GRAND RECOVERY AFTER POOR START

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1947, Page 7

GRAND RECOVERY AFTER POOR START

—Press Association

By Telearapn-

DUNEDIN, Mar. 17. It would be difiicult to imagine a more interesting day 's criclcet than that between the touring M.C.C. team and Otago at Carisbrook today. Conditions were perfect with briglit warm sunshine and a wicket and ground that looked to be full of runs. And so it proved, but not until Otago bowlers had made a sensational start towards their task of getting the rep. English team out. Otago completed its innings for 340 and M.C.C. had two wickets down for eight rUns and the third for 26. The fourth fell at 91 but Yardley 's sound batsmanship came to the rescue, Iltin played an innings almost equally as valuable, and Evaus, the wicketkeeper, produced iireworks that kcpt the crowd simmeriug. A ccutury was the reward of all three — 126 to Yardley, 101 to Evans and 102 not out to Ikin. It was the first eentury of the tour for each of thcm and for .Evans the first in firstclass cricket. At "stumps" England's fiscore was 385 for 6 wickets. In a magnilicent recovery from an appalling start, Yardley played stylisii and attractive cricket. But it was Evans who took the crowd 's full fancy. He reached his ceintury in 78 minutes by means of an almost continuous barrage of drives and square cuts and iu one over he hit 19 oif Roberts. The attendance was estimated at 7000 and receipts at the gate totalled £870. Hauninond declared at the close of play. Scores: — ENGLAND. First Innings. ' Fishlock, c Iladlee, b McDougall . 3 Yardley, b McDougall 126 Edrich, b Roberts 1 Compton, c OTSullivan, b McDougall 7 Harnmon, c Hills, b Overton v. . . . 33 Ikin, not out 102 Evans, c O'Sullivan, b Robinson . 101 Bedser, not out 6' Extras . . . „ 6 Total for six wickets .. 385 Bowling: Roberts 1 for 73; W. Mc - Dougall 3 for 98; Overton 1 for 46; Robinson 1 for 68; Hmitli 0 for 75; Sutcliife 0 for 10; Hadlee 0 for 9. OTAGO. First Innings. Hadlee, c Haminoud, b Pollard .. 12 Sutcliffe, c and b Edrich 197 Mills, b Pollard 32 Roberts, c Evans, b Bedser () Robinson, b Pollard 17 St. Jolin, b Bedser 0 fSinitli, c Edrich, b Voce 12 O'Sullivan, b Pollard 4 McDougall, not out 16 Gallaway, b Edricli . . Q Overton, c Evans, b Bedser .... 4 Extras 49 Total 340 Bowling: Voce 1 for 57; Bedser 3 for 76; Pollard 4 for 92;* Wright 0 for 60; Yardley 0 for 7; Edrich 2 for 14.