TRYING CONDITIONS PREVAIL FOR OTAGO v. WELLINGTON MATCH

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 December 1947, Page 6

TRYING CONDITIONS PREVAIL FOR OTAGO v. WELLINGTON MATCH

(P.A.) Wellington, Dec. 26. Wellington and Otago cricketers battled out their Plunket Shield fixture at the Basin Reserve today under the most trying conditions experienced tor a representative match. A heavy northerly gale buffeted the players and occasionally whipped up bursts of light rain. The conditions caused three breaks during the day, the final one at 5 p.m., stumps being drawn shortly afterwards. The match was then in an Interesting stage, Wellington’s 263, representing a great recovery after a bad start. Otago had 26 runs without a loss at stumps. The gate of £ll2 was a surprisingly good one. It brought the two days’ gate to £339. So strong was the gale al times that even the batsmen had difficulty in maintaining their balance. Bowling into the wind was an ordeal. Freeman undertook the bulk of this for Otago and his was the most praiseworthy effort. Nearly all the players spoke of eye strain and the task for the umpires was an unenviable one. Wellington's effort was a tribute to the side's fighting qualities, with J. A. Ongley, A. McLean, and D. S. Wilson playing the major role. The colt, R. McK. Murray, showed good form in the last wicket stand with Wilson. Ongley and McLean were associated in a partnership which added 114 runs. Ongley has played few more serviceable knocks for the province. He had some periods when fortune frowned on him but otherwise his cricket was first rate. McLean was the essence of soundness and restraint. For a player making his first appearance in shield cricket afte, having been considered a performer in club matches for 16 years, his effort was a grand one. D. S. Wilson again proved one of Wellington's most useful cricketers, if not one of the most reliable all-rounders in the Dominion. His best scoring shots were on the leg side where he hit with freedom and power. Roberts was the outstanding bowler. He was used at both ends but gained all his success with the wind. In his 20 years representative cricket, he has had fewer finer performances with the ball. Overton was steady and occasionally sent down a particularly good ball. Freeman rendered great service by his accurate bowling with the wind. Otago batted for 50 minutes, most of the crowd were anxious to see Sutcliffe in action and he gave them a taste of his skill, two grand pulls to the leg scoring sending the ball speeding to the boundary. Scores were as follow: —•

WELLINGTON First Innings Yindill. c Hunt, b Overton 24 C. S. Dempster, c Mills, b Roberts 1 Mooney, b Overton, ...... 18 Ongley, b Roberts 83 11 0 McLean, b Roberts : 41 D. S. Wilson, not out 42 M. Browne, c Snook, b rreeman 1 0 R. McK. Murray, b Overton 22 20 Total 263 Fall of wickets: One for 5, two for 52, three for 57, four for 73, five for 73. six for 187. seven for 210, eight for 211, nine for 222, ten for 263. Bowling Analysis O. M. R. ’ W. Roberts 40 15 62 □ Overton 30.2 8 71 3 Freeman . 35 12 70 1 Robinson 18 7 24 0 Smith 9 3 14 0 Sutcliffe 2 1 2 0 OTAGO First Innings B. Sutcliffe, not out 17 R. Watt, not out Extras 4 Total, no wickets for 26