Good Bowling By H. B. Cave Against Otago

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 January 1949, Page 6

Good Bowling By H. B. Cave Against Otago

DUNEDIN, Last Night (P.A.) Fortunes fluctuated throughout the day in the final Plunket Shield match of the season, but in spite of the gallant century by G. H. Mills, Otago failed to head the Wellington first innings total of 245.

The last three wickets fell with the score unchanged at 233 after an interesting if somewhat uninspiring day’s cricket. Sensation followed sensation in the last half-hour’, first as the Otago wickets toppled and then when Tindill was bowled by Ovbrton with the first ball in Wellington second innings. Wellington’s score at stumps was seven for one wicket.

After an early setback when Cresswell claimed the wicket of St. John, Watt and Mills set out to retrieve Otago's position in the face of accurate and sometimes hostile attack. The scoring rate was painfully slow, but this was dictated by the position of the game, as well as the excellent Wellington bowling and fielding. Watts’ 40 included two fours and took 173 minutes of intense concentration to compile. Mills' curbed his natural free-scor-ing inclination and stayed at the wickets for 311 minutes in scoring 115, including five fours. He was dropped at 41, a difficult chance to Cresswell at third slip off Cave, but otherwise showed rocklike defence, with most of his runs coming from shots behind the wickets.

It was his second Plunket Shield century and must have Enhanced his prospects of gaining higher honours. Smith played a restrained knock for 25 and was thb only other batsman to reach double figures. ' CAVE’S BOWLING.

A fine impression was made by Wellington’s two medium-paced bowlers, Cave and Cresswell, who came through a hard day’s work with credit. Cave bowled almost an impeccable length throughout the day and had all the batsmen in difficulties. Towards the end of the day Cresswell's length suffered a little but he still remained capable of producing the occasional almost unplayable ball. At no stage were the batsmen on top of the bowling and keen fielding supported the attack to the utmost. Otago threw away an opportunity of a first innings lead after the dour knocks of Watt, Mills, and Smith, with the last five wickets falling for 22 runs.

The turning point was when 17-year-old McGregor, after paticwtly playing himself in, played a reckless shot and was bowled by Cave. Ongley immediately set an attacking field and the remaining batsmen failed to offer resistance. Details:— Wellington. First Innings 245 Second Innings. E. W. Tindill b Overton 0 S. <abone, not out 0 J. Keid, not out 6 Extras „ „ 1 Total (for one wicket) 7 Bowling: Overton, one for three. Otago. First Innings. , R. T. Hunt, b Cave 7 L. A. Watt, c. Mooney, b Cave 40 R. H. Robinson, l.b.w. b Cresswell 0 D. S. St. John, b Cresswell 7 G. H. Mills* 1.b.w., b Cresswell ... 115 L D. Smith, c Tindill, b Randall 25 L. J. Groves, c Tindill, b Cresswell 8 S. N. McGregor, b Cave 2 L. A. Milnes, 1.b.w., b Cave 1 I. Walsh, b Cresswell 0 G. W. Overton, not out 0 Extras (byes 13, leg-byes 15) 28 Total 233 Bowling: A. E. Cresswell, 33.2 overs, 9 maidens, 57 runs, 5 wicketij; H. B. Cave 40, 16, 66, 4; C. L. Randall 15, 3, 36, 1; G. Rabone 6,0, 10, 0; J Reid 7,2, 9,0; T. P. Reaney 5,2, 6,0; D. S. Wilson 14, 5, 21, 0. Fall of wickets: 9, 14, 32, 106, 182, 211, 231, 233, 233 233.