OTAGO v. CANTERBURY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25766, 10 February 1945, Page 5

OTAGO v. CANTERBURY

GOOD SCORE BY VISITORS The return representative cricket match between Otago and Canterbury was commenced under ideal conditions at Carisbrook yesterday. The visitors came with a reputation of having a strong batting side and their performance in scoring 306 runs for the loss of seven wickets amply Justified it. At one stage, however, they hod six wickets down for 179, but once again dropped catches and the seeming failure on the part of the Otago captain, C G. Toomey, to exploit the position to the fullest, particularly in more changes of bowling, robbed Otago of its definite grip on the game. Bowlers Do Well Five catches that should not have been missed by representative players, and some extremely bad returns on the part of the fieldsmen to the wicket-keeper marred Otago's performance. The ground fielding was always good and sometimes brilliant. The wicket gave no assistance at all to the bowlers, and in the circumstances they did much better than might have been expected. A. W. Roberts commanded the greatest respect for the first two hours and a-half of the game, but then tired. R. Silver was the greatest surprise, bowling with steadiness and a certain amount of venom. T. A. Freeman did not cause much trouble to most of tile batsmen, and L. D. Smith was made too much use of in the critical midafternoon period. R. Harwood and J. Allen were never impressive. The wicketkeeping of G. H. Mills was of the highest standard. Neither I. B. Crornb nor W. A. Hadlee was at his best in Canterbury's innings, but J. G. Leggnt, who has a wide variety of scoring shots, is one of the most promising young players seen at Carlsbrook for a long time. L. A. Butterfield batted freely after a slow beginning, and V. James and D. M. Dunnet also showed themselves to be players above the ordinary, although Dunnet should have been disposed of early in his innings. Messrs J. Porteous and D. Fogarty were the umpires, and Messrs C. Sew Hoy and C. J Martin the scorers. Slow Beginning Canterbury had the first use of a perfect wicket, Crornb and Leggat opening against the bowling of Freeman and Roberts. Both batsmen were inordinately subdued, particularly facing Roberts, and the game had been in progress nearly 40 minutes before a boundary was scored. Crornb did not show anything of his oldtime dash, and he was snapped up in the slips by F. Bellamy off Freeman. In the meantime, Leggat' had settled down and was playing quiet, but attractive cricket, using his feet most effectively. Hadlee was dropped by Harwood when five. The half-century was hoisted in 85 minutes, and at the luncheon adjournment the score stood at 72 for one wicket (Leggat 43, Hadlee 13). There was an appreciable acceleration in the rate of the scoring on the resumption of play. Hadlee, however, did not last long, being out lbw to Roberts, his 23 having taken 66 minutes. Leggat reached his half-century in two hours and 10 minutes, and a little later he gave his first chance, Harwood foiling to hold a ball which kept low. After falling to connect with a good ball which swung to the off from Sliver, Leggat clipped one to Roberts in the slips, the fieldsman making no mistake about it. W. McD. Anderson did not stay long, and K. F. M. Uttley had a short but merry life. After hitting two boundaries and being missed by Toomey, he was dismissed by a spectacular catch by Smith, who had to perform a complete somersault in doing so. The epidemic of dropped catches continued, however, Butterfield having a life before he had scored when Bellamy failed to hold a difficult one. The score at the afternoon tea interval was 169 fofive wicket's. Chances Lost James, who had batted for two hours without making a faulty stroke, was brilliantly caught by Freeman in the slips, the second century coming up a little later, made in 275 minutes. Dunnet. when 10. hit one clean into Toomey's hands at mid-off, but once again the chance was not accepted. The same batsman, in going for a short run, might have been run out, but Smith sent in a wild return which gave the wicketkeeper no chance. At a crucial stage in the innings Dunnet and L. A. Butterfield became associated, the two batsmen putting on 63 runs before Dunnet was badly beaten by Roberts. Butterfield, who started oil with 10 singles, made his half-century in, 97 minutes, this being brought up with a hit over the squareleg fence. Butterfield skied one into the country, but Baker misjudged it' oadly, and a possible chance went begging. The third century was hoisted in 350 minutes, and stumps were drawn with the total at 306 for seven wickets, Butterfield being 74 not out and T. Burtt 21 not out. The match will be continued to-day. The scores are as follows: Canterbury First Innings I. B. Crornb, c Bellamy, b Freeman 16 J. G. Leggat, c Roberts, b Silver .. 74 W. A. Hadlee, lbw, by Roberts .. .. 23 V. James, c Freeman, b Smith .. .. 46 W. McD. Anderson, c Mills, b Silver 1 K. F. M. Uttley, c Smith, b Silver .. 11 L. A. Butterfield, not out 74 D. M. Dunnet. lbw, b Roberts .. .. 32 T. Burtt, not out .. 21 Extras 8 Total for seven wickets .. .. 306 Fall of wickets: 1 for 30, 2 for 83, for 142, 4 for 144, 5 for 156, 6 for 179. 7 for 242. Bowling Analysis

O. M. R. w T. A. Freeman 26 5 61 1 A. W. Roberts 37 20 48 2 R. Silver 22 3 68 3 J. Allen .. 13 2 42 — L. D. Smith .. 19 — 64 1 R. Harwood .. 11 3 15 — L. A. Mflnes .. 1 1 — —