SUTCLIFFE AGAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26692, 11 February 1948, Page 5

SUTCLIFFE AGAIN

Double Century for North Island SOUTH BEATEN BY TWO WICKETS Sutcliffe has triumphed again. In North Island’s second innings against the South at Carisbrook yesterday the New Zealand Bradman made the winning hit to give North its two wickets’ victory. Scoring 208, not out, which was his first double century in first class cricket, Sutcliffe made his fourth three-figure total in representative matches at Carisbrook this season. It also coincided with his thousand runs in all matches for the season. The match provided another of those thrilling finishes which the Dunedin cricketing public is now almost beginning to expect as its right, since there have been so many of them in the past two seasons. At one stage of yesterday’s proceedings the North Island, set 371 runs to make in 320 minutes, had 273 runs on the board for three wickets and still plenty of time to get the runs. Then there came one of those dramatic changes which have been a feature of recent matches at Carisbrook. In its effort to force the pace, the North Island lost five wickets for less than 100 runs, and the winning hit was scored with only four minutes to spare.

Sutcliffe largely dominated the scene, and it was only while the graceful stroke-maker, W. M. Wallace, the North Island captain, was at the wicket that his rapid scoring and skill were in any way matched. This brilliant pair added 97 in 68 minutes, Wallace’s contribution being an excellently compiled 59 before he fell to a magnificent catch in the long field by P. Small off G. W. Overton. Sporting Cricket

: came up in 250 minutes and Sutcliffe ■ was cleverly manipulating the bowlI ing and racing on to his second century. When J. Reid was 12, he touched 1 a* rising ball from R. H. Scott into Mills’s hands behind the wickets and was smartly taken. ! T. B. Burtt claimed two quick j wickets, and Sutcliffe was partnered ! by R. M. Murray. With his score at i 197, Sutcliffe was dropped behind the wickets by Mills off R. H. Scott, and in the same over the left-hander hooked one to the squaure-leg boundary to reach 200. One run was still required when Scott bowled Murray, and C. A. Snedden came in. The big fellow kept the ball out for the remainder of the over, and with four minutes to go, Sutcliffe square-cut Burtt to the boundary, and the North had won by two wickets, the score being 374 for eight wickets. South Island Attack The South Island bowlers had a difficult task on another perfect batsmen’s wicket which was playing as well at the end of the game as at the beginning. They did not let up, however, and towards the end of the day they had some reward for their efforts, the wickets being fairly well divided. Overton bowled with great heart and had one period of real hostility. A trier all the way, the Otago man took two wickets for 86 runs from 23 overs. R. H. Scott; who bowled so devastatingly on the second day, sent down 35 overs and captured two wickets for 117 runs. Occasionally, he made the ball get up awkwardly and was unlucky finally not to number Sutcliffe among his victims. Burtt, the left-hand slow bowler, did not find the wicket particularly responsive to his spin, but claimed the wickets of two of the later batsmen at a cost of 66 runs. Small was inclined to bowl a little short, and his 23 overs yielded 82 runs with the recompense of a wicket. R. H. Robinson, who was the most impressive of the slower .bowlers, "had only seven overs. He received a knock on the leg and did not bowl after the tea adjournment. He was off the field for a time during which L. D. Smith fielded as substitute. South Islands’ out-cricket was much better than it was in the first innings of the North. The ground fielding was cleaner all round, and particularly good work was done ; by D. S. St. John, W. A. Hadlee, and'P. Small, who saved a lot of runs close to the boundary. Apart from the lapse towards the end of the day when he dropped Sutcliffe, Mills gave a good display behind the wickets. The attendance yesterday was about 1200, who paid £l3O at the gate, the takings for the four days totalling £491 16s 6d. Scores: — SOUTH ISLAND First innings .. ’ ~364 Second Innings T. B. Burtt, b Wilson 11 J. G. Leggat, lbw, b \yilson .. .. 18 P. O’Malley, not out 132 D. S. St. John, c Snedden, b Murray 63 F. B. Smith, c Wallace, b Murray .. 12 W. A. Hadlee, b Murray 35 R. H. Robinson, c Snedden, b Sutcliffe 77 G. H. Mills, c Sutcliffe, b Snedden .. 2 P. Small, c V. J. Scott, b Wilson .. 8 R. H. Scott, not out 0 Extras (byes 7, leg-byes 3, noballs 3) .'.13 Total, fpr 8 wickets, declared 371 Fall of Wickets.—One for 30, two for 33, three for 135, four for 157, five for 223, six for 337, seven for 341, eight for 368.

It was a day of sporting cricket, and there was always that element of the unexpected which gave the spectators plenty over which to enthuse, and when Sutcliffe, whose display was chanceless up to that stage, was 197 he edged a rising ball from R. H. Scott into G. H Mills’s hands behind the wickets, but the ’keeper failed to accept the catch.

Sighs of disappointment were mingled with murmers of relief, for had Mills held the catch the South might have won, but the former Otago player would not have reached the 200 which he did in the same over.

With centuries flowing from Sutcliffe’s bat in the way that they do, it is difficult to describe his displays in anything but superlative terms, and again yesterday he made his strokes with the utmost ease. He was careful until he settled down, and then began to score at a fast rate, drove strongly, made sweet shots through the slips, and anything short was hooked mercilessly. He took just over five and a-quarter hours to score his 208 runs and hit 20 4’s. South Island Declares

When the South Island innings was resumed yesterday morning, with six wickets down for 340, the batsmen went out to force the pace, but G. H. Mills, in going for a hit off C. A. Snedden, was well caught by Sutcliffe without increasing his score. This was the first wicket talcen by Snedden, although he had bowled well throughout. P. O’Malley showed much greater freedom in his stroke-making than on the previous day, and placed his shots with better judgment. Small began briskly, but had scored only 8 when D. S. Wilson brought about his dismissal, the Canterbury man being caught by V. J. Scott, fielding at midon, the score being 368 for eight wickets.

With the score at 371 for eight' wickets and O’Malley undefeated with 132, Hadlee closed the innings. R. H. Scott, who had just come in, did not

is. suicime .... a i j. Murray bowled two no-balls and Snedden one no-ball. NORTH ISLAND First innings 365 Second Innings D. D. Taylor, run out .. .. .. .. 20 B. Sutcliffe, not out 208 V. J. Scott, b Overton .. 45 W. M. Wallace, c Small, b Overtoil .. 59 D. S. Wilson, c Leggat, b Small .. 14 J. Reid, c Mills, bR. H. Scott .. .. 12 R. J. Kemp, cR. H. Scott, b Burtt .. 5 L. A. Kent, b Burtt 1 R. M. Murray, bR. H. Scott .. .. 6 C. A. Snedden, not out 0 Extras (byes 4) 4

score. O’Malley batted for 339 minutes and hit seven 4’s. The South Island innings occupied 376 minutes. The two wickets which fell yesterday were taken by Wilson and Snedden. The former bowled consistently throughout and took three for 83, Snedden’s figures being one for 72. The North Island openers, Sutcliffe and D. D. Taylor, began quietly, but Sutcliffe did not take long to settle in, and by hooking R. H. Scott to the boundary he reached 20 in 35 minutes. The left-hander began to race the clock, and with 50 up in 47 minutes Sutcliffe’s share was 38. Sutcliffe played a ball from G. W. Overton to fine-leg. and when the batsmen attempted a third run St. John made a brilliant return to the wickets, and Taylor was run out after scoring 20 for 58 minutqs’ batting. Fast Scoring

Total, for 8 wickets .. .. 374 Fall of Wickets.—One for 66, two for 176, three for 273, four for 295, five for 332, six for 345, seven for 347. eight for 370.

Sutcliffe reached 50 in 66 minutes, and V. J. Scott, who had joined hirr., also batted much more freely than usual, the board showing 92 runs for one wicket at the luncheon adjournment—Sutcliffe 54, Scott 18.

The 100 came up in 93 minutes, and Sutcliffe maintained the pace as he approached the century. He entered the 90’s at the same time as 150 appeared on the board in 131 minutes. The left-hander made one or two venturesome strokes through the slips, but two hook shots off Overton’s bowlgave him his fourth century on Carisbrook this season in 140 minutes, his score including 10 4’s. Scott was also batting attractively, but he tried to hook a straight one from Overton and was bowled. Scott's 45 was compiled in 97 minutes, and he hit four 4’s. The partnership was worth 110 runs. When Wallace joined Sutcliffe these two outstanding stroke-makers took the score along at a rate well ahead of the clock. Wallace was displaying perfect timing and footwork, and ran to 20 in 23 minutes, 200 being reached in 177 minutes. The North Island captain was getting a lot of his runs with daring hooks and pulls, and in one over from Small he collected ,11 runs. At the tea adjournment the score was 242 runs for two wickets, Sutcliff§ 132 and Wallace 41. The batsmen were in complete charge, but the bowling, though not hostile, was still accurate and steady. A square cut to the fence made Wallace 50 in 59 minutes, but when he endeavoured to hit a ball from Overton out of the ground he was splendidly caught by Small, who slipped and almost fell, but recovered brilliantly. Wallace’s 59, made in 68 minutes, included nine 4’s. Three wickets were down for 273, Sutcliffe’s score being 145. Sutcliffe continued to hurry things along, but in forcing the pace Wilson, who was batting briskly, was well caught by J-, C. Leggat at square-leg off Small. With six wickets in hand and just over an hour and a-quarter-to go, the North still required 76 runs. The 300

Bowling Analysis O. M. R. W. R. M. Murray .. 30 6 88 3 D. S. Wilson . . .. 39 10 83 3 C. A. Snedden .. 31 7 72 1 R. S. Challies R SutnliflFp .. 24 .. 9 5 2 88 27 1

Bowling Analysis 0. M. R. W. R. H. Scott .. .. 35 6 117 2 P. Small .. .. .. 23 3 82 1 Cr W Overton .. 23 1 86 2 T. B. Burtt .. .. 14.2 — 66 2 R. H. Robinson . .. 7 — 19 —