CRICKET

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18393, 20 February 1928, Page 4

CRICKET

WELLINGTON AVOID INNINGS DEFEAT.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, February 20. Ideal cricketing weather greeted the Australians as they took the field this morning. Wellington, with six wickets down, required 78 to avert an innings defeat. James and M’Leod faced Blackie and Grimmett. James punched Grimmett through the covers for four, and ran into double figures. M’Leod broke his duck, and then popped one from Blackie m Oldfield’s hands. 97—7—1. M’Girr was next, and the new pair saw the century up. M’Girr skied one from Grimmett just out of reach of the field, and in Blackie's next over was dropped by Alexander at deep square leg. He soon ran into double figures. M’Girr snicked a ball from Grimmett, but Oldfield missed a difficult chance and four resulted, giving the batsman 20. M’Girr was bowled by Grimmett round the batsman's leg, a similar ball to that which got Dempster. 126—8—26. Brice snicked the first ball he received from Grimmett into Blackie’s hand in the slips. 126 —9—o. Massey was the last man. James drove Blackie for three and Massey had a narrow escape against the same bowler. However, he lifted Blackie to the fence for four and late cut Grimmett, also for four, which were run out.

Both batsmen ran into the twenties and brought 150 up. At 159 Oxenham replaced Blackie and Massey had a close call in running a short one. Great enthusiasm prevailed when an innings defeat was averted. Massey reached 30 with good cricket. At 180 Blackie came on again in place of Oxenham. Richardson dropped a hot one from Massey off Grimmett, The batsmen ran into the forties amidst applause. There was further enthusiasm when Massey drove Blackie for four and brought 200 up. Both bowlers were tossing up occasional slow ones in an attempt to entice the batsmen. One of these slows from Blackie Massey clouted to the boundary. At 219 Oxenham spelled Blackie (two for 64) and after a maiden came luncheon. Scores:— AUSTRALIA. First innings 375 WELLINGTON. First Innings. C. S. Dempster, c Grimmett b Blackie 52 H. Fole> r , c Oldfield b Grimmett .. 36 T. C. Lowry, b Oxenham 9 F. T. Badcock, c and b Grimmett 23 K. C. James, Ibw b Oxenham .... 4 E. M’Leod, c Oxenham b Morton . 11 H. M. M’Girr, c Alexander b Blackie 22 J. R. Lamason, c Kippax b Grimmett 12 H. M. Lambert, c Oldfield b Oxenham 7 W. S. Brice, c Richardson b Oxenham 0 H. B. Massey, not out 13 Extras * * 17 Total 206 Bowling analysis—Morton, one wicket for 32 runs; Blackie. two .for 53; Grimmett, three for 65; Oxenham, four for 39. Second Innings. C. S. Dempster, b Grimmett 49 11. Foley, lbw b Morton 1 T. C. Lowry, b Morton 0 F. T. Badcock, b Blackie 0 J. R. Lamason, b Blackie 0 H. M. Lambert, st Oldfield b Grimmett 35 K. C. James, not out 41 E. M’Leod, c Oldfield b Blackie 1 M’Girr, b Grimmett 26 Brice, c Blackie b Grimmett .... 0 H. B. Massey, not out 60 Extras :.... 5 Total for nine wickets . . 219

SATURDAY’S PLAY. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, February 18. The Australian bowling was wonderfully accurate throughout the innings. Oxenham came out with the best figures, securing four wickets for 39 runs off twenty-two overs, seven of which were maidens. Grimmett and Blackie also bowled very ably, giving the batsmen lots of trouble. Morton was very steady. The Australian fielding was clean and smart. Oldfield did outstanding work behind the wickets. WELLINGTON FOLLOWS ON. The crowd was in hopes of seeing Ponsford bat again, and were a bit disappointed when they found that Wellington were following on. Dempster and Foley opened Wellington’s second innings to the bowling of Morton and Blackie. Dempster started in brilliant fashion, scoring four and two off Morton’s first two balls and getting fours off the first and second balls off Blackie’s first over. With the total at 20, Folev, who had scored a single, stepped in front to turn Morton to leg and fell lbw. Lowry followed, but was bowled with the fifth ball of Morton’s second over. Morton had now taken two wickets for 11 runs. Badcock came to - stop the rot, but was clean bowled by Blackie without scoring. Lamason arrived to see Dempster tap Morton through the slips for four, Oldfield making a futile grab at the flying ball. The Australian bowlers were doing as they liked. Before he was able to open his account Lamason was skittled by Blackie with a ball identical to that which had put Badcock out. Lambert came in, and a gasp went up when Blackie grazed his sticks with the very first ball he received. Lambert was applauded for hitting Blackie to the long field for two, four, and a single, bringing 30 up. He then lifted one from the same bowler to the ropes at long leg. At 39, Oxenham took the ball from Morton, who had secured two wickets for IS off six overs. Dempster was going well and reached 30 by sweeping a full toss from Blackie to the ropes at long leg. Lambert emulated his example by off-driving Oxenham to the track at long off, which brought 50 up. At 54, Grimmett relieved Blackie. In Oxenham's third over Lambert reached 20 by banging one past cover to the ropes, and he repeated the stroke in the following over. Facing Grimmett, Lambert square-cut one to the fence, reaching the thirties. Lambert had now hit seven fours Both batsmen were 34. This was the end of a bright innings, as Lambert jumped out to hit Grimmett. missed. and was brilliantly stumped bv Oldfield James arrived to see Schneider come on in Oxenham's place. Schneider sent down slow right-hand leg breaks, keeping them well up to the batsmen. Three came from the first over. Dempster placed one from Grimmett between mid-off and cover, and they ran four. The next ball he brilliantly turned to

the ropes at long leg. nine coming from the over. James hit Schneider to midon for four. Dempster placed Grimmett to fine leg for four. With the total at 92, Dempster, who had reached 49, was bowled round his legs by Grimmett. He had given a sparkling display, hitting eight fours. M'Leod joined James. At 5.45 p.m. an appeal was successfully made against the light. The score then stood at 92 for six wickets, which means that Wellington still requires 77 runs to save an innings defeat, and has only four wickets in hand. An explanation of the collapse is that the Australian bowling was too good. The fielding was also first-class, men being placed so well that it was very difficult to get runs against the accurate bowling. The sum of £560 was taken at the gates.