Manawatu’s Second Innings Leaving Wairarapa 468 Runs to Get

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 20, 25 January 1937, Page 8

Manawatu’s Second Innings Leaving Wairarapa 468 Runs to Get

Moloney Scored 184 in 213 Minutes Cutler's 76 Was Another Good Knock Against Plucky Challengers At the end of the second day’s play in the Hawke Cup challenge match Manawatu, the holders, have established themselves in an unassailable position against Wairarapa, who, with nine wickets still in hand, require no less than 465 runs for victory. Except for a couple of showers towards evening, the weather was fine tfiough very breezy. The wicket, after rain the previous night, appeared easier than on the opening day, and Manawatu kept Wairarapa in the field until six o’clock, knocking up 395 runs before Norris declared the innings closed. The features of the day were the batting displays by D. A. R. Moloney, the Wellington and New Zealand representative, who scored 184 before hp.ing clean bowled by H. B. JMassey and by A. S. H. Cutler, who knocked up 76 in a third wicket partnership worth 158, and the bowling and fielding of the Wairarapa team which never “let up’’ during five hours and 19 minutes of leather hunting.

As usual, Robertson and McYicar opened Manawatu's second innings and, after the lesson of the first day, they were content to go along very quietly. The Wairarapa skipper made fairly frequent bowling changes and the scoring rate was rather slow. The total mounted steadily, however, and it was approaching the 40 mark when Robertson uppishJy hooked Brice to the leg bound-

ary to send 40 up. In his next over, however, Brice clean bowled Robertsou to break what had become a very use-

ful partnership. Robertson had attempted another hook shot off the slow bowler but misjudged it and his bails were dislodged. The score was 40 and Robertson had contributed 25. When Moloney arrived on the scene Manawatu had a surplus of 115 runs. The New Zealand representative played the rest of the over with the middle of his bat. Facing Pool in the next, he tried but failed to hit the high-kicking ball, out of the ground. It was not long before he began to get confidence and he swept Brice to fine leg for a couple. He then pushed him past inid-ou for another brace and, giving long on a bit more country to cover, hooked one for a nice four. Moloney reached double figures very quickly and 60 went up on the board. The Wairarapa skipper then made a change in the bowling, Hill going on in place of Fool. Moloney was batting stylishly and McYicar, who had reacfied 20, was going on in characteristic fashion, waiting patiently for the right one to hit. Brice was still flighting them well from the Esplanade end and he was proving difiicult to hit. Moloney reached 20 with a nicely - placed shot past mid-on for two. McVicar was 30 and 80 appeared on the board. McYicar was next to go when he swept at one from Brice and missed, being out leg before. He had contributed a very useful 35. The Wairarapa “total-to-get” had now reached 153. Bnce's two wickets had cost him 28. Cutler joined Moloney and Hill, bowling down-wiud, was taking a lot oi watching. Brice, against the wind, was varying his pace and bowling to a well packed leg field, there being three men very close in. Moloney's pet shots up to this stage had been a wnsty drive between cover and mid-otf, played very late and oil the back foot, and a jab forward of square leg. lie had a narrow escape when he chopped at a well-pitched-up one from Brice, and Fool, fielding near silly mid-on, just failed to get fiis hand to it. It was nearly a let-off. Brice was being treated with the greatest respect. Groves, with a bandage on a fiugei which appeared to bo very tender, took over from Hill at the town end and both batsmen got him away for singles, 90 going up. Massey relieved Brice, who had earned a spell. Massey’s first over was a maiden to Cutler, who was angling for a scoring shot past point. Groves, with a finger in splints, was not persevered with, Fool going on to have his first delivery straight driven by Moloney for four. It was a delightiul shot and Moloney was 30. Another change was made at the town end, Brice goiDg on in place of Fool. Cutler square cut him for a single to send 100 up and his own iotai to double figures. The hundred had taken 107 minutes. Moloney sent Massey to the sight screen with another late straight drive. Hammond could not have bettered it. Massey beat Moloney next ball buu missed the stumps. Moloney continued to bat most attractively and Cutler, quietly settling down to the job of work in front of him, was also getting amongst the At the luncheon adjournment the score was 122, Moloney being 40 and Cutler 16. Afternoon’s Play. Massey opened the afternoon attack and Cutler promptly ran to 20. Hill was on at the town end and a sequence of smartly-run singles sent 130 up. The scoring rate had been increased and Moloney reacfied fiis half-century with one “out of his whiskers” to leg for four, and a straight drive for a couple. Cutler reached 30 with a slashing square cut off Fatrick for four. He sneaked a single to follow and Moloney then lashed out and, with a fuil-blooded drive to the town end of the ground, he “bust” his bat. His total had reached 150 in 145 minutes. Brice then lelieved Massey at the Esplanade en«t. Cutler got film away for a single and Moloney, with an uppish though safe shot to leg, fo r a three. One hundred and sixty went up and Moloney reached 60 with a slashing drive through the covers. The batsmen

were now scoring at a very fast rate and frequent singles were keeping them warm. Moloney piayed another uppish one on the off side t»Jt it landed where there was a wide open space. The batsmen were now definitely stealing runs and Moloney made the partnership worth 100 with a hook to leg. Cutler Opens Out. Both batsmen were now going along in fine style and they never let a scoring chance go by. Cutler reached the halfcentury when Moloney was 80 and, driving aud cutting with great force, ho was overtaking Moloney, who was playing safe as he approached his century. The bowling was being changed at frequent intervals but without effect The 200 went up. in 151 minutes, but at 238 Cutler lifted one from Massey to square leg and H. Patton took the catch right on the boundary. Cutler had made 76, including five 4’s and four 3's, and Moloney, at that stage, was 93. Cutler had batted in his best style, his cutting and off-driving being delightful. Norman Gallichan, the incoming batsman, sent 240 up with a brace towards long on. Moloney Reaches His Century.

In the next over Moloney straight drove Patrick for four. Moloney reached his century with an easy single, forawrd of square leg, being roundly applauded.

Gallichan had a life early in Lis innings, a eaten at deep line leg not being accepted. Moloney opened out against Brice soon afterwards and hit him for 4 and 6 with successive shots.

At the tea adjournment the score was 282, Moloney being 119 and Gallichan IS and the 250 had taken 215 minutes. Tea Adjournment Fatal to Gallichan. The tea adjournment proved atar to Gallichan who, after Moloney had scored a single, touched a chest-high long hop from Hill, and Brice took an easy catch in the slips.—2B3—4—lß. Moloney gave the bowler a hot chance in the same over and in the following one hit him for two, four and a single, making his own total 130. With a nice shot to leg, Moloney sent 300 up. It had taken 245 minutes.

Pritchard was a bit uncomfortable at the start, particularly against Brice, who appeared a bit unlucky once or twice. Moloney, after passing the 150 mark, started to go for sixes and in one over he twice lifted Brice over the long on boundary. He was lucky in the same over when an easy one he skied into the covers, was dropped on the carpet. Scamper for Shelter. Rain had twice driven the players into shelter, the second shower being quite a heavy one. The time was just after five o’clock, the score 353 anil Moloney was 173. The sun soon broke through and when play was resumed Pritchard’s off stump was knocked out by M. Pool. Pritchard had made 14 and Pool’s wicket had cost him 36 runs. In Massey’s next over Moloney hit two fours and a single, sending 360 up and his own total past 180. Massey then beat Pollitt but failed to connect with the stumps. Moloney scored a single off the first ball of the next over, which Pollitt played out. End of Great Innings. This left Moloney to face Massey aud Massey clean bowled him, bringing an end to a great innings. Moloney hail made 184, including three singles and 14 fours and he had batted for 213 minutes. The ball w r hich beat him must have gone through a bit faster, for he was late coming down for it. Pollitt was watching them carefully, also Ungley, but the latter got in front to one from Hill, bowling from the town end. Olliver joined Pollitt, who was going well, but it was not long before Olliver skied one on the leg side for Clarke to take an easy catch. Spelman opened his account with a couple of hefty “sight-screen” drives off Massey, sending 390 up on the board. In the next over he attempted a big leg-hit off Pool but missed and was out leg before.—39s9 —10. This proved to be the end of the innings, which W. E. Norris declared .closed at a minute to six. The innings had lasted 319 minutes. Wairarapa Lose one Quick Wicket. Wairarapa's second innings commenced at 6.15 o’clock and the chcaJlengers were faced with the task of making 468 runs to succeed in lifting the trophy. Clarke and F. Pool, the left-hander, were the opening batsmen, and Pritchard (town end) and Gallichan were entrusted with the attack. Only one run had been scored when Pritchard, with the second ball of his third over,