CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 December 1907, Page 4

CRICKET.

SNTERPROVINCIAL MATCH. OTAGO v. WELLINGTON. . , A BRILLIANT RECOVEIIY. . The intorprovincial representative match, Otago v. Wellington, was continued on tile Basin Reserve at 11.30 on Saturday morning. Tho attendance in the forenoon was small, but after tho luncheon ;adjournment spectators flocked to the ground until tho attendance totalled about 2000. ' The gato receipts amounted to £70 14s. 6d., . making a total of £117 Els. Gd. for the two days. The display of cricket was ,a decided improvement on the form shown on tho first day, both sides , improving almost beyond recognition. , The- disastrous rot,' which set in at the'beginning of the' Wellington first innings, was stopped by Moloney and Blacklock, both of whom played excellent cricket, and carried the local men well over the Otago total. The Wellington team owe their present, position to these two batsmen, who, besides making runs, completely tired the bowling of tho opposition, and left' the way open for the "tail" to score. Black- - lock's innings was- short but. merry. -Ho had tho strength of the bowling at an early • stage, and hit out' lustily from tho. start. 'Tho Old Boy player batted for fifty-five : minutes, ami gavo a rare exhibition of vigorous cricket; his' clean hard driving 'being a feature of tho day's play. Mahoney appeared to be good for a century, and, no doubt, would have obtained it if ho had played carefully.' -Ho gave .a couplo of difficult chances during the time ho was at'the wickets; but taken right through .his innings -was a fino one, and should have yielded more, runs than. : tho. score-sheet shows. A perfect late put brought Mahoney a .lot of his'runs, but the excellent work of tho Otago slipmen robbed him of runs, which many of his strokes, deserved. Although the.. Mahoney-Blacklock partnership undoubtedly tho. tide, in favour, of' Woliington, the "tail" wagged with an enthusiasm which roused the spectators out of themselves. When . Williams was disposed of for ton, it appeared that tho end had come, but this .was without reckoning on Monaghan and Hales, both of whom found a placo in tho team because of their trundling abilities. This last pair knocked up 86 before they were disposed of. Monaghan, 47 not out, played really fine cricket, and hit out' manfully at anything' of a loose nature, giving only, a couplo of chances; . His scorc comprised three sixes, tho biggest hits of tho day. Hales certainly had hick on his side, but his display was to- the liking of the spectators, to " the majority of whoni-mighty smiting aopealed. Practically every ball was the same to the Wellington bowler, but luck, a good cyo, and a : 'lusty frame enabled him to notch 48 before lie was dismissed by a simple catcli. Tho fielding, of tho visitors was again all that could bo desired; and' nono performed better than Austin, who showed a'rcmarkablo facility for snapping up a ball and returning- it quickly. Torrance, the demon bowler of tho first day,'could not secure a ; wicket on Saturday, and did not appear to trouble . any of tho local, batsmon. . His average, which, stood, at 6 for 23 at the close of the first day's play, was 6 for 70, whoil stumps were drawn on Saturday. Tho Wellington innings closed . for 301,' a! remarkable recovery, which left Otago. 189 in the rear, on tho first innings'figures. Otago wore sent in to bat again, but commenced very badly, two wickets falling for no runs. A satsifactory stand was made by. Siedeberg and Eckhold, tho-former being got rid ,of lifter die- liaa _ contributed 45 by. first-clasS' but. careful-cricket. Mackersey joined Eckhold, and these . two -batsmen played out .time, milking 20 and 23 respectively. When stiiinps. \vcrc drawn Otago had lost 4 wickots ... WELLINGTON INNINQSI CONTINUE!!). 111. \CkT OCA—M VTIONEY. , . On resuming,-.play.-j.at". J. 1.30 -on ..Saturday m'brniiig,. with the scpfc..;ss. .for. .6 wickets, Mah&ii'ey (16),'the'iiot b'ut" batsman of tliop'reyions day, .went in, with. J., P.; Blacklock .to. face'the bowling of: Torranco and Fisher. Blacklock took the first over' from Torrance, and ..Mahoney .'took .strike to Fisher" and played a - dangerous, stroke into tho slips. After- a couple of. singles; had. been scored, .Blacklock \brouglit GO up with ' a. glahco to leg for three. Both batsmen, opened out from the jump, and Fisher's next over yielded seven, including a clean drive for four by' Blacklock. Mahoney. brought 70 up with a pretty square ciit to the boundary. Both batsmen were playing with confidence, and .hitting out strong 'along the carpet, hut good .fielding kept the.,runs, down... Eighty , was. registered .after, an hour and a half's plfty, and the field was then placed on the off to stop .Blacklock's' too frequent drives. A glide 'to leg .'by' the Old Boy -batsmen brought; 90. up, and the same player helped the. total along, to three figures, 'with a .drive for four... Eckhoff was put on at tho northern end in placo: of Fisher., whoso four overs liad .cost. 14,.. and sent down a maiden.- ToR-ance, was then niit on against tho, wind to. assist his swerve, but BUicklock. got his'; first. ball -. away to • leg lor four, bringing 100 up after an hour ana thirty r eight . minutes' '.play! Blacklock was doing the majority' of the . scoring; and soon passed. Mahoney's total. When ; Mahoney had made .35 he gave a possible chance m tho : slips off Torrance, the. ball .going \ ; hoff's head. A couple of fours by Blacklock ,put Wellington, ahead, of . the Otago total,, and the-same; batsman followed with two nioro fourers on end and another before , the . over, which had cost 13 -runs, was...completed. Fisher'was ordered to go on, "again.", m. place of Torrance, with the score at 130,;, but runs: came freely, Blackdnvmg to the boundary- repeatedly, lno Ola.Boys' player's brilliant..innings was brought to a closo after ho. had. made' 60 when ho was caught by "Eekhoff, off .Fisher, ni ,P, al^ llC^3lll l , was responsible for 88 runs, liuicklock. got 'cloven, fours, seven of thein in succession. , ; . WILLIAMS-MAHONEY. ' Williams filled the gap, and Austin was put oil in place of Eckhoff.. The new batsman did not appear to relish Fisher, and made two weak uppish strokes to the. off. J lie scoring , was slow at this stage,'.but 150 was after two and a quarter hours play. Williams had not been batting with any confidence, and his. end came at length, being caught in the slips by Mac- , kersey off Fisher, after having made 10., MONAG HAN—MAHONEY. Monaghan ' continued the , battle with Mahonoy, and started with tlireo singles. Ho was frequently beaten by Austin,'but this bowler gnvo way to Eckholf at 169. At tho luncheon adjournment'the score was 173, Mahonoy 53 hot out, and Monaghan 7 not out. On resuming at two o'clock Fisher nnd Austin commenced bowling. Mahoney, after sending Austin to the boundary for four, was disabled'for a time, a ball from Austin rising and hitting tho batsman on the chest. The. scoring was slow in tho extreme, and twenty-five minutes had elapsed before 190 was put on the board. Monaghan opened out, and soon ran into double figures, the result being that 200 was hoisted after three hours fifteen minutes' batting. Mackersey rolievod Austin, but runs still came slowly, although Mahonoy enlivened proceedings with air occasional boundary. Mackersey was rewarded at last, Mahoney coming forward a/id playing a soft ono back to theibowlor. Mahonoy had played a groat innings, and was deservedly applauded on returning to the stand, 218—9—84. • HALES—MONAGHAN. Hales, the idol of the small bovs, because of his slogging propensities, joined Monaghan, and started out with a two and a.one, which caused his juvenile admirers to applaud loudly. Monaghan followed with a boundary, and 230 went up. Both batsmen were eager for runs, and wore cheered on by the spectators. Hales gave. Eckhoff a possible chance by a lusty hit to the outfield,, and, spurred on by. the applause, added a four and a three off Mackersey with successive strokes. The over yielded'ls to Hales, who also got a four off Torrance in tho next over. Austin was put on in place of Mackersey at 249 to try and dissolve the final partnership. A mis-hit by Monaghan .(21) sent the ball high up behind the wickets,'

but the fieldsmen were unable to roach it. Next over tho same batsman tried to lift Fisher, and sent the ball into -Eckhoff'B hands, but. the chance was not accepted. Monajjhim showed his thanks a couple of balls later by hitting Fisher away for six. Both batstuen.wore banging lustily, and runs were piled on in a manner which appealed to the spectators.,, Hales was missed bv Eckh°ld_again on the southern boundary, : and the fast bowler's next hit to the boundary 'brought 280 up. Monaghan placed 290"'0n - the board with another six hit off Fisher. A further changc was made in the bowling, ~ I relieving Austin, but Hales got ten. off the new bowler's first three balls." The fourth, however, ended his career, ; as lie' was caught by' Wilson as the result, of'a weak stroke. The innings closed for 304,',"' OTACO'S SECOND INNINCS. . WATSON-WILSON. Otago_ commented their second innings at 3.45, Watson and Wilson opening. Monaghan sent .down a maiden, and .Cobcroft went 011 at the other end.. Wilson did not last long, being caught at pointby Bruce off Cobcroft's first ball, o—l—o. ; AUSTIN—WATSON. Austin partnered Watson, but the latter only stayed until-the first ball of Monaghan'g second over, when he was clean bowled, 0— ■2 —o. ■ ■'- ■: • . ■; SIEDEBERG—"AUSTIN. , The 'Siedeberg— Austin combination: produced runs slowly, and ten"'was placed on the board after twenty minutes' play. After a few singles Siedeberg'hit Cobcroft to, leg for three. Witl) tho score• at 20 Hickfcy replaced Cobcroft at the northern-end.! Tho new bowler's-first- over;'yielded . five ■ runs, and at the end of thirty r fivo minutes 30 appeared orr - the board. When ,;the score sliect showed 36 Austin-was givon out; leg' before to Hickey. ; V. - uckhold-siedeberg. ' ' The next batsman was Eckhold,-., and a period of slow uninteresting • play followed. Hickey. was relieved by Cobcroft,. -and Hickson went on at the other end in place of Monaghan. Both batsmen.put .in some good hits along the carpet, but the placing of'the Woliington field saved ;a ■ great many" runs, fifty was recorded in due but tb.e • scoring continued painfully slow,-, both, batsmen going carefully. Runs were , put oil slowly, until 70 was on. the, boardat which stage Hales relieved Hickfon. Laws took Cobcroft's place -with the' ball. Hales' sent ' down-some good balls, .and .got past -,Eck- ~ hold on several occasions,'but without shifting the stumps. Careful batting.carried, the score on to 80 without anything out of this ordinary happening, and ' notwithstanding ■ several changes in the bowling the defonce .could not be broken down, tile ; two. Otago men . still going slojv, . hut apparently", "sure. At length Monaghan accounted"" for;?Siede-, berg with a yorker, when the, boardLshowfed 89-r4—45. The partnership.,had: yielded: 53.; ' MACKERSEY—ECKHOLD. ■ Mackersey filled' the.' gap,"and 90 . up' witlr a 'single following with 'a' siier. ffi Cobcroft over • tho west'env'fence..' The ten. tury was -Hoisted by a'-foilr to; Mackerseyj who responded with another bbtinclarj-'.'-'llie three figures being -reached' with-the''tw Southerners standing firm. ' The changes", continued amongst the - bowlers,, but the batsmen could not be dislodged,' and suo- ' ceeded in playing out time. THE SCORES. " WELLINGTON. ■ ' FIRST . Inninos. .. ;. ' C. Hickson, 2421111, h. Torranco ... 12 E.'. Jl. Becchey,"l3l, b.-Torrance ■... 5 L:-T.' Cobcroft, 4,'h. Torranco ... ... 4 A. Bruce, 123, b. Torranco ... ... Q F. A. Laws, 4,' b.' Torrance '-... "... 4 C. Hickby, 1, b." Torranco ... ... . 1 J. J. Mahoney, 414121311111411211421 ' 1211112114141.112211121412411, c. and b. MockorseyirfJ'.i\i J. P. Blacklock, 3411211122444114444444 ' c. Ecli|iflffejby,.]@§hop- ... 60 A. 1414, c. Mackersey, b. ; ."Fisher'' ,:.. '.'. ... . .... 'io H. W. 'Sronaghan,' : 1114112461ii6441116 r ", - not out;' .... ",... . ... 47 E.-"0. Hales,' > '2i1i22443411M411442j c! .... b,'Eckhoff'' : ... i. .48 Byes ...; -X, r 14 Leg byes • '' ... 9 Total ... ... .... ... 304 Bowltnq - Asaltsis. ...' .Over's. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Fisher 20' :1 94 2 •Torrance ... 22 2 70 6 - Eckholf .;. 13 •3 .; .48 " ,1" Austin ... 12 1 , 35 0 . Mackersey ... 4 0 34' ; 1 ' • : OTAGO.' ' ' ' ; ' First Innings ... ... ... 115 Second Innings. H. C. Watson, b. Monaghaiv, ... 0 C. G-. Wilson, c. Bruce, d, Cobcroft ... 0 'G. G. Austin, ,11221121121, 1.b.w., b. '. ' , Hickey ... " 15 H. G.-Siedeberg, 1211311111211141121111 ■'' : 211141113, 1). - Monaghan • : y.:.- ... 45 A. Eckhold, 1111111112111141111. not out '• 23 W. Mackersey, 164414, not out . '... 20 No ball ... .... . ... .... ■ 1 Byes ... ... 9 Leg-byes. ;■ ■... 2 Total for- four wickets •■' ...'lls Bow'hxo 'Analysis. "' Overs. Mdiis. Runs. Wkts, Monaghan l .;. 17 ' 5 - 20'' , Cobcroft ... 14 1 48 ' : 1 Hickey .... ..6 •.3 11 1 Hickson ... 4 2 ' 6 0 . Hales : ... 4 1 ' 9 0 Laws ... 5 , 2 9 0 The gamo will bo resumed at" 11.30 this morning.' '... ..'

IN OTHER CENTRES. ' ; V

(by telegraph—ritEss association.) . Auckland, December 29. The cricket' Cup championships were suspended yesterday, • and a game was played between tho Auckland representatives, whe defeated Canterbury, and an elovcri of colts.Fino weather prevailed. The colts . batted first, and wqro all out for 68 (L.Robinson 15)." Rolf took. threo." wickets for 18- runs,' and Kerr three for ,12 runs. The representatives were all disposed of for 114. runs (Brooke-Smith 21, Haddon 20, Cummings 20, and Prime 19). \ Tho Otago v. Auckland .match for the Plunkct Shield commences here on Thursday. Much interest is being taken in tli'o contest.