INTERPROVINCIAL CRICKET MATCH.

Evening Star, Issue 3358, 24 November 1873, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL CRICKET MATCH.

The Auckland players went to Canterbury with the reputation of being “dark horses; by reason of their victory with Canterbury they come to Otago as formidable players—as good a team as has played against the Province lor years. Against them is pitted a team which is admittedly as good as the D.C.O. could muster under the circumstances, but notoriously weak—weak in all points, save fielding; and almost without practice. For the latter, the wretched weather that has prevailed during the last six or eight weeks is excuse enough. A liner day lor cricket could not have been desired ; warm enough to bo pleasant, and with a nice cool breeze to temper the sun’s rays. The ground, considering Saturday’s rain, was in passable condition. At 11,10 a.m. the match was commenced, \1 cares, the Otago captain, having won tj»e toss d c;ded to take the wickets, and Auckland went into the field, Robinson placing his men as follows : -Alpe, long stop; Bellars, wickel keeper ; Clayforth, point; Yates, short-leg ; Dixon, long-leg ami cover point (pavilion side); and Lank bam do, other side ; Sweete, shortslip ; Mumford, mid-off; Lankham, mid-off; Dufaur, mid -on; Dixon was an emergency man, and played for Cotton, who, with King, another Auckland man, missed his passage at Lyttelton last night We were not present at the beginning of the play, and are therefore only abic to state that Meares and Lambert were the first to go to the wickets to face the howling of Robin-on and Sweetc. At the outset the bowling was top much for our men, the wickets falling very fast, is the score shows I for 6 ; 2 for 8 ; and if for 9. did not give much hope of the Acorers being troubled. But it is with cricke' as with law -its uncertainties are glorious. Twenty-four had been run up between Mactarlan and Lambert by good play, when the latter attempted to slog Sweete, and had hi; stumps scattered for his pains. 4 for 24 Downes joined Wacfarlan, and the first ball he got from Robinson he lifted well to the off for 3. At the last ball in Sweeto’s next over iVlacfarlau made a regular blind swipe, and missed it. d for 28. Garwood joined Downes, but the partnership was very brief, the first Downes got from Robinson he hit high up to the off, t ut Yates was too muci for him, and, well judging the catch, did not fail to secure it. 6 for 28. Clark joined GarwOod, and quickly got a couple of singles. The last ball of Robinson’s next Over Gar wood placed right into the hands of Dixon it leg, but ho let it drop. A stolen run fol lowed this let-off, and Garwood got a couple by a leg hit off' .Swcete, which was badly fielded. Several more singles came, Garwood being the principal contributor; and Buckland relieved Robinson. Dll his first ball Clark gave a chance to point which Clayforth (strange to say) did not take. In Sweete’s next Clark icnred 2 for a straight drive ; and off Buck and’s second ball Garwood got 2 for a good cut. This be followed up by a rattling hit to leg off Sweete for 3. ' weete’s howling had perceptibly fallen offi When putting on medium off he is excellent; but a desire to put pa e juto them impairs his efficiency. At medium pace he bowled seven overs for a single run ; fast, and 8 runs were got off a dozen balls. Garwood, row well set, scored pretty fast. Off Buckland’s second ball he got a single for a leg hit; and off the last ball of the over a couple lor a “ lifter.” Then followed a “maiden” by Sweete, and the first ball from Buckland in the next over Clark hit at and missed. 7 for 53. Thomsoh joined Garwood-, and immediately gave a chance at the wickets, which Bellars did not accept. Lankham went on at Sweete’s end, and his second ball Garwood sent clean over the fence-a fine hit which counted 4. Thia he followed up with a 3 and a couple off Lankham, and after keeping down Robinson, who had relieved Lankham and Buckland, hit the former well to leg for 4, but only 3 were scored, by reason of Garwood’s own fault. He a'so got a single by putting Buckland into the slips, but would have lost bis wicket if the hall had been smartly fielded. r weete took bis old end, and with his second ball dismissed Garwood with a rattler. 8 for 70. Garwood’s 31 were the result of good and careful play, and he was deservedly greeted with a round of applause on returning to the pavilion. Rhodes joined Thomson, who was playing carefully. For a drive off Buckland he scored 2, which might have been 3 if he had chosen to stretch hia lege. Rhodes only got one hit, and that he managed to send into the hands of Alpe. 9 for 73. Glen was the last man, but all ho was called upon to do was to block, leaving Thomson to do the hitting. In this the latter succeeded by running into double figures, and then be was clean bowled by Sweete, the innings terminating for 77 runs—a respectable score, and six more than Canterbury made in her first innings. The umpires were—for Otago, Mr F. C. Fulton ; for Auckland, Mr Copeland At 2.30 Otago went into the field, Meares placing his men as follows :—Allen, point, Clark, log and cover; Downes, short slip; Garwood, long slip ; Lambert, cover and leg ; Macdonuell, mid ‘ off ; Macfnrlan, mid on; Rhodes, long stop; Thomson, abort leg.; Meares, wicketkeeper ; Glen and Downes were the bowlers. Downes started the bowling, Bellars and Mumford going to the wickets. Downes’s fiist over was a maiden. Glen’s first ball Mumford sent into the slips for 2 ; and his next he drove to the fence for 3. The first in Downes’s next Mumford placed in Glen’s hands. 1 for 5, Alpe joined Bellars, who got 1 off Glen’s first by a poke to the on. The next he cut sharply into the slips, but Downes was not equal to it. Bellars got another single to the off, through Macdonnell fielding it rather loosely. The first ball Lem Glen, Bellars “ skyed ” up, and Meares was only too ready to receive it. 2 for 7. Dufaur joined Alpe, who got a single off Glen’s fifth ball. The monotony of maiden overs was broken by Alpe, who cut Glen very nicely for 2. Dufaur scored his first (thanks to Macfarlan) for a hit to the off, and he got another single by putting Glen to leg. Alpe followed the example, and Dutanf obtained another single by cutting Glen to cover. A succession (8) of “maidens” was again broken by Dufaur, who sent Glen to leg for a single. Downes then bowled Alpo with a splendid ball. 3 for 18. Yates supplied the vacancy. Dufaur got a couple oil Glen by putting him to the on, and shortly i after wmui suceumbod to ope “out of the

I box ” by Downes. 4 for 21. Clayforth joined Yates, but the latter immediately afterwards | “skyed” Glon straight up, and Mcarcs was again ready for it 5 for 21. Robinson (tho 1 captain) next put in an appearance. A succession of singles was broken by Clayforth driving Downes well clown i« the off for 2. Otago.—First Innings. Men res, 2J21, hj Sweete - - - 6 Lambert, 12321, b Robinson - - 9 Allen, 11, b Sweete - - - 2 Macdonnol, 1, b Robinson - - - 1 Macfarlan, 231, b Sweete - - 6 Downes. 3, c‘Yates, b Robinson - - 3 Garwood, 2221121321112331, b Sweete - 31 ( 'lark, 11112, b Ruck land - - -6 Thomson, 122113, hj Sweete - - 10 Rhodes, c Alpe, b Buckland - - 0 Glen, not out - - • 0 Lc" byes - - - 3 77 Auckland. —First Innings. Mumford, 23, c Glen, b Downes - • 3 Bellars, 11, c Mcares, b Glen - - 2 Alpo, 112111, b Downes - - - 7 Dufaur, 11112, b Downes - - - 6 Yates, 1, c Mcares, b Glen - • -1 Clayforth, 112231111, not out - - 13 Robinson, 111311, b Downes - - 8 Sweete, 12013, b Garwood - - - 13 Leg-byes - - - 3 58 Auckland all out for 79. At three o’clock, there must hare been close upon 2,000 persons on the ground. The scorers were Mr Fred Ku-soll for Otago ; Mr Arthur for Auckland. The mention of the scorers leads us to ask what the match committee could have been thinking about when they stuck these gentlemen and the reporters into a corner of the pavilion, with as apology for a table to write upon. Exposed to the full glare of the sun, and with most inadequate accommodation, the task ef scoring today was no light one.