DULL SCORING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26349, 2 January 1947, Page 6

DULL SCORING

OTAGO MAKES 153 ROBINSON IMPRESSIVE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Jan. 1. Very quiet and generally dull batting marked the first day of play in the Plunket Shield match between Otago and Auckland, which commenced at Eden Park to-day. Otago was dismissed for 153 in the first innings and Auckland replied with 86 for two wickets. The weather conditions were fine, but a strong southerly wind gave the bowlers who could exploit it some assistance. The visiting captain, W. A. Hadlee, decided to bat on winning the toss. The wicket, which had been covered, sweated, however, and was on the soft side at the commencement and the bowlers, especially J. Cowie, gained quite an amount of lift. After the first hour the wicket began to favour the batsmen more, but even to the end of Otago’s innings, Cowie was still able to make more than his usual lift from an Eden Park pitch. Hadlee and Mills, who opened for Otago, started quietly and Mills was dropped at short leg, by Taylor off the first ball of Cowie’s second over. Hadlee was strong in driving and after sighting the ball, he drove Snedden, the other opening bowler, for two fine 4’s in one over. Mills was cutting and on-driving Cowie nicely until at 19 fie was caught behind off one of

the bowler’s rising deliveries. He batted for 43 minutes and hit two 4’s. Just when Hadlee was appearing to get set, he was clean bowled by a good length ball from Cowie, which swung late, hit the batsman’s pad and scattered his . wicket. Besides his strong driving, Hadlee backcut neatly. He was at the wickets 51 minutes for 17 runs. The first 50 appeared in 65 minutes and Cowie who had taken two for 26, was spelled. The Otago batsmen were kept subdued and when Snedden had Cutler caught for 9, three wickets were down for 53. Roberts, who had made a century against Canterbury, was caught behind for 9 off Sutcliffe in attempting a backcut. Roberts was at the wickets for 41 minutes. Some of the brightest batting of the match was provided by the Australian coach, R. H; Robinson, and the colt D. S. St. John, who added 45 runs for the fifth wicket. Robinson drove and backcut in typical Australian style and was once warmly applauded when he hooked a short delivery from Cowie on to the terraces for the first 6 of the match. The century appeared in 135 minutes. After Batting 84 minutes for 26 runs, Robinson was caught low down by Snedden at first slip off Cowie. St. John pleased with his free style and some nice scoring shots. He was rather impetuous in that he seemed to want to make runs too quickly, and was inclined to flick at some of Cowie's lifting deliveries. Blakely failed to score, being caught off Burke. Smith, the left-hander, was clean-bowled by Snedden, while Freeman, who made 16 in 55 minutes, was caught off the same bowler. The innings closed when McDougall, at 14, fell to an excellent left-hand catch by Taylor off Snedden, the fieldsman diving right across the wicket. Cowie again bowled well in taking for 58 runs.' The bowling honours fell to Snedden, who took four for 34 in 19 overs, including nine maidens. Otago’s innings occupied 214 minutes. Auckland’s opening batsmen, Whitelaw and Burgess, also proceeded fairly quietly, the former reaching double figures in 32 minutes and Burgess in 35 The first wricket fell at 26 when Whitelaw (11) was beaten by Overton after 42 minutes’ batting. Scott, at 2, had a fortunate escape from being caught behind the wicket off the same bowler. Burgess failed to add to his score in 40 more minutes. He, too, was then dropped by Mills off Overtom The Otago bowling was ❖ery steady, and Hadlee always set a well-placed field, There, was loud cheering when Scott broke the dullness with a drive for- 3 off Robinson. The Australian shortly afterward had Burgess caught", Burgess was patience personified, his 12 runs taking 91 minutes to compile. Wallace quickly brought up 50 runs in 94 minutes with a 4 off Robinson, and Scott reached the twenties in 36 minutes with his first 4 at the expense of the same bowler. Scott (31) and Wallace (25) were together at stumps. McDougall and Overton, two medium-fast bowlers, bore the brunt of the Otago attack, and, like Cowie, were able to get a lift from the wicket. Scores: — OTAGO ' First Innings Hadlee, b Cowie .. ' 17 Mills, c Kent b Cowie 19 Cutler, c Taylor, b Snedden .. .. 9 Roberts, c Kent, b Sutcliffe .. .. 9 Robinson, c Snedden, b Cowie .. 26 St. John, b Cowie .. 28 Blakely, c Cowie, b Burke .. .. 0 Freeman, c Taylor, b Snedden .. 16 Smith, b Snedden 3 McDougall, c Taylor, b Snedden .. 1 Overton, not out 0 Extras 12 Total 153 Bowling Analysis

AUCKLAND First Innings Whitelaw, b Overton .. .. .. 11 Burgess, c St. John, b Robinson .. 12 Scott, not out 31 Wallace, not out 25 Extras • • 7 Total for two wickets .. 86 Bowling Analysis

O. M. R. W. Snedden .. 19 9 34 4 Cowie .. 24 8 58 4 Sutcliffe . . 4 1 13 1 Burke .. 14 5 21 1 Wiles .. 11 6 15 —

O. M. R. W. Overton .. .. 16 7 13 1 Robinson .. 10 3 23 1 McDougall ... 11 1 14 — Smith .. 8 2 20 — Roberts .. .. 6 3 8 — Hadlee .. 1 — 1 —