OTAGO FORGE AHEAD.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 954, 26 December 1933, Page 7

OTAGO FORGE AHEAD.

Moloney and Uttley Make Stand at Critical Juncture. BOWLERS DEFIED BY STUBBORN DEFENCE OTAGO SET CANTERBURY a hard task for their second innings when they scored over 220 runs for the loss of only five wickets in their second innings on tire third day” of the Plunket Shield match at Lancaster Park to-day. V. G. Cavanagh, who opened with A. Knight yesterdav, hatted confidently for 62, his total including four fours and one six. L. E. Riley, Canterbury’s slow bowler, temporarily changed the fortunes of the game shortly before lunch by hiking three wickets in quick time, making the score 139 for five wickets. D. A. R. Moloney and K. Uttley then set up a stubborn partnership, and half an hour after lunch had brought the total past the 200 mark. The Canterbury ground fielding again left much to be desired, and runs came from tjuite a few mistakes.

At 2.30 p.m. tlie score was 22/ for five wickets.

THE PLAY

The Otago second innings was resumed this morning under conditions gain ideal. Knight (23) and Ca\ anag (17) faced the bowling of Hope and Cromb, and the overnight total of 41 was carried along in steady fashion. Both batsmen hit the bowling round to leg and through the slips in workmanlike manner, and by the time Cromb got Knight leg before wicket the total had reached 61 and Knight had made a solid 32. Cromb had found-a better length and was making more pace, and Talbot, the newcomer, played him carefully. At the south end Roberts relieved Hope and trundled accurately. Talbot worked Cromb to leg for two and then pulled a no-ball to the fence, and next over Cavanagh pulled Roberts to the leg fence. The batsmen ran well between the wickets and handled the bowling confidently. Hope relieved Cromb and appealed against Talbot without success for lbw. Century Up. Riley came on in place of Roberts, Cavanagh pulling him past mid-on for a boundary. Talbot took advantage of a short ball from Hope to find the boundary with a powerful hook, and an on drive gave him another pair. Hope was playing three men close in on the leg, with two on the boundary, but the policy did not pay. Talbot steered him to the fine leg boundary to hoist the century in eighty-five minutes. Next over Lester took the ball from Hope and bowled an accurate over, but Cavanagh had the measure of Riley, and reached his half-century with a good pull off Riley, after batting excellently for ninety-two minutes.

Cavanagh raised a cheer with a slashing pull which bounced a short ball from Lester right on to the embankment for six. The next ball was despatched to fine leg for four. Cavanagh was well set and the bowling was causing him little trouble. Talbot tipped one from Riley into slips, and from the stand it appeared that Cromb took a smart catch, getting the ball just before it hit the groundHowever, the umpire ruled Talbot not out, and he celebratad with a straight driven four off Lester.

The separation came when Cavanagh on drove Riley hard but high, and Lester at mid-on took a fine catch. 130— 2—62. Moloney joined Talbot. Next over Talbot tried to drive at a yorker from Lester and had his stumps shattered. 130—3—27. Badcock joined Moloney. Twice Smith at cover point fumbled when a run-out was possible. Badcock went next over when he reached out to Riley, missed, and was stumped by Burns. Four wickets were down for 137, Badcock being out for 3. Brilliant Catch. Elmes made two, then cocked Riley up to leg and Smith sprinted in from mid-on to throw himself at full length for a brilliant catch. 139—5—2. The complexion of the innings was entirely altered in the space of twenty minutes. Riley, who was flighting them well and keeping a length, had three wickets for 27 runs. Uttley and Moloney, both of whom scored soundly in the first innings, were there to hold the fort. Uttley worked Riley to leg for a pair and a three, and then Hope came on again in Lester’s place. Uttley reached double figures with a three past mid-off at Hope’s expense. In Riley’s next over Cromb dropped Uttley in slips. Score Creeps Up. Cromb and Riley bowled well and the batsmen had to wait for chances, but the score crept up slowly, and a wicket was urgently needed. Cromb was relieved by Roberts. The batsmen defended doggedly, and the game was very slow, Uttley varying the monotony with a hook and an on-drive off Riley, both for two. Riley tried an off-spinner for a change and Moloney hooked it to the fence. Both batsmen were in the twenties and going solidly. The pair played quietly, blocking nearly every ball, until the luncheon adjournment, when the score was 192 for five wickets. Play After Lunch. After luncheon Riley bowled from the south end to Uttley, a single coming off the first ball and Moloney hitting one through Kerr's hands for a brace. Lester took up the attack at the other end. His first ball was a full-toss, and Uttley lifted it to leg for two, just clear of a fieldsman. Moloney brought up the 200 with a single off Riley when the innings had lasted 188 minutes, and Uttley pulled the slow bowler to the boundary. The partnership was re-establishing Otago's commanding lead. Hope came on at Riley’s end with the new ball, and bowled a maiden to Uttley, and Moloney late cut Lester for two. Smith was then given a turn in place of Hope. Canterbury's chances were dwindling with every' run the batsmen

made. Uttley took no chances, but when Lester ’sent down a short one he hooked it for another four, making his own total 40. Riley came on at the north end and Uttley cocked him right up into the air, but no fieldsman was fast enough off the mark to get to the catch, and Uttley celebrated with a four to fine le* T . Scores:— OTAGO. First Innings. A. Knight, 1112141412. b Hope .... IS V. G. Cavanagh. 224211221122421111 41. lbw b Riley R. O. Talbot. 3. lbw b Hope * D. A. R. Moloney, 21143141111113112 142443211111122241211214, c and b Cromb 74 F. T. Badcock. 1122112111 221113133 111142111411, run out - 40 C. Elmes, 11114241111444114141112 b Hope 46 K. Uttlev, 3121141112111414114121 311124. c Pag*, b Roberts 4 9 T. Ch et tel burgh. 221441412314211424 1. b Riley 44 J. Nimrao. 1, b Roberts 1 1. A. Dunning, 22121. lbw b Roberts ® tV. Hawkesworth. 111. not out .... Extras (Byes 10, leg-byes 9. no balls 2) 21 Total 353 Fall of Wickets—One for 35, two for 91. three for fVg, four for 184, five for 109. six for 261. seven for 315. eight for 319. nine for 337, ten for 353.

Hope bowled two no-balls. Second Innings. A. Knight. 121111411232331113, lbw, b Cromb 32 V. G. Cav.ana.gh, 211121223221231121 41124111416431. c Tester b Riley 62 R. O. Talbot. 4221424124, b Lester .. 26 Moloney, not out 36 F. T. Badcock, 111, st Burns b Riley 3 C. Elmes, 2, c Smith b Riley 2 Uttley, not out 30 Extra* 25 Total for five wickets .... 231 CAN TER BURY. First Innings. .J. L. Kerr, 21111, c Cavanagh b Nirnmo 6 A. W. Roberts. 213311211, c Hawkesworth b Badcock .. 15 F. Bellamy. 111133141, b Ninuno .. 12 W. A. Hadlee, 124114441 4111111311 21 11. c and b Badcock 4 2 M. L. Page. 4211111144, b Dunning . 20 D. H. Smith, 112341, lbw b Badcock 12 f. B. Cromb. c Cavanagh b Dunning . 0 S. G. Lester. 32116141242423, c Cavanagh b Badeock 36 L. E. Riley, 21411112241, c Chettleburgh b Badcock 20 R. W. Hope, 4131431242, b Badcock 25 R. C. Burns. 1211, not out 5 Extras (byes 18, leg byes 6) - . 24 Total 217 Fall of wickets—One for 22, two for 24, three for 50. four for 96, five for 120, six for 124, seven for 124, eight for 157, nine for 192, ten for 217.

(A review of yesterday’s play appears on Page 11.)

Bowling- Analysis. O. M. R. W. R. W. Hope 28 5 99 3 I. B. Cromb 20 3 65 1 A. W. Roberts ..22 4 4 0 3 Li. E. Riley 27 6 79 2 H. D. Smith 6 0 24 0 M. L«. Page 6 0 16 0

Bowling Analysis. O. M. R. W J. Nimmo 20 1 53 2 F\ T. Badcock . 41.5 IS S4 € J. A. Dunning 24 10 49 2 E>. A. R. Moloney 10 4 0 C. Elmes 2 2 0 0 T. Chettleburgh .1 0 3 0