Bowler ruins cricket hopes

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 25

Bowler ruins cricket hopes

NZPA-Reuter St John’s, Antigua The Leeward Islands standby bowler, Richie Richardson, spoiled England’s high hopes of a first win on their tour of the West Indies by taking five wickets for 40 runs. England seemed set for victory when they were left to score 116 second inning runs in 70 minutes, plus a mandatory 20 overs on the final day of the fcur-day match against the islands, but were lucky to get away with a draw. They struggled to eight for 94 before play ended. Richardson, a West Indian Test player more noted for his batting skills, had never before taken a first class wicket. The medium-pacer, who bowled 17 consecutive overs, was asked to share the ball with Winston Benjamin because the regular bowler, George Ferris, was suffer-

ing a strained thigh muscle. Benjamin wrapped up the other wickets, taking three for 37. The opener, Tim Robinson, made England’s second innings top score of 32, and Paul Downton, with 10 not out, was the only other batsman to reach double figures. England were in a comfortable position after a first innings score of 409 against the Leewards total of 236 and 288 and all was not lost when the 20 overs started with the visitors standing at three for 46. But Richardson and Benjamin, bowling to a tight defensive field, wreaked havoc. This was the second disappointment of the tour for England. They lost by seven wickets to the Windwards Islands last week. England’s captain, David Gower, blamed the latest disaster on poor batting. BMiNIMI— b—