WELLINGTON v. OTAGO. EASY WIN FOR THE HOME TEAM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 62

WELLINGTON v. OTAGO. EASY WIN FOR THE HOME TEAM.

. WELLINGTON, December 30. The cricket match • Wellington v. OtagoJfas concluded this aftternoon, the home team winning by eight wickets.- The weafcherfyas not nearly so pleasant aa on Saturday, 4 fierce northerly gale' sweeping clouds' of Bust across the Basin Reserve, while there was a lowering sky, which, made it appear *hai heavy rain would fall at any moment. However, the rain kept off. There was not A large attendance. When stamps were drawn on Saturday the vgre book showed— Wellington, first innings ♦504; Otago, first innings 115, second innings aj.4- for four wickets. The visitors carried their total to 255-, making their aggregate 5JP r so that the W^Uii><zUm t*am were set

T only the light task of making "67 runs in ' their second innings. Eokhold played a. really serviceable innings, his 41 being com- ' piled in a steady and solid, rather than brilliant, manner. Mackersy also played a steady innings. Fisher was fortunate at one stage in not being run out. The fielding of the Wellington learn was very smart and clean, so that the visitors deserved all the runs they got. The wicket was deteriorating owing to the drying wind, and dust rose as the ball pitched. Wellington made I the runs required to win at a cost of two wickets. Scores r ■ Otago. ! First innings 115 Second Innings. H. C. Watson, b Monaghan .. 0 C G. Wilson, c Bruce, b Cobcroft 0 G. G. Austin, Ibw, b 'Hickey . 15 H. G- Siedeberg, b Monaghan . . 45 A. Eckhold, c Hickson, b Cobcroft 41 W.. Mackexsy, o Hickson, h Cobcroft 41 A. H. Fisher, c Williams, b Cobcroft ' . . 30 T. D. Adams, c and b Hales .. 18 Torrance, c Mahoney, b Cobcrcft 33 Williams, c Mahoney, b i£oTiagh«n 8 Eokhoff, not out 6 Extras. 18 Total 255 Aggregate- 370 Bowling- Analysis. — Monaghani 27 overs, 7 j maidens, 51 -runs, 3 wickets ; Cobcroft, 26 i overs, 2 maidens, 87 runs, 5 wiefcets; Hickey,, 12- overs, 3 maidens," 29 runs 1 wicket; Hickson, 5. overs, 3 maidens, 6 suns; Hales, ISovers, -8 maidens, 55 runs, 1 wicket; Laws, 5 overs,. 2. maidens, 9 runs. * WEEIJOTGTOir. | First innings „ 804 1 Second. Innings. j J. J. Mahoney , ( not out ...... 22 ! C. Hickson, b Mackersy 15 j J.. P. Blacklock, b. Mackersy . 9 j A. ;Brnce, not out Q.Extras' 21 Total for iwo wicket 3 . 67 Aggregate . . 371 Bowling Analysis-. — Fisher, 4 overs, 2 j maidens, 13 runs-; Austin, 4 overs, 1 maiden, 20i runs; Torrance, & "overs, 1 maiden, 4 runs; Mackersy* 2 overs, 10 runs, 2 wickets.' AUCKLAND v. OTAGOAUCKLAND WINS BY 315 RUNS. AUCKLAND, January 2. Though this morning; broke threateningly the weather was favourable for , the opening- day of Jjhe Auckland v. Otago interprovincial cricket match. The wicket was in fairly good order, but. was in that state thai it did -not materially assist ,» the bowler 'or the hatsman, the bail felling to rise muon. There was a good attendance — estimated at over 1500 in the afternoon. The contest is the second for the Plunket' Chalenge> "Shield, and the first to •be held in 'Auckland. Lord Plunket arrived on ' the ground shortly after_ 3 o'clock, and watched the game for some considerable time. The* game was announced to start at noon, and 10 minutes later it commenced. f ' ? Auckland won the • toss 1 , and _ wisely , decided to bat. ( The opening:' men, Hemus and Smith, raised the highest hopes of - all Aucklanders by their . fine stand, repeating their, performance in the initial; -%>htest for the shield. Smith lost no time in getting on to the bowling, and he punished it right and . left. His batting was, generaly speaking, excellent, tK'ough he might have improved a' littl© on tile leg, where he lost several good opportunities for "some of his hitting powers. He displayed a good deal- of variety, but he showed up especially well in driving. He gave easily the best display of the day, and finding the boundary on no less than 17 occasions, hit on© for 6. When he had passed the century he tooß~-6ome risks, and lifted on© high, Watson making a' beautiful, catch. Hemus started 1 " Very cautiously, and took no risks, whicfr%nabled Smith to get a good lead. Hemus, however,, when, he had reached double figures, was encouraged by the success of his partner, and getting on to the bowling was only 5 behind Smith when the latter was 4-2._ He, too placed attractive when he got going, and fell a victim to a very fine catch by A. Adams in the outfield. The partnership was very fine, and put a rosy complexion on Auckland's chances. Relf was unfortunate in being run out, for he was assisting his partner; it was, in any case, a very close thing. He played in .his usual attractive stylej and with muob freedom. '• I&e N collapse of Haddon and Sale was a great disappointment, and altered the position materially. Cummings did not remain long, for Tor- ' ranee beat him by a fine ball. Prime was a long time in scoring his '• quarter of ,a century. His display was of the steady, patient order. With the absence of Otago's chief, bowlers, Downes and Fisher, ; the visiting attack was somewhat weakened, but, as it happened, the bowling- proved very destructive efter the? first three men. Torrance, who was knocked about a great deal in his initial attack, got on the spot and , secured five wickets at a cost of a fraction over 12 each. » He is a left-hander, and sent down., a good deal of stuff to the off. Eckhold^ a* break bowler, was treated with much respect in- the early stages, but he was punished later and came out with_ a bad average. Mackersy shaped well with the ball, and came out with the average of a little over 26 runs a wicket. The fielding of the visitors was good, the extras being principally the result of leg: byes which just' dodged the wicket-keeper; who . did good service at. the sticks- The four catches made were fine efforts, Adams sustaining, his reputation , in' thia . respect " ' who opened with the apparent intention, of simply playing^ out time, started badly, for Relf got among- Williams'* sticks before many minutes' had elapsed. January 3. With any improved wicket Otago were expected to make a pretty good stand, but they failed badly, none of the batsmen appearing to- be thoroughly' at home at any stage of the innings, though occasionally, a little .freedom was; shown, and it, unfortunately, was- shortlived. With one wicket down for 1 run it was natural that the visitors would hot run' any risks, but an almost consistent game of defenoa was playedL The- monotonous Regularity of maiden overs waa frequently witnessed, even with comparatively easy balls to play. At one stage of the game, before the luncheon adjourrhnent, the score read 40 as the result j of 40 overs. A. Adams made a long stay i

at the wickets, occupying two hours 20 minutes in compiling his 21. His was very slow 'cricket, and he appeared very cramped for the major portion of his innings. Even ■with stuff that a man could take a chance with he veiy seldom hit, being content to play a very patient innings, with the cvii dent intention of wearing out the bowling. , Siedeberg, the batsman of the team, did not, last long. He opened promisingly, and appeared capable of making a serviceable stand, when he was tempted to sky one, and he was not given a second chance. Eckhold and A. Adams's partnership occupied 43 minutes, and maiden overs were frequent. Watson somewhat relieved the by going at the bowling from his initial appearance. He showed more attractive cricket than mosL of his confreres, hitting out a gocd deal, but he did not run any risks between the wickets. Eckhoff, the last man in, played finer cricket, scoring the dozen in a very short time. He relished Relf's deliveries, and found the boundary on two successive occaeions, but he misjudged another big hit, and concluded the innings The scores at the fall of each wicket were one for. 1, two for 9, three fox IS, four for 39, "five for 45, sir for 50, seven for 55, eight for 57, nine for 62, and ten for 81. Relf was very deadly in the attack, and had a great average, until Eckhoff got on to him at the finish. The Aucklandere started badly, Sltnflh, who had passed the> century on the opening day, going out for a duck by attempting to play a ball he should have left alone. Hemus made another fine stand, but played more freely from the start than in the first innings. He scored three 4's and five -2's-. Sale retrieved himself for the 'opening day's display, for he showed fine cricket for his 25, "which included three 4-'s, and' two 3's. He placed the balls nicely, all round the wicket. Prime hit out and "paid the penalty. A pretty display of batting was , given by Cummings and Relf, the latter continuing in his usual fine style. Cummangs found the boundary on three occasions and Relf five times. Auckland have now a 'cad of 320 runs. » January 4. 'The Plunket Shield still remains in possession, of Auckland. The challenge of Otago was^ decisively repulsed, the local ieam winning by 315 runs. The contest waa continued to-day in excellent weather and in the presence of a large number of persons. .The^ Auckland team completed its second innings for 211, making,, with the 267 of the initial attempt, 478 runs. The visitors scored 81 and 82 respectively, making a very poor stand. Play was again slow, the visitors with a couple of exceptions taking no risks. For the -three days the gate takings were £195. The scores are: — Auckland. — First Innings. I*. G. Hemus. cAdams, b Mackersy 41 W- Brooke-Smith, c Watson, b Mackersy , •• HO A. E.,Eelf, iun out .. ' 42 ■' A Haddon, o Williams, b Torrance 0 E. V.. Sale, b' Mackersy .. .. „.• 0 G. Cummings, b- Torrance .- .16 L Prime, b Torrance 25 C. Oliff, lbw, b Torrance .. . 0 „ W. Btobmson, lbw, b* Torrance . 7 A Keir, c Adanas, b- Eokhaff . - 5 ,P. White, not out .. .. i. ■ 2 Eortras -■ • 39 Total .. ' 267 Bowling Analysis.-Torrance, 184 balls, 11 maidens, 62. runs, 5 wickets; Eckhoff, 126 balls, 7 maidens, 52 runs, 1 wicket; Austin, 102 balls, 3 maidens, 54 runs; Mackersy, 156 balls, 6 maidens, 80 runs, 3 wickets. Second. Innings. It. G. Hemrus, o and b Austin. . . 29 W., Brooke-Smith, & A. Adams, b ' , Mackeisy -• • J? 'E. V. Sale, b- Eckhoff .. .... 25 - L. Prime, c and b Eckhoff . . . . 0 ' G." .Cummings, o and b Mackersy 34 A Baddcm, c and b Austin .. .. 9 A* E. Relf, b Austin. .. - •• 83 C. Olliff, b Austin & W. Robinson, not out .. ••, •• " A- Kerr, c Siedeberg, b Mac- ,- kersy- £ • P. White, b Mackersy .... '- U Extras- '.. i •■ ••_JJf Total 211 - Grand total «8 Bowling Analysis.— Mackersy, 17 overs. 66 rums, 4 wickets; Austin, 17 overs, 4 maidens, 40- runs, 4 wicketa; Eckhoff, 16 overs, - maidens, 48 runs, 2 -wickets; Torrance, 11 overs, 2 maidens, 35 runs; Watson, 2 overs, 8 runs. Otago. — First Innings. A Adams, c Hemus, b Relf -. 21 F. "Williams, b Relf 1 G. G. Austin, Ibw, b Relf .. 0 H. G. Siedeberg, c Olliff, by Kerr 6 A.^ Eckhold, b Relf 8 "W. Mackersy, lbw, b Relf .. .. 2 H. C. Watson, 1» R'«if .. •• H T. Adams, c Robinson, b Klerr'.. 0 W. Kilgour, not out 3T B. C. Torrance, c Smith, b Kerr I A. Eckhoff, c Prime, b Kerr .. 12 Extras 16 Total 81 Bowling Analysis.— Relf, 27 overs. 14 maidens, 22. runs ; 6 wickets; Haddo-n. 4 ovens, 1 maiden, 5 runs; White, 10 overs, 4 maidens, & runs; _ Kexr, 18 overs, 7 maidens, 24 runs, 4 wickets; Olliff, 5 overs, 2 maidens, 5 iuhs. Haddon bowled two- wides. Second Innings. G G. Austin, b Relf .... .0 Hi G. Siedeberg, lbw, b Whit* . 37 A. Adam's, b Relf ' . ... 17 . - Eckhoid, b Kertr . . . . , i 6 Mackersy, b- Relf . ..• jr. . 0 Watson, lbw, b Olliff .. „. 7 Kilgour, not out .. .. r j i 10 T. Adams,, b Relf -"• 1 Torrance, lbw, b Relf „ . 0 , Eckhoff, c Sale, b Eelf ?> . 0 Williams, st i ■"■ 0* Extras r. ■■ 4 Total <£ '.. .-.■ . .• \ - 82 Grand total .. . •- -. 163 Bowling Analysis.-^-Relt, 23 overs, 9 [ maidens, 25 xtnra, 6 wicketa; Kerr, 16 overs, ! 5 maidens, 2$ runs, 1 wicket ; White, 9 overa^ 2 maidens, 20 runs, 1 wicket-; Olliff, 7 overs', 3 maidens, 10 runs, 1 -wicket.