WELLINGTON v. OTAGO. First Day—Thursday.

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 56

WELLINGTON v. OTAGO. First Day— Thursday.

A cricket match between representatives of Wellington and Otago was commenced on the Caledonian Ground yesterday. The weather was fine, "&ut a strong wind was blowing from the north. The ground was in good order, and a capital wicket had" been prepared by Mr Sanderson, the caretaker of the ground. The toss-up between the two captains was in favour of the skipper of the local team, who decided to take advantage of the fine wicket and send his men in to bat. There was a small attendance at the start, but as the day wore on the number increased, until late in the afternoon there was quite a respectable crowd for an' off day. The wioket was easy, and suited the local eleven, which included the two professionals (H. Graham and /F. Shacklock). The outfield' was slow, and.while this assisted _ the fielding side, it retarded the batsmen, who frequently found .their punishing strokes along the turf yielding only singles. Ofcago made a capital start, the first wickefc falling for 66 and the second for 144: The whole team- was dismissed for 297 runs, which took four hours and a-half in the compiling. The feature of the Otago innings was the batting of Siedeberg, who, in two hours and a-quarter, hit up 88. His score, which was mainly made up by powerful off-driving, included 10 4's and a 5. The Wellington bowling, with the exception of that of Upham (who bowled splendidly against the wind), was not of a very high standard, and was played by the Otago batsmen without much difficulty. Wellington's fielding, on the other hand, was, taken on the whole, clean, and the throw-ing-in wonderfully accurate. Wellington opened disastrously in their first innings, five good, batsmen being dismissed for the small total of 26 when stumps were drawn for the day. Downes, who was getting a lot of work on with the ball, had all the batame-n in trouble save Blackloek, who is at present not oufwith, 10 runs to hje credit. Unless the remaining batsmen do something sensational it would appear that Wellington will have- to follow on. The following is a detailed report of the play: — At a-quarter past 11 Austin and Siedeberg went to the wickets, the former taking strike to Upham, who sent down a maiden. Stephenson trundled from the north end, and his first ball getting past the -wicketkeeper three byes were run. Austin opened his account with arrive for a couple, and then lifted Stephenson over the boundary for 4. Siedeberg put a single to his credit, off Upham, and 10 was registered on the board. In Stephenson's next over Siede- ' berg made another single, and Upham he treated in a similar way. The fielding was very good, and a number of runs were s.aved. In four overs only four singles were scored, all going to Siedeberg's credit. Upham trundled a maiden, and Stephenson followed his example. Siedeb&rg hit Upham fQr a couple and drove him to the

off for a ljke number, besides cutting him for a single. Siedeberg cut Stephenson for a quartet, and 20 was signalled. Both batsmen snicked Upham for a single, and Siedeberg got Stephenson away for 4 and a single, while Austin put him to leg for 4—304 — 30 up. At 35 Hutchings went on in Stephenson's place, and his first ball Austin got away to leg for 3. Siedeberg drove him for 1 and Austin followed suit, 40 being hoisted. Runs came slowly, and at 46 Siedeberg had a life, lifting Hutchings to cover, where Mahony made a good attempt at a difficult catch. Austin hit Hutchings to leg for 4, the half century appearing on the board. Siedeberg cut Upham for a brace and drove him to the off for 1. Both batsmen were playing carefully, making runs slowly off the accurate bowling from both ends. When 60 appeared Siedeberg had 33 of them to his credit, and Austin 23. At 61 Hales, a fast left-hand bowler, replaced Upham at the south end. Siedeberg hit him for 1. Austin added a single to his score off Hutchings, and Siedeberg put* the same bowler away very prettily for 2. At 66 Austin hit Hales to leg, and Waters made a capital high catch. 66 — 1—24.1 — 24. Graham filled the vacancy. Siedeberg lifted Hutchings to the off boundary, 70 being telegraphed, and Graham opened his account with a single off the same bowler. At 72 S. Hickson took the ball at the north end, replacing Hutchings. His second ball Siedeberg hit for 1, and Graham also j»ot a single off him. In Hales's next over Graham, who was playing somewhat wildly, scored another' single. Runs came slowly, and 80 was hoisted. When the score was ' at 83 Siedeberg, who had scored 45, gave C. Hickson c very difficult chance in the slips, which was not accepted. Upham replaced Hutchings in the bowling from the north end, and Graham put him to leg for 2. Siedeberg drove Hales to the off for 4, and stole a single, bringing his score up to 50 and the total to 90. Singles were credited to both batsmen, and Graham added two 4's to his account 'off Haies — 100 up after an hour and 35 minutes' play. Mahony took the ball at the north " end in place of Upham, and' Siedeberg sent his first ball nicely to leg for 4. Upham went on at the south end again, relieving Hales, and his second ball Graham put away for 2. while his fourth he pulled round to square-leg for 4. One hundred and ten was signalled* a few minutes before 1 o'clock, when the- luncheon adjournment was taken. , Play was resumed at 2 o'clock, and Graham at once became aggressive, adding 3 to his score off Upham, while Siedeberg secured 1. Siedeberg cut .Mahony for a quartet and snicked him to leg, 5 runs being scored, and Graham put him into the slips for 3. Each batsman scored a single off Upham. Mahony, who had proved a rather expensive bowler, was replaced by Stephenson. Siedeberg drove his third ball - to the off for 4, bringing the total up to 130, of which the Carisbrook player had made 70. Graham drove the same bowler fqr^-4. Graham got Upham .away very nicely for 3, and Siedeberg hit him to the boundary for 4> bringing 140 into 1 sight. A few minutes later Graham tipped Upham'.' into Wiliiams's hands. 144^2 — 34. Baker partnered Siedeberg, who dro.ye Stephenson'for a couple and a st single. "^Several singles were scored, and at 149' Hutchings took the ball from Stephenson at the north end. His last ball , Baker drove to the off. , for 4, and 150 ,was hoisted. Both batsmen were 'playing very guardedly, and 160 va'sr signalled 10 minutes later. At 163, Upham found his way into Siedeberg's timbers. 163 — 3—BB.3 — 88. Siedeberg received an ovation on returning to the pavilion. Howden went in, and Upham' s first ball knocked , over his stamps. 163 — 4—o. Pearless was next. At this juncture Hales took the leather from Hutchings at the north end. Baker hit him foV 1, and Pearless got him. • away for 2, and with the addition of several singles 170 was signalled. Baker put Hales to leg for 4, and Pearless drove him for 1. Upham sent down a maiden. Pearless got 1 off Hales, and Upham sent down another maiden. Baker opened his shoulders to Hales, driving him along the turf to the off for 4. and to the on for 1, causing 180 to appear. Baker also got Upham away to the boundary in the far field for 4, and Pearless cut Hales to the fence for a like number, and put him to leg for 2—190 up. At 1,93 S. Hickson again took up the ball at the north end, relieving Hales, and, after each batsman had scored a single off him, Baker cut him to the boundary for 4. A single to Baker, off Hickson brought 200 into sight. Scoring was very slow, 5 runs being scored in. six overs, three of which were maidens. At 207, -Hutchings took" up the bojwling in place of Hiokson, and his second-ball Baker sent to the boundary, .bringing 210 up. Baker put Upham away to the off for 3, , and hit Hutchings to leg- for 4, and to the off for 1, 220 being signalled. A single to' the same batsman off Upham was followed by disaster to Pearless, who lost his wicket to the bowler's next "ball. 221—5 — 17. The batsman had been about an hour in compiling his score. Fisher followed. Baker put another 4 to his credit, off Hutchings, and survived an appeal by that bowler for leg-bofore. _ Fisher scooped Upham almost into mid-onjs hands. A bye was run, and Baker was then well caught by C. Hiokson in the slips off Upham. 226 — 5—49.5 — 49. Ctunmings joined Fisher. Stephenson took up the trundling at the north end, giving Hutohings a spell. His la*t ball Fisher skied to the off, 2 resulting. Eaoh bowler then sent down a maiden. A bye and 1 to Fisher brought 250 up. Oummings put Upham into the slips, just owl; of BBekson's reach, and 2 runs were scored. In Upham's next over be shattered Onm■mings's stumps. 234—7—4. Downes partnered Fisher, and sent his first ball from Upham high to the off for a couple. Fisher d-rove Stephenson for a single. Downes hit out at the same bowler, but missed him, and found his wicket all to pieces. 237 — B—2.8 — 2. Sbateklook filled the vacancy. He sent Stephen-son away to the on for 1, and pulled Upham to square-leg for 4. Fisher drove Stephenson for 1, and Shacklock lifted him to the on for a like number. The same batsman sent Upham away for another, and then, to relieve the monotony of singles, he hit Stephenson to the boundary for 4, and then for 2, following this up by swinging his bat round and lifting the bowler over near the east fence, for which fine hit 5 runs were allowed. Shackloek got Upham away to leg for 4, bringing 260 into view. He then sent the boTvler into the slips, and Hickson and Hales both went for it, but both missed it. To show his gratitude, the batsman drove Upham for 4, and in the next over skied Stephenson far to the on for another quartet. A couple to Fisher of Upham brought 270 up, and the batsman ad-d-ed another brace to his score by hitting the. bowler to leg. At 273 Mahony

went on at the north end in place of Ste» phenson. Each batsman got a single, and BJacklock, at long-off, then brought off a magnificent catch, the ball being sent to that quarter by Shacklook off Mahony. 275 — 9-^3l. Fisher got a single off Mahony, and with a fine stroke cut Upham for 4. He also put the same bowler away for a, single, and then drove Mahony for a quartet, arid out him for the same number. The second last ball of Mahony' s over he put to l?g for 5, and 290 was telegraphed. Williams cul Mahony for a couple. Fisher made a single off Upham, who then found his way info Williams's stump* with a beauty, the ir-nings closing for 297. The wickets fell in this order: — One for 66. two for 144, three for 163, four for 163, five for 221, six for 226, seven for 234, eight for 237, nine for 275, ten for 297. At five minutes past 5 Wellington's first innings opened, the pioneer batsmen being C. Hiekson and Mahony, the former taking strike to Shacklock, who bowled from the south end. Each batsman scored a single. Downes was the truudler at the other end. Mahony cut him for 1, and Hiekson similarly treated him. Hickson snioked Shacklock for another single and got one more off Downes, following this up with yet another single off Shacklock. Downes bowled a maiden. One was credited to Mahony eff Shackloak, and another off Downes. Shacklock sent down a maiden. An overthrow resulted in 2 being run, and 10 was raised on the board. Mahony snicked Shacklock into the slips, where Downes made one of the smartest catches of the day. 11 — I—4. Williams partnered Hickson, and at once hit Shacklock for 1. Each bowler trundled a maiden. Williams put Downes away to leg for a couple, and in the next over Hiokson cut Shacklock into Siedeberg's hands. A run was attempted, but, the ball being smartly sent in to th« wicket-keeper by Siedsberg, Williams wae run out. 14 2—3. Blacklock filled the vacancy, but had been at his crease only a couple- of minutes when he saw Hdckson play Downes on to hie wicket. 14 — 3—7.3 — 7. W. R. S. Hickson joined Blaeklook. Six maidens were registered — four to Shacklock and two to Downes. Hickson put Downes to leg for a couple, and two balls later thebowler had his revenge by shattering the batsman's wickets. 16—4 — 2. Hutchings followed, and saw Black'ock bit Downes to the boundary for 4. This brought 20 up, and the bat3man then lifted Shacklock over the fence for 5 The same batsman hit Downes for 1, and the bowler then found his way into •Hutohings's wicket. 26 — s—o. It was now 6 o'clock, and stumps were drawn for the day. Messrs J. West and -D. Smyth were the umpires, and Meesrs B. L. Salmon- (Weilington) and W. Cross (Otago) the scorers.