DUNEDIN BEATS OLD BOYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26959, 20 December 1948, Page 6

DUNEDIN BEATS OLD BOYS

ANOTHER CENTURY TO GROVES A chanceless display by L. J. Groves for 116 was the feature of the batting of High School Old Boys in its first innings at the University Oval against Dunedin, which at the end of the first day had declared with eight wickets down for 345 runs. Groves was one of the openers, and watching the ball closely and picking the ones to hit, he saw 209 runs on the board before he was dismissed by a running catch between mid-on and square-leg by T. Lynch, off the bowling of M. Muir. Groves scored freely all round the wicket, his off strokes especially being cleanly and crisply made. He batted for 211 minutes and hit seven 4’s, many of his best scoring strokes being stopped short of the boundary by the slowness of the outfield. The wicket was somewhat. soft when play was resumed, but it dried out well and played easily. The best partnership of the innings was provided by Groves and D. S. St. John, who added 75 for the second wicket, St. John compiling 42 in 73 minutes He was particularly effective with well-timed off and cover drives, his scoring strokes including six 4’s. He was going well when he edged a ball from Kruskopf to B. Haig behind the wickets.

When the eighth wicket fell Old Boys still required 120 runs, and something of a stand was made by J. McConnachie and A. Manson, who added 49. McConnachie, who had rather a charmed life, hit hard for 29. which included three 4’s and a 6, and Manson unbeaten with 30 against his name when the last wicket fell at 5 o’clock with the total at 293, Dunedin winning by 52 runs' on the first innings. The Dunedin attack was confined to three bowlers, and Kruskopf bowled his first 32 overs without a spell, finishing with six wickets for 123 runs off 49.2 overs. Kruskopf bowled very steadily and varied his pace well, while the slowmedium right-hander, M. Muir, making his first appearance in senior cricket, accomplished a most useful performance in securing three for 103 off 42 overs. In spite of their marathon efforts, both Kruskopf and Muir maintained their accuracy to the end. Except in patches, the Dunedin fielding was reasonably good, and Lynch, a promoted junior player, took two catches. Scores Dunedin First innings, for eight wickets, declared 345 High School Old Boys First Innings L. J. Groves, c Lynch, b Muir .. .. 116 R. Chalmers, c and b Muir 9 D. S. St. John, c Haig, b Kruskopf .. 42 G. H. Mills, c Lynch, b Kruskopf .. 0 V. J. Leader, c L. Graham, b Muir .. 1 C. J. Graham, c Kruskopf, b O’Sullivan 13 R. N. Couper, b Kruskopf 8 W. Gough, Ibw, b Kruskopf 18 J. McConnachie, b Kruskopf 29 A. Manson, not out 30 R. P. Partridge, b Kruskopf 7 Extras (byes 15, leg-byes 5) .. .. 20 Total 293 Bowling Analysis—E. Kruskopf, 49.2 overs, 6 maidens. 123 runs, 6 wickets; M. Muir, 42, 10, 103, 3; J. O’Sullivan, 17, 0, 47, 1.