Batting first in the match against North Otago cricketers at Oamaru on Saturday, New Zealand Colts were all out for 232 runs at the tea adjournment. The Wellington batsman G.P. Bilby, scored a century and in compiling 109 gave only one chance. The Otago player, P. Semple knocked up 43, and of the other batsmen only two, K. Campbell (also Otago) and R. Baddeley (Auckland) reached double figures. The North Otago batsmen were anything but impressive and at stumps five wickets were down for 49 runs.

The wicket on the Waitaki Boys' High School ground was in first-class order and the outfield was very fast.

After somewhat cautious beginning, Bilby opened out after reaching his 50 and attacked the North Otago bowling, which at that stage not as accurate as it might have been, and had 84 on the board at the luncheon adjournment. When the game resumed Bilby went quickly to his century with some crisp shots and when at 109, a good ball from A. Cartwright claimed his wicket. But for Bilby's aggression in the middle and later stages of his innings and Semple's 43 the New Zealand Colt's total would not have been anything but respectable.

The Otago player, K. Campbell, played some attractive shots until he was caught by R. Paul, off Cartwright's bowling.

Following Campbell's dismissal the North Otago bowling became tighter with both Cartwright and K. Ellis having the batsmen very much on the defensive, the former finishing with five for 56 - a very good performance.

North Otago was away to a good start with R. Dempster and W.E. Kerr, the Waihemo pair at the wicket, the latter hitting freely.

The Brabin team suffered a severe blow when its outstanding medium bowler, Taylor, who retired with a leg muscle injury after a couple of overs, but Truscott, the faster bowler in the side, and Baddelely, a left-arm medium paced man, did not give much away. B. Papps fielded in Taylor's place.

Dempster went with the score at 37, and then Truscott and McIntyre, the left-arm slow Auckland bowler and youngest in the Brabin tournament, got among the batsmen and accounted for a further four quick wickets before the close of play.

McIntyre, bowling on the spot, took three for 6 and Truscott two for 21.