CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2350, 5 January 1915, Page 7

CRICKET

OTAGO SPRINGS A SURPRISE

A DRAWN GAME VISITORS' GREAT BATTING RECOVERY CRAWFORD 178 NOT OUT. The Otago representative cricket loam sprang a surprise on the Wellington cricket world yesterday aftenoon by easily staving off defeat when the hope of a recovery seemed forlorn. Wellington's first innings closed on Saturday for 498, and as Otago replied with only 139, the visitors followed on. At drawing time on Saturday) they had lost three wickets for 41 runs. Their case looked ■so ■ bad that some members of the Wellington Association prevailed upon the captains to resume at 2 p.m. yesterday, instead of at 11 a.m. It was<an unfor* tunate error of judgment, and it cost Wellington the match. Wellington not only had insufficient time in which to dig the visitors out, but the big defioit was removed from the slate: the match was drawn. Otago played a fine inningß and their seven wickets yielded the big total of 428 runs. The feature of the day's play was the fine innings of J. N. Crawford) the English and Australian crack; He batted for two and a half hours, and carried his bat for 178 runs. His hitting was free and powerful, and his timing perfect. His was a great effort, and it saved the situation for Otago. The Crawford-Eckhold partnership put on 165 runs. ■ Esoaping the Chances. Crawford's big innings, fine as it was, was not a chanceless display. He should have been stumped several times, a catch sent up by bim was dropped in the country, and tho bowlers boat him on several occasions. Brice had extremely hard luck in not clean bowling him more than once; one ball from Brice actually hit the wickets, but did not remove the bails. Hiddleston' was the bowler for whom Crawford exhibited the greatest rcspect. Hiddle6ton's break completely beat the batsman, on several occasions, but every time the break was so pronounced that it went a little wide of the wicket. However, no one wishes to detract from the worth of Crawford's performance; he deserved the applause which greeted him on his return to the pavilion. An important factor in the result was the absence of Brice (the Wellington skipper) during the greater portion of the afternoon. Had the bowlers and the field been handled as well as Brice bandied them on the two pevious days (here might have been a different tale to tell. Otago resumed their 6econd innings shortly after two o'clock with three wickets down for 41 runs. The batsmen were Siedeberg and Bruges. Robinson and Hiddleston bowled. Bruges opened vigorously, and the frequently. The pair had lifted the total to 77i when was taken in the slips by Gibbes, off Robinson.. Crawford partnered Bruges, •and 'the hundred was hoisted when the innings had been in progress a little over anliour. Runs now came freely, and Crawford showed some delightful strokes. His driving was excellent, and some of his boundaries were beauties. Before the 150 mark was reached, three chances were missed by Wellington fieldsmen. Southall made a poor.-' attempt to reach ah. easy oatoh hit" up by Bruges, and a little, later a chance in the slips dropped, just too 6hort for him. • Crawford skied one to the outfield,, and Dickson got it, in his hands, but it jumped out again. At 160, Bruges hit one hard to coyer, and Midlane, running-in, took' it brilliantly, low down. Bell joined Crawford, and as the batsmen seemed rather too comfortable, frequent changeß in the bowling were made.

Crawford Cats the Century. Crawford reached his half-century after he had been batting for an hour and a quarter, and the team's second century was registered after two hours' play. , The'ex-international continued to score at the, same rate, and the century oame his way in two hours. Meanwhile he had lost Galland and Bell, and was accompanied by Eokhold. Half an hour before stumps were to be drawn, Otago reached 360, and thus wiped off the big deficit wbioh necessitated their following on. Crawford and Eckhold were still at the crease when Time closed the match, _ with Otago's soore at 428 for seven wickets, and the game was drawn. Wellington.—First Innings 498 Otago.—First Innings 139 Otago.—Second Innings. Siedeberg, o. Gibbes, b. Robinson... 19 Shepherd, b. Brice 9 Alloo, b. Brioe 0 Watson, b. Robinson 11 Bruges, c. Midlane, b. Gibbes 67 Crawford, not out 178 Bell. b. Robinson . 24 Galland, c. Hiddleston, b. Gibbeß ... 5 Eckhold, not out 60 Extras 65 Seven wickets for 428 Bowling Analysis.—Brioe took two wickets for 34 runs; Southall, none for 62; Hiddleston, none for 76; Robinson, three for 102; Gibbes, two for 78; Bray, none for 10; Dickson, none for 21. How the Wickets Fell. 1234 5 6 7 21 -22 41 77 160 232 263 PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH AN EXOITING FINISH. (By Telegraph.—Press .Association.) Auckland, January 4.

The Plunket Shield match between the representatives of the Canterbury and Auckland Cricket Associations waß ■brought to a conclusion to-day amid excitement, the ninth wicket falling when Canterbury only wanted one run to make a draw and retain the Shield. Sandman made the winning hit, and Canterbury thus retains the trophy. After the opening batsmen, Beal and, Carlton, had put on 80 runs for the first partnership, the wickets fell fairly j quickly, the fourth falling when the! score was 134, and a partnerhsip be* tween Woods and Hickmott put on 81 runs for the i fifth wicket. There was again a period when the wicketß fell quickly, and seven wero down for 231. Canterbury thus wanted 60 with three wickets in hand, and Auckland's prospect of securing the Shield was fairly bright. The eighth wicket, however, added 35, and fell at 266, and the ninth at 289, and Canterbury won by one wicket. The scores are: Auckland. First innings 212 Second innings Canterbury. First innings 208 Second Innings. C. E. Beal, b. Harvie . . 44 T. Carlton, 1.b.w., b. Cummings ... 42 W R Patrick, o. Sale, b. Sneddon 13 R.' G." Hickmott, b. Snedden .. 56 H. A. Bishop, l.b-w-i b. Sneddon ... 12 F Woods, c. Eountroe b. Dacro ... 34 H. B Whitta, b. Harvie ......... 12 A. W. Thomas, c. Horspool, b. Sneddon 20 D. Sandman, not out 27 J. H. Bennett, st. Rountree, b. Harvie •••■ 10 C. Boxshall, not out 0 Extras Total for oil® mckata ......... 2D3

Bowling Analysis.

Ovrs. Mdns. Bus. Wkts. Barvie 34 9 63 3 W. 0. Shedden 34 5 104 4 L. Taylor 4 0 25 0 G. Cumminge 13 2 33 1 B. Horapool ... 7 0 23 0 W. Brook-Smith 6 1 16 0 C. Dacro 10 3 1 ■