Dour Cricket at Dunedin

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 320, 3 April 1928, Page 15

Dour Cricket at Dunedin

NEW ZEALAND DISMISSED FOR 154 (Special to THE SU2*j AFTER playing skittles with the New Zealand batsmen on Saturday, Oxenham and Grimmett came to light at Dunedin yesterday as match-saving batsmen, this pair being largely responsible for giving Australia a useful lead on the first innings. When play closed yesterday, New Zealand was fighting hard for runs, the side having lost five for 97. Before the adjournment for luncheon to-day the remainder of the New Zealanders had been dismissed leaving the Dominion with a second innings score of 154.

DUNEDIN, Monday. T|NDER a •warm summer sun and ideal cricket conditions generally, the grim struggle for runs continued all day at Carisbrook, the New Zealand eleven proving worthy foemen of the strong Australian contingent. It is unusual and quite refreshing to see the bowlers more than holding their own in this class of match, and on a. good wicket. At no time during the two days has any one of the many bowlers tried been actually collared, and generally speaking the man with the ball has been unmistakably on top. play was resumed this morning it was anticipated that one of those changes so characteristic of Australian cricket would take place, and one or two at least of the remaining bjftsmen make up for the failure of the earlier men and pile up a big score. Instead of that beihg the case, every run had to be earned, and though

Oxenham and Grimmett followed up their success with the ball by proving themselves the backbone of the batting side, neither could treat the attack with anything approaching freedom. SOUND CRICKET But the partnership of 69 registered by these two was real cricket. Each had to forbear the pleasure of a smite for fear of the unexpected happening, and when Badcock and Lowry were bowling leg theory at the same time, ball after ball was allowed to pass untouched. Oxenham proved himself an all-rounder of the right type, and Grimmett once again bobbed up as a miniature Gibraltar. The crowd had begun to cheer lustily whenever a run was scored or-even a hard hit made when Grimmett was bowled off his pads with the score exactly level with New Zealand’s total. The 105 runs made during the morning had taken just 116 minutes to get, but the. pair of stickers had raised the score from 93 for seven to 162 for eight. In dismissing the whole side for 183, the Dominion bowlers put up a very fine performance, for the wicket was lasting well, a couple of small crumbly spots being the only blemish. Oxenham remained unbeaten, and he and Grimmett were the big figures. McGIRR’S SPLENDID WORK McGirr, who is a wonderfully improved bowler this season, bowled remarkably well, nipping off the pitch and making the batsman watch every ball. At one period he had five slips in a row. Badcock was accurate with his leg theory bowling, and Read kept a splendid length, and nipped back. It was extremely bad luck that the side was deprived of the services of Dickinson, whose pace would have been more than useful. The Otago man sustained a broken tendon in the •groin. It is thought that he may in an emergency bat to-morrow with someone to run for him. The New Zealand fielding was firstclass. James compares more than favourably with Oldfield, and Badcock, BJunt, Dempster, Foley and Hamilton did good work. A BAD START It was a bad start for the home side when Dempster went for three runs. He reached out to a good length ball and played right over it, the ball just removing the bails. Mills was again slow but elegant, and everyone was sorry to see him go. The appeal upon which he departed was a half-hearted one, and he appeared surprised at the decision. Blunt went second ball, falling a victim to his old weakness of feeling for the off stuff before he got his eye in. Hamilton repeated his first innings methods. He looked like getting' runs, and was applying the wood well and truly, but could not withstand a “tempter” from Grimmett, and was neatly caught deep in the long field. FOLEY’S FINE DISPLAY Foley’s is so far the best knock of the innings. The Wellington man began confidently and made some splendid shots square with the wicket, the ball going like a flash past point to the fence. He hit seven fours in his 42. and fully earned his place as a test batsman. He was out to a splendid catch in the slips. Lowry managed to stay, though he failed many times to find the ball pitched on the leg stump, and was obviously uneasy both to Blackie and Grimmett. Blackie bowled in something like his best form, spinning the ball consistently from the off and troubling all the batsmen, more or less. Grimmett also bothered them, but they managed to keep him out of their wickets, though every now and again there was an exclamation from the crowd as a ball almost grazed the stumps.* He certainly makes the leather sphere cut some queer capers. The attendance was a good one for an off day in Dunedin. £205 being taken at the gates. At the end of the day the wicket was cut up where the bowlers had planted their feet.