M.C.C. PLAYS OTAGO

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 859, 31 December 1929, Page 11

M.C.C. PLAYS OTAGO

ENGLISHMEN BAT FIRST ON DEAD WICKET RUNS COME SLOWLY Press Association DUNEDIN, Today. When the match between England and Otago, started in fine weather at 11.35 this morning, the wicket was dead, favouring the batsmen, so that Gilligan, winning the toss, batted with Dawson, Bowley, Benson and Barratt all standing down. Dickinson and Elmes both opened with maidens. In Dickinson’s second over Dawson touched a ball to leg, which Clark, the wicketkeeper, just failed to hold, the ball going to the boundary. At 29 Dunning relieved Elmes and Blunt relieved Dickinson. Blunt was giving trouble, but Gilligan soon found gaps, getting the ball away to deep leg off Dunning. No wickets had fallen for 40 runs after half an hour’s play. At 45 an appeal against Gilligan off Dunning was disallowed and the 50 appeared in 51 minutes. Gilligan gave blunt a very hard chance off his own bowling, the ball going through his hands. _ 5 Dickinson came on again at 55 and two runs later Elmer replaced Dunning. The bowling was not deadly, and the batsmen pegged away steadily on a wicket which suited them. At (39 Blunt replaced Dickinson, and the score was 71, after one hour and 10 minutes. Details: ENGLAND First Innings. GILLIGAN, not out 40 DAWSON, not out 30 Extras 1 No wickets for 71