AUCKLAND WINS ON FIRST INNINGS

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5298, 10 January 1947, Page 6

AUCKLAND WINS ON FIRST INNINGS

OOLTS' ENTERPRISE COLLAPSE OF BAY IN S'ECOND STRIKE V There were no sensations in the second day's play of the Auckland Colts versus Bay of Plenty cricket match at the High School grounds yesterday, and the visitors wo'n on the first innings. Following Auckland's first innings score of 197, the Bay compiled 133 in its first strike. Auckland then went back, to score 139 declared, for two wickets. The Bay reply stood at eight down for 58 runs when stumps were drawn. At ;h'» cr»mmonr?men of play at 10.30 a.m. yesterday, the Bay of Plenty team's ehanees of obtaining a first innings victory seemed good. Wi h the previous day's stumps score of 27 for one wicket, E. Beere and W. McKenzie resumed, confident" of building up their young parinership. It was, hovvever, onl.v a short-lived one, Beere falling victim to a ball from J. Hayes in the latter's third over, after adding only one to his overnight score of six. He was replaced by the Bay captain, D. J. Ewert, and the small gallery settled back to wa'eh the homd side pile up the runs. Ewert played sound -cricket, although it cannot be said that he was "up to his usual form. At first he played cautionsly, carefully assessing the bowling. During that timo he knoeked two three's and a four. Strong Colts' Bowling Auckland then played their bowling trumps, replacing Hayes and J. Hollywood, "with J. Marsden, the slow •left-hand bowler, and B. Williams, a pace bowler. McKenzie, who was still in the crease from the previous day, and Ewert, immediately resumed iblocking tactics, and waited for the bowlers to make mistakes. There were very few loose ones, however, from either Marsden or Williams, who both quickly found the Bay weaknesses. After batting soundly for 35 min- , utes and compiling 23 runs," Ewert ipisjudged a long hop from Marsden, and hit it ^traight back into the bowler's hands. 'In the absence of W. Higgins, the Bay's next string, Ewert, was replaced by M. Curtis, a left-hander, who opened confidently, hut not recklessly. With 77 on the board, and four wickets down, their chances of making up on Auckland's total of 197 were still fair. Partnership Fails The McKenzie-Curtis partnership, however, did not last long, the former stepping out to hit a long ball from Marsden and smacking it into Petrie's hands. McKenzie's innings included trwo fours and one three. He was replaced by B. Bud 1, tbe Tauranga left-hander, who was more aggressive than any previous batsman. The bowlers, sensing that any loose balls would be dealt with summarily, sent them down a good deal more cautiously, although Budd swiped a glorious six in'o the long grass off an indiscreet lo'o from Marsden. The latter, however, averaged his side with his next ball, Curtis sending up a cateh to Hollywood in slips, after he had scored si::. Higgins Not Confident W. Higgins, another left-hander, never appeared corlident. He eomple ely missed Mars len's first three deliveries, although he snicked his fourth ball down the gully for two. Budd was playing a good deal more cautiously now, and although his eye appeared to be in, Ae did not capifalise. Marsden and Williams were replaced by Hollywood and Iles, the latter clean bowling Budd for 19 in his first over. Higjgins followed Bufd shortly afterw^rds, when Ihe gave R. Johns an casy catch off Hollywood. With seven wickets down for 82 •runa, the Bay's chances were fast fading, and it appeared that it would be dismissed before the hmchecn adjoumment. Fisher, who replaced Budd, was elean-bowled by Iles after scoring only two runs, and' McCready was stumped by Petrie off Iles for 9. The score at the luncheon adjournanent stood at 118 for 9 wickets, Clarke and Hobbs, faced with the task of making 80 runs for their side. The last wicket fell within the first 15 miutes after their resumption of play, when Hobbs was eaught by Marsden off Hayes' ball at seven. The Bay of Plenty innings had occnpied 180 -minutes. ; Auckland, in its second innings, faced the Bay bowling almost im-

I pudently. J. R. Green and J. Worrall opened their account, the latter •losing 'his wicket to Ewerts' bowling when he put up a catch to McKenzie in the first 15 minutes for 11. He was replaced by Meuli who, with Green formed a partnership that was to gain 128 runs for the side. Although the Bay captain frequently c'hanged the bowling, these two batsmen went blithely on tbeir way, and Green's final score of 72 included 11 fours and one six. Meuli, who made 56, hit 10 fours. On the last delivery before afternoon tea adjoumment, Meuli snicked a catch to Andrews from Hobbs and the side declared for 139 runs, thus leaving Ihe Bay to make 191 in just under two hours. Bay of Plenty Collapse Although none of the Bay supportters were really sanguine about the team's chance, few oi them expected the collapse that was to come. Once again Andrews and Beere opened the Bay account. Hayes and Hollywood gave nothing away and in five overs both batsmen had succeeded in putting only seven runs on the board. Auckland then changed bowlers, and Iles took Andrew's wicket for four runs in his tarst over. I McKenzie who had scored the ! highest number of runs in the first innings, replaced him, and in Holly- | wood's next over, Beere was cleanbowled. H.e was replaced by ESvert, who caused the sensation of the day by going out for a duck with Hollywood's next ball. The light by this time was very poor, and heavy clouds piling up over Mt. Ngongotaha threatened. early rain. Higgins followed Ewert "and on the whole played a quiet innings before being caught iby Iles at mid-off from Marsden's ball, with only two to his credit. Budd followed, and had barely settled in to the crease when he snicked another of Marsdens deliveries to the wicket-lceeper, Petrie, and was out for one. ' Then followed' a series of overs, ' with McKenzie and Fisher laboriously adding the runs. Although the only strategy possible in the circumstances was to step out and swipe, both batsmen religiouslj remained in their creases and stone-walled. McKenzie hit one four. Five minutes before time 'McKenzie skied a ball from Iles and was stumped by Petrie. He was followed by Fisher who was clean bowled by Hayes. D'etails: — BAY OF PLENTY — First Innings E. Andrews b Hayes 7 E. Beere b Hayes 7 W. lyicKenzie c Petrie b Marsden 24 D. J. Ewert c and b Marsden . . 23 M. Curtis c Hollywood b Marsden 6 W. Higgins c Johns b Hollywood 17 B. Budd b Hollywood 19 A. G. Fisher b Iles 2 D. McCready st. Petrie b Iles . . 9 J. Clark not out 8 G. Hobbs c Marsden b Hayes . . 7 Extras 4 Total 133 Bowling: Marsden three for 29; Hayes three for 30; Iles two for 21; Hollywood two for 45; Williams none for 5. Second Innings Andrews c Hollywood b Iles . . 4 Beere b Hollywood 3 McKenzie st. Petrie b Iles ... 31 Ewert c Hollywood b Hayes . . 0 Higgins c 'Iles b Marsden . . . . 2 Budd c Petrie b Iles 1 Curtis c Iles b Marsden . . . . 0 Fisher b Hayes 9 McCready, not out, 3 Clark, not out, 2 Extras 3 Total for eight wickets . . 58 Bowling: Hollywood two for 10; Marsden two for 7; Iles three for 31; Hayes one for 11. AUCKLAND— First Innings: 197 Second Innings Details: — - J. Worrall c McKenzie b Ewert . . 11 E. Meuli c Andrews b Hobbs . . 56 J. R. Green not out, 72 Extras 0 Total for two wickets (dec.) 139 Bowling: McKenzie none for 52; Clark none for 7; Ewert one for 30; Budd none for 13; Curtis nope for 14; Hobbs one for 23.