OTAGO DEFEATED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27274, 28 December 1949, Page 7

OTAGO DEFEATED

Wellington Secures An Outright Win PLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET PA WELLINGTON, Dec. 27. Despite a determined effort by A. W. Roberts, Otago failed to improve greatly on its poor start in its second innings of the Plunket Shield match at the Basin Reserve today, and Wellington won by seven wickets with one day in hand. Otago’s second innings realised 174, leaving Wellington 169 runs to get for an outright win. This was accomplished 20 minutes before stumps, the 172 runs compiled for three wickets taking 182 minutes —easily the fastest scoring of the match.

If disappointing in many respects, the game finished today on a much better standard. The conditions were ideal. The wicket rolled out its best for the match, Reid and Ongley delighted with some grand strokes, and the total gate set a record for a Wellington shield fixture of £lO4l. The pace of the Wellington scoring of almost a run a minute in the second innings was also relished. Whereas Otago’s two innings, yielding 318 runs, took 570 minutes and Wellington’s first innings of 150 occupied 219 minutes, today’s 172 for three wickets came in 182 minutes with a pleasing variety of strokes. The hat trick exponent in the first innings, R. McK. Murray, again proved a big asset to Wellington in Otago’s second innings. He broke the stubborn Roberts-Mills partnership by dismissing Mills, and then had Watson and Roberts caught .off his bowling. An accurate attack provided by both Cresswells, Randall, Murray and Reid, backed up by keen fielding and competent batting by McVicar, Ongley and Reid, were Wellington’s match-win-ning factors. Its bowling appears the strongest* of any of the provincial sides.

Otago presented a solid attack, supported by alert fielding, but the batting was a long way short of former Otago standards. The comparative failure of Sutcliffe revealed its limitations. Details:—

WELLINGTON First innings ..150 Second Innings S. A. McVicar, not out 73 G. O. Rabor.e, run out 4 J. A. Ongley, c Roberts, b Walsh .. 52 - R J. Kemp, st Mills, b Groves .. 1 J. R. Reid, not out 38 Extras 4 Total for three wickets .. 172

OTAGO First innings .. .. 144 Second Innings B. Sutcliffe, c Ongley, b Randall .. 17 R. T. Hunt, c A. E. Cresswell, b G. F. Cresswell 18 A. W. Roberts, c Randall, b Murray 51 S. N. McGregor, c Ongley., b Randall 0 W. S. Haig, c Mooney, b G. F. Cresswell .. ..../.. .. 1 G. H. Mills, c Reid, b Murray .. 21 E. A. Watson, c G. F. Cresswell, b Murray Jf L. J. Groves, b Reid lo L- D. Smith, c Reid, b Randall .. 16 G. W. Overton, c Reid, b G. F. Cresswell 0 I. Walsh, not out .. 0 Extras (byes 5, leg-byes 12, noballs 5) 22 Total .. 174 Bowling

I Bowling O. M. R. W. Walsh ' .. .. 13 2 38 1 Overton .. .. 20 3 52 — Watson .. .. 4 — 17 — Groves .. .. 12 3 38 1 Smith .. .. 11 2 19 — Sutcliffe .... 1 — 4 —

O. M. R. ■ W. A. E. Cresswell 22 5 45 — G. F. Cresswell 32.4 18 32 3 Murray .. Randall .. 18 22 6 11 41 28 3 3 Reid .. .. . ■ 7 - 5 6 1