CRICKET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 249, 22 January 1881, Page 2

CRICKET.

The Australians v. The Otago TwentyTwo. Yesterday the match was resumed. The gale our telegrams told us had been blowing over night unroofed the Grand Stand, and gave a dreary appearance to the ground. It had not wholly ceased piay began, but the’weather ultimatelyimproved and the match was continued in bright sunshine. Parker and Leith faced Spofforth .and Palmer at half-past twelve. Leith was bowled by Spofforth for 3, and Parker left for nothing to one of Palmer’s deadlies. Harris took Parker’s place, and Spring took Leith’s. The first over they were together yielded a well-played-for 7, but Harris’ career •closed with the first ball of the next over, and Macneil followed, who played well, but Spring got stumped by Blackham, and Crawshaw took the bat. The two put 10 together rapidly, but when 34 was the total Macneil was caught by Palmer, finishing a fine innings {dr 16. Paramor followed, and looked as if Macneil’s mantle had fallen on him, but when he had made 5 Spofforth bowled him. Collinson fell to Palmer’s bowling after a short innings with Crawshaw, who left for 11. Clarke was the next scorer of any note, and he played very carefully till lunch. At the resumption he opened *ut and hit 1 freely,, and gave the Australians much trouble till Palmer gave him his quietus Vhen be had reached 20. Fitzgerald, another player, got 6, but the remainder contributed only 4 amongst them—the total being 83 for 234 balls.

The Australians then took the bat at a quarter past 4 ; Jarvis and Spofforth opening the ball against Macneil’s bowling. The wind was pretty strong at this time, and Moore and Carr, both slight men, were not on to the duty of bowling against the wind. Macneil pluckily Changed at sorhe sacrifice to his side, as he is the beat trundler they have, and Spofforth soon showed that the wind told on .Macneil. However, Cooke, who had the wind on his quarter, got Jarvis pro Paramor in the slips, and Murdoch partnered Spofforth. Paramor was the first change, relieving Macneil, during whose term Spofforth had been scoring considerably. But the demon, when ho had telegraphed 24, was caught prettily by Clark in an out field, and the total stood af 34 for two wickets. M'Donnell reigned in his stead, and behaved royally till ho got 12, when Macneil who had again taken the ball, lifted his bails with a tasteful one ; but before this Murdoch had retired to thp.always unsatisfactory out'df • I b w.v Slight was get rid of, run out, for 8, and at 6 o’clock Groube and Boyle were just beginning to be busy when time was Called —five wickets down for 67.