CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8063, 20 March 1906, Page 2

CRICKET.

MELBOURNE v. OTAGO. A SPLENDID FINISH. ' DRAWN GAME. rKH PUBS 3 ASSOCIATION. ik'NKDiN, March lit. Never 'were tlie uncertainties of cricketjbetter illustrated than ill the mateli Melbourne C.C. v. Otago. On Saturday all elianee of a elose liuisli seemed gone, but so well did the local men play up that it was hard lines they did not actually wiu. As it was, the match ended in a draw. Thanks to Siedeberg's 102, the local men took the total in the second innings to 253.

Requiring 111 | 0 win and with an hour and 15 minutes to play the visitors lost 8 wickets for oil. So good was the bowling that five of the M.C.C. were out for ' duck eggs.' There was much excitement, and towards the finish the light became so poor that stumps were drawn live minutes before six, otherwise the local men might have won. Scores : Otago first innings, 153. Otauo.—Second Innings, Baker, run out ;1 Siedebcrg, b Armstrong 102 Graham, run out 15 Austin, c Mailer, b McLeod ~. 28 Howdou, st Henty, b Armstrong U Wilson, 1.b.w., b Armstrong ... 0 Adam:', b Wilkinson ~, 1 Fisher, c sub., b Armstrong ... 31 Torrance, l> Butler 1 Downes, not out ... ... „, 19 Williams, c sub. b Armstrong ... ID Extras 30 Total 253 Bowling: McLeod 1 wicket for 05, Armstrong o for 6(i, Hansford 0 for 13, Butler 1 for 30, Wilkinson 1 for 3(i, Laver 0 for 12.

Mblhoubne (First innings 273). second innings. Mauler, b Fisher 1 Armstrong, b Downes 0 Hiintj', c Wilson, b Dowucs ... 0 Wilkinson, b Downes 12 Hansford, b Austin 31 McLeod, b Austin 12 Laver, b Downes 1 Jcnuings, c Williams, b Austin ... 0 Butler, not out 0 Extras ' 1

Eight wickets for ... 59 Howling : Downes 4 for 30, Fisher 1 for 14, Austen 3 for 14. The match was drawn. Later. Further inquiry shows it was not the umpires who decided to draw stumps because the light was bad. Wilson, who captained the local team, says in all decent mutches in Australia, no batsman is scut in within five minutes of the time of drawing stumps, and he took it upon himself to introduce the same thing here. As a matter of fact, the places of Aitken and Irwin were taken in the field by substitutes, and it is doubtful if either of them could have batted, in which case the Melbourne C.C. side was exhausted. Aikeu was on tliß ground, and could doubtless have hobbled to the wicket and got some one to run for him. The crowd present did not understand the circumstances under which the game was concluded, and,as tho custom in Australia is quite unknown here, some surprise was expressed at the supposed action of tho umpires, whereas the umpires declined to say anything.

Tho following players will represent the West End C.C. v. the Publicans on Thursday at West End ground, play to commence at 2.15 p.m.:—Young, J. C. Davies, Skelly, Fitpatrick, Forritt, Chitty, Clarke, Sadler; Way, Waller, Prior. Emergencies: Simmons and Blyde. The West End v. Tarurutangi return match will be played at West End ground next Saturday.' The following will play for West End:—Young, Potter, Fitzpatrick, Hooker, Whittingtou, Porritt, Clark, Chitty, Way, Sadler Waller. Emergencies: Prior, Simmons, and Blyde. Tarurutangi beat West End by 120 to 70 last Saturday.