Australian Eleven V. Oamaru Twenty-Two 26 January 1881 This match was continued on the north ground yesterday morning, but unfortunately the weather was very unpropitious, a stiff nor-wester blowing in the afternoon, accompanied by heavy showers of rain that greatly interfered with the play, and caused loss of time through repeated interruptions. The attendance of the public was but small. Play was resumed at 11.30 by Groube and Slight, the two not outs of the previous day, batting to the bowling of Dalgetty and Borton. The former’s first over produced two wides and single to slight. In the second ball of Borton’s over Slight was well caught behind the wickets by Walls. 5-17-71. Boyle filled the breach, and opened by cutting Borton for a single. Three byes were got off Dalgetty’s next over. Boyle skied on to the on, which was badly missed by Sumpter., and the same bat got a fine hit to leg for 4. Another single to the same player brought 80 up , and with a 4 and two 3’s 90 appeared, both batsmen playing steadily increased the scores to a century. A change in the bowling then took place, Cooke going on instead of Borton, the change proving effectual, as the second ball of Cooke’s first over scattered Boyle’s stumps. 6-22-107. Blackham was the new comer, and started with a single, Cooke sending up his third maiden; a maiden from Millington followed. Groube played one of Cookes’s on to his wickets. 7-30-110 was the total when Balmer joined Blackham, the former getting Cooke away to the on for a brace, and fine hit to leg resulting through a piece of bat fielding. Again the fielding was at fault, Blackham giving an easy chance to Denton, which he failed to hold. The next ball, however Plamer placed nicely into Sumpter’s hands and was hard held. 8-5-116. Blackham was clean bowled by Millington’s next ball. 9-2-116. Alexander and White, the two next men, now became partners. Millington sent down his eighth successive maiden. White gave Dalgetty a difficult chance, which was well held. 10-0-118. Alexander carried his bat for two. The innings resulted in the Australians getting six more than they obtained in their innings Dunedin. An adjournment was then made -1 o’clock – for lunch, and in the meantime a strong wind and dust storm arose. At 2 o’clock Hook, the not out of the previous day, and Sumpter went to the wickets facing the bowling of Spofforth and Palmer. Eight overs were delivered from each bowler before a separation took place, Palmer bowling young Hooke’s leg stump clean out of the ground. 1-1-2. Nicholls and Sumpter were now together. In Palmer’s next over, Sumpter cut him nicely for 3. Nicholls, who had been playing steadily, turned one form Palmer on his wickets. 2-0-6. Rain began to fall when Wallls joined Sumpter, the first0named light on from the Demon to the fence for four, ten appearing on the telegraph. After an interval of a quarter of an hour the field was once again taken, and the last ball of Palmer’s over found its way into Sumpter’s quarters. 3-4-11. Borton joined Walls, the last named again sending Spofforth out of bounds for 4. Immediately after Walls was run out. 4-10-19. Dalgetty filled the vacancy and was bowled first ball. Cooke made a single and then gave and easy catch to Spofforth. Fenwick, after adding three singles, was well bowled by Palmer. 7-3-23. Hartley, the Union captain, cut a flukey single badly fielded by White. One from Spofforth proved too many for Hartley, who retired after carefully batting. A two to Gilly, the same number to Borton, another two to the bat and 30 appeared on the numbers. Gilly, in letting out at Palmer, skied one to the on, which was secured by Alexander. 9-3-25. Denton partnered Borton and placed one nicely to square leg, a single resulting. A heavy shower of rain coming on, the pavilion was again resorted to, and after a space of half an hour the play was continued. A single to Borton was the result of Spofforth’s next over, and the same bat tried to left one off Palmer but was well bowled after making 11, very well put together. 10-11-39. De Lautour joined Denton, and the last named then lifted Spofforth to square leg, three runs being obtained. The last of the over took de Lautour’s stumps, first striking the batsmen’s hand. Moore filled the breach, when Denton made the hit of the whole match, lifting Spofforth clean over the fence for four. Another single followed, when Denton was bowled by a shooter from Spofforth. 12-13-51. Finch then joined Moore, who was bowled without scoring. The first-named added a single and played one to Alexander. 14-1-53. Booth in trying one from Spofforth spooned it and was well caught. 15-4-60. The Oamaru captain then joined Gray and ran a single. A maiden from Palmer followed and Millington was run out in Spofforth’s next over without scoring. 16-0-61 was the state of the numbers when Rice joined Gray, but rain coming down play was again stopped. When the field was afterwards speard, Rice snicked one to the leg for three, and a one innings defeat for Oamaru was saved. Several maidens followed from both bowlers. Gray, who had been playing steadily, was bowled by a twister from Spofforth. 17-3-50. Hewat, the next man, gave a chance to Blackham, which was declined. Rice then slipped Plamer for a two, and a hit to square for four, two byes and a three to Rice brought him into double figures. Palmer’s next ball cleaned bowled Hewat, and Will, who succeeded him, also fell a victim to the first ball. Coates did not trouble the scorers. Church, last man, saw Rice send a full pitch from Palmer to the fence for 3, which brought Oamaru to what the Dunedin Club obtained in its first innings. Spofforth sent down eight maidens in succession, the batsmen carefully guarding their wickets from the desperate throws in without obtaining an opportunity for a good drive. In trying to run a four, Church was brought to bail out of his crease and Rice carried out his bat for a well-put together 16. The innings terminated for 18 runs or 25 runs to the good. After a short interval Oamaru took the field in the rain, and the visitors started their second their second innings at a quarter to six., Boyle and Spofforth facing the bowling of Cooke and Millington. Off Millington’s first over four runs were scored., Boyle having a narrow escape of being run out. The ground was very slippery, which led to one or two chances being missed. Spofforth cut Cooke nicely for three, and two singles bought the total up to 10. Only a few minutes remained and the play became exciting, each batsman trying at every stroke to make the required number. Another single and Spofforth cut Millington away to the fence for four, and several stolen runs were obtained, eighteen up when time was called. The game was thus drawn in favor of the visitors. Three hearty cheers were given for the Australians before leaving the ground.

Short Scorecard(s)

Representative - Friendly -

Australians vs Oamaru XXII at North Road Ground, Oamaru
Oamaru XXII 54 ( J. Hooke 15no, F.R. Spofforth 13-13, G.E. Palmer 7-28 ) & 88 ( Rice 16no, Denton 13, G. Borton 11, G.E. Palmer 11-35, F.R. Spofforth 7-39 )
Australians 118 ( T.U. Groube 30, H.F. Boyle 22, J. Slight 17, F.R. Spofforth 12, W.L. Murdoch 12, G.I. Millington 4-34, Cooke 4-39 ) & 18-0 ( )
Match drawn
Full scorecard for the match