OTAGO WINS SHIELD

Chronicle (Levin), 4 February 1947, Page 6

OTAGO WINS SHIELD

—Press Association

Wellington Team Collapses Unexpectedly

By Telegraph-

DUNEDIN, Feb. 3. The Plunket Shield match between Otago and Wellington. at Carisbrook ended unexpectedly today in a- win for Otago by seven wiekets. In response to Wellington 's first innings total of 202 Otago, which had lost eight wiekets for .280 on Saturday, carried its scqre to 285 and then disniissed its opponents for III runs. Left with nine runs to get Otago secured them for tlie loss of three wiekets. The wieket had been affected by the previous day's rain but not to the extent that the carlier Wellington batsmen -made it appear in tlieir secoiul innings or to aecount for the fall of ihe lirst six wiekets for 54 runs. The foothold was none too secure but Otago bowlers were not greatly liandi eapped in this respect, even before .the luncheon adjournment, after wliich the wieket played perfectly. It niust be stated, therefore, that poor batting played some part in the Wellington collapse against bowling which was consistently steady. Twenty minutes after play was resummed at 11.10 a.m., was sufticient to end Otago 's lirst innings. With the addition of only live runs Gallaway was caught in the slips by McVicar off Matheson when he had added oue run to his Saturday 's score of 21 and after he had batted for 103 minutes. Nine wiekets were down for 281 when Overton joined Smitli wlio took his score from 09 to 71 when he hit out at a slowish liall outside the off stump from O'Neill and was caught by Challies, the innings elosing at 11.30 for 285 which had -occupied 378 minutes. It was cvirlent that Wellington 's policy was to try to gain time to allow the wieket to improve. After 20 minutes, ' however, McVicar wlio had opened with E. W. Tindill, let a "yorker" from Roberts under his bat. He had made all the runs that were ori the board namely four. Capstick who t'ollowed was also in no hurry. to knock np runs and when he had cautiously scorcd a couple of singles he was caught by "St. John on tlie leg-side. The batsmen were surrounded by a ring of fieldsmen all waiting for a eatch. Time went on but Tindill liad not scored a run. Eventually, 58 minutes after he had come to the wiekets, he opened his aceount with a single, tlie crowd rpplauding the event. Matheson, after .surprisinglv liitting a four, was caught at the wiekets off tlie next ball. Then catne Dempster and he opened in a manner indicating his intcntion not to follow the timid example set bv the otliers. His promise of better things was not fulfilled, however, and he had made only 5 when he was taken at close midon by Overton off Smitli. J. A. Onglev endeavoured to liven tlie scoring a little and he was certaiuly unluckv when lie was smartly thrown out by Robinson from mid-on iu attenipting a close single. Shortly afterwards, with Barber as his partiier, Tindill reaclied double figures after two hours at the crease. Barber, wliose batting in the first innings won praise, was ou,t to a weak stroke to square leg when facing- Robinson aijd waS caugh't by Frasef. WheiG-Wilsoii gave Gallaway. liis fifth catch the scofe was 72 for seven. __ x . . • . Immediately after tea O'Neill was out with out adding to his score of 13 and Cave and Challis stayed only Iqng enough to allow Tindill, now batting attractively and scoring quite freely, to reach 47 and to carry his bat th rough

the innings. In spite of his over cautious attitude during the lirst couple of hours, Tindill deserves praise for his griin fighting knock. Otago fielding was again keen and Gallaway did a (ine job iu taking six catches during the match. Tlie two batsmen cliosen to knock off the runs for Otago were O'Sullivau and Fraser but the former fell into Cave's leg trap after scoring a single and Fraser was out lbw for 9. Mills and S\. John brouglit the score level but Mills was clean bowled by Cave for 8 and wlien Smitli came in a beg bye settled the issue, Otago winning outriglit by seven wiekets and bringing its shield points to 10. Scf.xeu: WELLINGTON First innings . . 202 Second Innings. McVicar, b Roberts • • 4 Tindill, not out 47 Capstick, c St. Jolin, b McDougall 2 Matheson, c Gallaway, b Robinsou 4 Dempster, c Overton, b Smitli . . . . - -5 Ongley, run out Barber, c Fraser, b Robinsou .... 6 Wilson, c Gallaway, b Overtou .. 0 O'Neill, c Smitli, b Overton .... 13 Cave, c Hadlee, b Robinson .... 8 Challies, c Gallaway, b Robinsou . . 0 Extras 4® Total 411 Bowling: Roberts 1 for -t, McDougall 1 for 4, Smitli 1 for 32, Robinson 4 foi 45, Overton 2 for 0. OTAGO. First Innings. Hadlee, c Tindill, b Wilson .. .. 45 Mills, c P.arbe1-, b Cave ........ 5 O'Sullivau, ' McVicar, b O'Neill . . 45 Roberts, b Wilson 39 Robinson, b Cave 4-5 St. John, b Cave •• 3 Fraser, b Cave 4 Smitli, c Challies, b O'Neill .... 71 McDougall, run out 45 Gallaway, c McVicar, b Matheson 22 Overton, not out 1 2 Extras 4G Total .. 285 Bowling: O'Neill 2 foi 67, Cave 4 for 82, Challies 9 for 52, Wilson 2 for 47, Matheson 1 for 21. Second Innings. O 'Sullivan, c Barber, b Cave .... 3 Fraser,' lbw, b O'Neill 9 Mills, b Cave ' 8 St. John, not out 8 Smith, not out ....... 0 Extras 4 Total for 3 wiekets 29 Bowling: Cave 2 for 9, O'Neill 1 for

2, Challies 0 for 7. Final points for the Jrlunket Shield competition show that Auckland wins Ihe trophy with 18 points, Wellington being runner-up with 12, Otago tliird with 10 and Canterbury fourth with \