FIRST INNINGS LEAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26042, 4 January 1946, Page 6

FIRST INNINGS LEAD

AUCKLAND WINS

SCOTT REACHES 167

CENTURY TO EMERY The Plunket Shield match between Auckland and Otago, played at Carisbrook, ended yesterday in a win for Auckland by 90 runs on the first innings. The interest of the crowd was held up to the time when a decision was reached, although the cricket over the whole period was certainly not of a sparkling nature. Runs were obtained at a slow rate, even though much of the bowling should have been dealt with more severely than it was. Yesterday morning’s play was largely devoi.d of incident, arid the conditions were dull and threatening. / The light overnight rain had moistened the wicket, but it gave no assistance to the bowlers, who were further handicapped by the wet ball. Slow Scoring Scott and Emery, who resumed with scores of 109 and 39 respectively, carried on when play was continued at 11.35 and were not separated in the hour and a-half before lunch. With the score at 318, Emery was dropped at second slip by Allcott off Freeman when he was 47. Emery displayed some attractive strokes, particularly through the covers and on the drive. He was much faster than his partner, and reached 50 in 107 minutes, the 300 appearing in 393 minutes. Scott’s style was much more restricted and less attractive, but he was just as solid as he had been on the previous day, and never looked like giving a chance. The luncheon adjournment was taken with 358 runs showing for the loss of three wickets— Scott 139, Emery 68. During the morning Silver and Freeman bowled unchanged for threequarters of an hour, Allcott being the only other bowler tried. Roberts was absent from the field owing to a shoulder, injury, and Toomey fielded substitute. The slow rate of progress continued after lunch, and at one stage it appeared that the rain might deprive Auckland of a point, making the match a draw instead of a first innings win. The side was still eight runs short of the required number when an appeal on account of light rain was upheld, and the players trooped to the pavilion at 2.7 and emerged again at 2.20. Auckland in Front No further runs had been added when, at 2.30, another adjournment took place. Shortly after resuming at 2.45, Scott brought up his 150 in 418 minutes. Realising the necessity for' speeding up, the batsmen forced the pace a little, and at 2.50 Scott, with an on-stroke for 2, took the score past Otago’s total of 383. These runs were, got in 523 minutes, or eight minutes less than it had taken Otago with a slower outfield. Scott did not survive long after this, and when he attempted a lusty on-hit off Allcott he drove the ball into the hands of Toomey. close in at mid-on, and a hot catch was held. Scott occupied the crease for 431 minutes in scoring 167, but hit only five 4’s. It was a chanceless innings, rather wearisome, but very useful to his side. The partnership between Scott and Emery lasted 193 minutes and added 176 runs. Four wickets were .down for 399 when Cleal came in, but he did not stay long before given out leg-before-wicket to Silver when he had scored only 5. Emery, who had been joined by Burke, hung in the 90’s for some time, but with a 4 to leg from a short one from Silver he completed his century in 299 minutes, and at the tea adjournment the score was 432 for five wickets. After tea the batsmen hit out. and Emery “ skied ” a ball from Silver over the wicketkeeper’s head, Bellamy taking an easy- catch. Emery had played an attractive innings for 110, which included eight 4’s. He batted for 242 minutes, which was a comparatively o.uick rate of scoring for this match. The outgoing batsman scored his runs by well-timed strokes on either side of the wicket, but his cover hit and off drive were especially well made.

Kent was caught in the slips for 3, and Cowie at 11 hoisted Harwood in the deep field, where the ball was taken by Smith. The last man was Cleverley, as Wallace, the Auckland captain, was unable to bat on account of his thigh injury, and when Burke was run out after scoring 23. the innings closed at 4.37 for 473, or 90 runs ahead of Otago’s total. Auckland’s innings occupied just on 103 hours. ft

Silver, coming with a burst in the latter part of the Auckland innings, obtained three wickets for 110 runs,

but Allcott's three for 91 was the more meritorious performance, as his victims were among the earlier batsmen. After bowling many overs without success, Harwood claimed one wicket at a cost of 60 runs. Roberts claimed the other wicket on Wednesday at a cost of 37 runs.

The Otago fielding was a little patchy yesterday, although the keenness was maintained, and Mills kept wickets particularly well. There were occasions when the field appeared to be placed too deep to save the numerous singles that were scored. Scott alone secured 83 singles, and, as one of his favourite strokes was between point and third slip, it might have been blocked more effectively. After the conclusion of the Auckland innings, interest lapsed, and Otago batted for only 37 minutes before an appeal against the light at 5.30 was upheld and stumps wpre drawn. Otago had scored 17 runs without loss —Eellamy 12. Fraser 5. The gate takings yesterday were £25. making the total for the four days £345. Scores: — Otago First innings 383 Second Innings F. W. Bellamy, not out 5 T. C. Fraser, not out 5 Total (for no wickets) .. .. 17

Auckland First Inhings H. T. Pearson, c Freeman, b Allcott.. 107 E. M. Meuli, b Roberts - 13 A. C. Kerr, c and b Allcott 16 V. J. Scott, c sub, b Allcott 167 R. W. G. Emery, c Bellamy, b Silver .. 110 O. C. Cleal. Ibw, b Silver 5 C. Burke, run out, 23 L. A. Kent, c Bellamy, by Silver .. 3 J. Cowie, c Smith, b Harwood .. .. 11 D. C. Cieverlev. not out 0 W. M. Wallace, absent 0 Extras (byes 12, leg-byes 4) ..16

' Total 473 Fall of wickets: 1/34, 2/58, 3/223, 4/399, 5/414. 6/439, 7/443, 8/464, 9/473.

Bowling Analysis O. M. r. w: D. C. Cleverley . . 5 2 10 — A. C. Kerr .. . . 7 4 4 — O. C. Cleal .. . . 2 1 1 — H. T. Pearson . 1 — 2 —

Bowling Analysis O. M. R. W. R. Silver .. . . 45 8 110 3 A. W. Roberts . . 35 14 37 1 T. A. Freeman . . 38.5 6 108 — C. F. W. Allcott. . 38 5 91 3 R. Harwood .. . 25 4 60 1 L. D. Smith , 10 — 30 — W. A. Hadlee . . 7 — 21 —