OTAGO WIN SHIELD GAME

Chronicle (Levin), 30 December 1947, Page 6

OTAGO WIN SHIELD GAME

MARGIN OF NINE RUNS ON WELLINGTON^ WELLINGTON, Dec. 29. The fourth day's play in th.e Piunket '3hield match between Wellington an'.l iltago saw Otago score a win on the first inuings by nine runs. Wheu Wellington had four wickets down for 85 at lunch it appeared as it Otago niight snatch an outright win but brilliant battiug by Orawford, E. Dempster and Wilson in the afternoon rau the score to 198 and allowed the Wellington innings to be declared at 3.20 p.m. lcaving Otago 189 runs to get for an outright win in about. 2 hours 26 minutes. The early fall of their star batsman, B. Sutclill'e, robbed Otago of any ehance they had of getting these runs. McLean, Wilson, Murray and Little bowled so well that the Otago batsmen, in the dying stages, had to defend stubbornly to avoid an outright defeat. "Wheu stumps were drawu at 5.55 p.m. Otago had six wickets down for 139 runs and wero still 50 runs short of their objective. Details of Play Dempster (18) and Tindill resumed YVellington 's iirst innings at 11 a.m. with 110 wickets down for 23. The iirst ball of Eoberts 's seventh over of the innings saw Tindill taken in the slip» by St. John. This started a sensational batting collapse. The iifth ball ot Roberts's same over say Gallaway take •t smart catch at the wickets to dispose of Alooney who had failed to open his account. Worse was to follow as Ongley, who caine next, was taken by Koberts in the slips olf Freeman Imfore tio had scored. Three wickets had fallen for one riln and the total was 31. Crawford arrivcd to see No. 5, Dern|> ster, run into the twenties. Gallaway liere left the iield with a touch of librositis. Mills took the gloves and 1. W. Payne, Otago 's twelfth man, canie on. DeniLtster had been at the wickets at this stage for an h- ur for three runs. The first 50 occupied 88 minutes. With the total at 54, C. S. Dempster, who had been at the wickets for 104 minutes, was clean bowled by Overton, i'he luuehoon adjpununent was taken with the score ut 85 for four wickets, Crawford being 32 and E. Dempster 8. On resumption, batting more freely, they took the score to 100 wliich occupied 3 64 minutes. With the score at 123 Crawford was taken behiud the stumps by Mills olV Freeman. He had assisted E. Dempster to put 011 69 runs for the iifth wicket in 82 minutes. E. Dempster reached his 50 in 109 minutes. Wilson who had joined him, was shaping brightly. Runs were novv coming faster than at any period of the innings and 380 soon apL>eared. YY'ith the score at 198 Dempster 's sparkling innings . ended • whern. he was taken by Kobinson oi! Overton in the gully. C*. B. Dempster then declared Weliington's innings closed at 3.20. Requiring 189 ruus to win in 2 hours 2(5 minutes, Butcliffe and Watt opened Otago 's second innings at oJl4!- p.m. With the score iat 18 Butclill'e was clean- bowled by an inswinger from Murray. Robinson followed and with Wfttt took the score ,to 57. when .Rpbjii • son was clean bowlpd by Little. Huni and Watt tool> the score along to 9(i where Hunt was bowled by Wilson. Mills joined YY'att and 100 eame up in 86 minutes. C. S. Dempster, the YY'elliugton captain, after a loug sprint to the square leg boundary, retired with'a straiued muscle and Reed took his place in the field. Watt was taken iu the slips by Murray off McLean and four wickets were down for 130. Roberts eame next. The Wellington captain returned to the field and was nearly knocked out at second slip by a hot s))Ot by Mills off McLean. With the total at 128 Mills, who had reached 21, was bowled by Wilson. Bmith, the Otago captain, joined St. John who had done so weli in the first innings. The pair took no risks, playing out a succes sion of maideu overs. The batsmen stonewalied stubbornly till stumps wero drawn at 5.55 p.m. with the score standing at 139 for six wickets. There was another good attendance £216 being taken at the gates whick made the takings for four days £S35 which was claimed a record for a Plun kct Shield match. The weather wa. beautifully iine. Scores: — . "YVELLINGTON First innings 263 Second Innings 0. S. Dempster, b Overton 2(i E. W. Tindill, e St. John b Roberts li F. L. II. Mooney, c Galloway b Roberts U J. A. Ongley, c Roberts b Freeman 0 R. Crawford, c Mills b Freeman . . 4-7 E. Dempster, c Robinson b Overton (57 D. S. Wilson, not out 41 Extras . . 7

Total for 6 wickets declared 19S Bowling: Roberts two for 39, Overton two for 50, Freeman two for 4S, Robinson none for 37, Smith none for lJ Sutcliffe none for 6. OTAGO First innings 271 Second Inuings li. Sutcliffe, b Murray 13 L. Watt, c Murray b McLean .. .. 31 F. H. Robinson, b Little 2:1 R. Hunt, b Wilson 21 G. II. Mills, b Wilson 21 A. W. Roberts, c Tindill b McLean 8 D. St. John, not out -j L. D. Smith, not out . . 2 Extras ^ Total for 6 wickets -Utu Bowling: Murray none for 22, McLean two for 37, Little one for 34, Wilson two for 37, Browne none for 0.