Plunket Shield

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 258, 21 January 1928, Page 13

Plunket Shield

OTAGO OUTPLAYED IN EVERY DEPARTMENT WELLINGTON’S BIG LEAD Press Association. DUNEDIN, To-day-Startcd yesterday in ideal weather and on a good wicket at Carisbrook, the first day's play in the Plunket Shield match between Wellington and Otago was a most one-sided affair. Otago, minus Alloo and Eastman, won the toss and decided on the obvious, Knight and Cherry opening the batting.. Save for a good stand by Blunt and Galland, the Otago batsmen were helpless before the medium-paced deliveries of McGirr and Badcock, and the whole side was dismissed for the poor score of 155. Wellington, in its turn, rattled up 229 runs for three wickets before stumps were drawn for the day. For the second wicket, Badcock and Foley put on as many runs as Otago had scored in its entire innings, both batting very solidly. Foley, wanted four runs to complete his century when stumps were drawn for the day. Scores:— Bowling.—Dickinson, 1-69; Torrance, 0-45; Knight, 1-31; Douglas, 0-28; Blunt, 0-43. TO-DAY’S PLAY WELLINGTON’S BIG LEAD CENTURY TO FOLEY Press Association. DUNEDIN, To-day. The Otago-Wellington Plunket Shield cricket match was resumed this morning.Two mounds of sawdust were conspicuous at the wicket. A thin drizzle which had set in during the early hours had lifted, but nevertheless it had left Its mark on the field, and the grass.was well soaked. The wicket itself was hardly affected. Conditions therefore werfe in Wellington’s favour. With the score at 229 for three wickets, the Wellington batsmen, FolCy (97) and Lowry (10) carried on the northern team’s strike against the bowling of Torrance and Dickinson. Lowry at once became aggressive, and several times found the boundary with well-timfed strokes. Foley, with his century only three away, commenced cautiously, a quarter of an hour passing before he reached the coveted total, after being altogether three hours at the crease. Otago’s fielding generally was good. It had to be so to keep Lowry quiet, for the cx-New Zealand skipper was relentlessly punishing the rather loose bowling of Dickinson. In one over he rattled out three boundaries in his first over. Foley saluted the left-hander with a sweet square-cut to the boundary. The score piled up slowly but steadily, until Lowry, after opening his shoulders to Torrance and driving him straight to the boundary, Had his stumps skittled ~ by Torrance’s next ball. 286 —4—46. the next batsman. The score at 12.30 was four, wickets for 290. Scores: OTAGO First" Innings Knight, b McGirr .... 'T. . . .. .V 11 Cherry, b McGirr ~ 7 McMullan, c Lambert, b McGirr .. 6' Blunt, c Donoghue.r b -Badcock .. .. 43 Cavanagh, run out . . . 4 Galland, c Lambert, b McGirr* .. 55 Dickinson, c James, b McGirr .... 9 Vorratli,' c LamaLSon, b- Brice a. - .v 0 Elmes, c Massey, b Badcock .. .. .. 5 Torrance, run out ... .. o Douglas, not out .. ... .. .. .. .. 3 Extras , 12 Total .. .. .. .. .. 155 Bowling.—McGirr, 5-81: Massey, 0-5; Baclcock, 2-39; Lambert, 0-S; Brice, 1-10. WELLINGTON First Innings. Worker, lbw, b Dickinson . : .. .. i Badcock, c Dickinson, b .Kniglit .. 77 Lomason, run out .. 31 Lowry, b Torrance ; 46 Foley, not out .. .. ..124 Lambert, not out .. . i Extras .. .. .. .. ... .. .. ... 10 Total for four wickets ~ .. 29.0 A WEAKER SIDE THAN IN AUCKLAND OTAGO’S BATTING FAILURE (Special to THE SUN.J DUNEDIN, Friday. Otago was a fifty per cent, weaker team than that which put up such an interesting fight against Auckland at the New Year. True, they were without Eastman and Alloo in this match, but on the other hand they had Blunt and Dickinson, the former captaining the team. It was an excellent wicket and when Otago won the toss it was thought that a score of at least 300 would be put up. This, it Was. recognised, would not be any too many, for the home team’s bowling is admittedly weak, so that when the last wicket fell for 155 the locals were naturally very disappointed, for there was nothing in the Wellington attack to warrant such a collapse. . It was simply one of those batting fo.ilures that occur from time to time. Certainly McGirr and. Badcock bowled well in the. morning session, the former especially. He kept a splendid length with sufficient off spin to be constantly dangerous. His pace, too, was a little above his ordinary. On going on a second time he was not quite so consistent in length and spin, but his ultimate figures were quite good. Badcock swung across awkwardly and worried most of the batsmen with his leg trap field. Galland played a characteristically bright knock, going lor the bowling in highly refreshing style and being responsible for McGirr’s retirement from the crease. This should have paved the way for the rest of the batsmen, but they did not take advantage of it. Galland hit nine fours in his 55, which took him just as many minutes to get. Blunt also batted most attractively, scoring with some lovely shots on both sides of the wicket. His was perhaps the most finished display of the day. McMullan was unfortunate in that he got a bumpy one wjiich cocked up in the middle of the wicket and hung just long enough to enable Lambert to dash in and bring off a last instant catch as he fell. The colt Cavanagh was foolishly run out by Galland, who dashed off for a hard hit which went straight to a fieldsman. Dickinson was batting promisingly when he just touched one and was caught by James, who kept’ wickets well. Wellington's fielding was sound though on two- or three occasions wild returns gave overthrows. WELLINGTON STARTS BADLY Wellington began their innings badly, j Worker being out lbw in the fifth over after a typical scratchy opening, but ! Badcock and Foley then set up a solid parternsliip which did not end until Otago's total had been passed. Both batted very quietly at first. Badcock’s pet off stroke being blocked by a wellplaced field, but as the bowling became worn down the pace of the scoring increased and became fast, Badcock step-

ping out to Dickinson and bringing off some lovely shots.. He was missed when, in the sixties by Dickinson, but it was a- hot chance at-midoff. 1 Seven of his strokes reached the fence, and he was just over two hours at the wickets. Foley was a little uncertain at first, but bis defence was very strong and he showed nice judgment in placing shots to leg. His on play was his strong point though he occasionally flashed one prettily through the slips. He was a long time in the nineties, though obviously anxious to reach his century, before stumps were drawn. He has batted two hours 50 minutes and given no chance. Lamason batted soundly in orthodox style and was unfortunate; in being run out, Foley sending him back when he had run half-way. None of the Otago bowlers locked dangerous. Dickinson occasionally got in a fast one which beat the bat and wickets. Torrance did not bowl nearly so well as he had done on tour, while the others all lacked nip. The weather was gloriously line and the attendance was fairly large for an off day. the gate being £54.