WANGANUI STRONGLY PLACED AGAINST TARANAKI

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 December 1947, Page 6

WANGANUI STRONGLY PLACED AGAINST TARANAKI

(By

"MONTPELIER")

A glorious run-getting spree by the Wanganui batsmen saw them strongly placed at stumps yesterday in their Hawke Cup elimination match v.ith Taranaki at Cook’s Gardens. Winning the toss on a dusty wicket. Wanganui stayed at the crease all day to pile up a first innings total of 417 before the last man was dismissed. J, Bergerson dominated play with a fine knock worth 157. He began shakily but settled down to score mainly from sweetly timed cuts, and runs were soon flowing from his bat. Poor fielding by Taranaki stepped up the scoring rate.

i onuitions were unpleasant with a gusty wind sweeping across the ground for the greater part of the day, and rain falling j towards the close. Should the > rain hold otf sufficiently to permit play today, then Taranaki will be in the invidious position of having to bat on a sticky wicket, facing a formidable score at the same time. Nimmo and Hunt opened Wanganui’s innings to the bowling of Broughton (right-hand fast) and Miller (left-hand medium), and ! were quickly into their stride. Runs | came in even time, but with the total > at 41 Nimmo played back to a ball from Miller, which kept low and beat him badly. Surviving two appeals for 1.b.w., Cave began unhappily against Miller, but scored well with shots backward [ of point. Pauling relieved Brough- . ton and in his first over Cave was | dropped at first slip. The 50 came up with Cave getting a single to third man. In Bett’s eighth over. Hunt went forward and fell l.b.w. He had laid the foundation for a good team score with his opening strike, and included in his 43 were 5 fours. Hunt had scored well with sweep shots to leg. Bergerson joined Cave with the score at 88 and despite rapid bowling changes it mounted to 131 before Cave was trapped by Collins. This was in Collins’ fifth over, Cave driving powerfully to the off for two and thus reaching his half-century, but being stumped in trying to repeat the ’stroke next ball. He hit six fours and six two’s. Lunch-time came with the score at 136 for the loss of three wickets BERGERSON’S CUTS. On the resumption, Bergerson brought up the 150 with a lovely square cut for four off Betts, and repeated the shot time and time again during his innings. The new batsman, Cameron, had scarcely reached doubl efigures when Meuli skittled him with an excellently flighted delivery. This was in Meuli’s sixth over and the scoreboard showed four wickets down for 165. At this stage, Meuli was spinning both ways, keeping an impeccable length and generally bothering all the batsmen. Barnett replaced Cameron and tried stepping right out to smother the spin. Two overs later he went out to a shorter one and was stumped with yards to spare. 181-5-4. Bergerson raised the 200. and reached his 50 simultaneously; by smashing an over-pitched one from Meuli to the leg-boundary. Broughton took the new ball and bowled into the wind, and Bergerson survived confident appeals for caught behind and l.b.w. Ron Thomas had begun steadily meanwhile, but when the score stood at 229 he called for a second run from a late cut to third man and failed to make good his ground. 229Condliffe joined Bergerson and after an “iffy” start held his end up while Bergerson chased the runs. At half past three o’clock, Wanganui’s total stood at 240 scored in exactly 240 minutes. Bergerson’s score at the afternoon tea adjournment was 84. FINK CENTURY. He slowed down understandably at the 90 mark, but it was an appropriate stroke when he late cut Miller for four and chalked up his 100. Bergerson then turned a ball to leg for a single and Wanganui’s total became 300. From that moment, Bergerson never looked back and cut and drove in scintillating fashion. Condliffe, too. was finding the fence regularly, and a grand partnership began. Tiredness got Bergerson out when he was 157 and the team total 383. He hit 20 fours, 11 two’s, one three, and the remainder in singles. Play was adjourned at this,, stage, steady rain setting in. Resuming at 5.45, Condliffe banged a four to leg to bring up the 400, but was out next ball. 401-8-64. Betts took the second new ball of the match, and speed merchant Broughton soon disposed of tail-end-ers Felts and McConway, R. Brown being the not-out batsman. The visitors’ attack had stuck to the task pluckily. and runs were still hard to get as 6.30 drew near.

Scores: WANGANUI. First Innings. 13 E. K. Hunt, l.b.w., b Betts 43 H. B. Cave, st Barker, b Collins 51 .1. A Bergerson, b Betts 157 D. A Cameron, b Meuli 12 .1. A. Barnett, st. Barker, b Meuli 3 R. E Thomas, run out 22 L W Condliffe. l.b.w., b Sweeney 64 R E. Brown, not out 12 J. H. Felts, b Broughton 10 J. McConway, b Broughton 0 30 •117 Fall of the wickets: One for 41; two for 88: three for 131: four for 165- five for 181; six for 229; seven for 383; eight for 401; nine ten for 417. for 417; ROWLING. O. M. R. w. J. Broughton 14 1 L. Miller 17 1 38 69 2 1 S Pauling I 6 * 40 0 S. Betts 21 4 54 69 E. Meuli 1" 0 56 2 Sweeney 8 0 J. Scott . 4 0 34 27 1 0