''.-.- $.•«•.•' * j » c " A Good Example ' The Knight-Chettleburgh partner-ship-added 129■ runs before the latter wept well down the wicket to drivel. B. Cromb. misaed and was stumped by yards. As in tha first: innings, the, Otago captain showed that there was nothing intimidating in the bowling. Starting yesterday with 30 runs on the '^i«^^ti^^B''-bii^ scpring,: ana the first •80 runs of the day. came *ih 27'mihutes: ■-" Chettleburgh's clean driving, with an occasional hook from both ends, brought the runs in at a good pace. Although he was. lucky not to be out. before he had scored and had, another fortunate escape, at 55, when he mishit a drive oft* Cromb straight to W. A. Hadlee. at mid-on, and saw it dropped, his was an attractive and valuable innings. His 64, jwnich took only 76 minutes and ■ included eight 4's. gave him the excellent double for the match of 44 and 64. The score was 192 when J. D. Blakely came in, and; the Maniototo batsman settled down- to keep an end going while Knight-did most of the.scoring. . The * patnership realised 87 runs. Blakely used his feet well to the slower •bowlers, and played very sound defensive cricket. He gave a sharp slip chance off Cromb when he was -only seven; and should'have been.stumped at 22, but otherwise he did not appear to' be;m 'serious .troubled although he found, 'it .difficult to .'place *is strokes for runs. He tried to score more quickly; after L: J. Groves had hit a couple of, good 4's, and then lifted one into the covers, and he was the last man out. caught at point when he mishit a full toss. ;

Altogether Otago's batting ,.i on the last day confirmed the belief that Saturday's display was just too bad to be true. The wicket was again, greatly in favour of the batsmen: and all ebnditionsvwere perfect'.: The debacle bt Saturday was a sorry reflection oh-the quality of iOtago cricket.

>• v The Canterbury bowling yesterday was ,nO weaker than '.'onv Saturday. Cromb finished,-.the .innings;, with four wickets and should have had one or two more. -Burgess again bowled very steadily, and?, A. W. Roberts pegged away, with his consistent accuracy. The one •or -two dropped catches did not seriously mar a first rate display of fielding by the visitors. Their ground Work and returning to the wicket were splendid. < Ai<■'.'.'■ ■V •■ ■■ ,>■" ■ ■ Details: r 'v ! V>. -i'_ CANT^BBUaiY:; : i First innings: '507 for six wickets • --v.- (declared), ■■ •'.';■■ \ ? ' First innings-;.',; .:..•:. .-.. ..187 ■ Second Innings A. R. Knight, b Burgess .... ... 152 V. J. Leader, b Roberts .. 2 G. J. Robertson c Burgess, b Cameron :-. .. ;, .. .. .. 0 G. H. Mills, c Cromb, ,b Roberts .. 16 L. Smith, c Roberts, b Cromb .. 10 S. Duncan, lbw. b CronSb ~ .. 0 C Geary, c James, b Cromb .... 1 T. Chettleburgh. st Harbidge. b Cromb . '-,. .. ..■• .. .. ... 64 J. D. Blakely. c Cameron, b Burgess ... ■.;':.. ....;.. .. 28 L. J. Groves, c Cromb, b Anderson 11 J. W. Blakely. not out ;■• .. .. 5 Extras (byes .6. leg byes 4. no- ;•; balls 3) . - .. .. .. ■:. 13 Total ..-. ./,.;. .. ..302 Fall of wickets: One.for four, two for seven, three for 39. four for 58, five for 58, six for 63; seven or 192. eight for 279. nine for 296. 10 for 302. . Bowling Analysis :-': ;■/•."'

O. M. R, W. S. Cameron .. 12 — 65 1 A. W. Roberts • • 20 2 38 2 A. Burgess .... 20,4 7 49 2 I. B. Cromb .. 20 3 72 4 W. McD Anderson .... 8 ■ — 58 1 W. A. Hadlce .. 3 1 7 — Cromb bowled two no-balls.