BRIGHT CRICKET ON BAD WICKET

Chronicle (Levin), 29 March 1947, Page 8

BRIGHT CRICKET ON BAD WICKET

-Press Association

YARDLEY AND WASHBROOK IN FORM

By Telegraph -

AUCKLAND, March 28. Although there were only two and a half hours of play in the cricket niatch hetween England and Auckland the spcctators must have Jef't the ground uioroughly satislied as during- this period England' seored 197 rut.s for the loss' of five vr'ickets. The vricket was in no state l'of cricket when the re speetive capthins, N. W. D. Yardley and W. M. Wajlace, made their first in■ipoction at ii o'eJock this morning. ti y this time a good crowd had assembled and disappoirtment was generai when three more'inspections were made oefore it was ' a.miounced that a start .vould be madQ. at- 2.45 p.in. On winning 'the toss tValiace sent Ungland in and any disappointment about the delayed start soon turned to .1 very pleasant and entertaining afternoon's cricket. After getting the .:'eel of the pitch which was very soft the English batsmen adopted the right tactics under ,the conditions and went for the attack. When Fishlock and Washbrook wrent in to open England 's innings the opening bowlers, J. Cowie and O. >A. Snedden, used sawdust freely to keep their foothold. Cowie soon realised that he was unable to bowl at full pace and after one over took a shorter run and reduced himself to medium pace. Fishipck.agaiji failed to get going and with his ow5j.,a.t' %. h.fei at^iSpfell • an J fell good running catch by W. N. Snedden towards square leg. The first .half hour produced 22 runsr but with the advent of W. J. Edrich the scoring rate soon increased. Edrich had two narrow escapes in the early stages of his inn--.ngs and his penchant for going for the bowling brought aliout his dow7nfall when he was eaught in the outheld by >Scott off Snedden. He had given a .very bright all-round e.xhibition. Fifty went up in 45 minutes. Washbrook started to score far more freely and he hit a fine six off Snedden into the meinbers.' grandstand. His score was 35.

The scoring rate slaekened for a while when..D. C. Compton and N. W. D. Yardley were associated. Later, however, both batsmen opened out freely. The 100 went up in 90 minutes and 150 in 115 minutes. Compton played forceful shots on either side of the wicket and showed himself .a class batsman. He was unbeaten at stumps with 67, having run to his 50- in 91 minutes ineluding five fours. He then hit Emerv for a great straight six, the ball laiuling yavds over the fenee in front of the score hoai'd. In all he batted 102 minutes and hit two more fours. Yardley, as has been his custom during the tour, again seored with strong on-shots which he played very well, fsome of them giving the ffeldsmen no chance. He was dropped twice before he fell at 44 to Emery, Wallace catching him in the bowler's first over. Yardley batted for 63 minutes and hit four fours. This bright partnerahip yielded 84 runs for the fourth wicket. J. T. Ikin was in for 17 minutes for five runs. He then attempted to hif out and was caught and bowled by C. A. 8nedden. D. G. Evans, who delighted the public in the south with his aggressive batting, had only five minutes to lfat and seored five runs. The Auckland bowlers were too sliort in length with the slow wicket conditions and the batsmen were able to watch the ball. ENGLAND. — First Innings. Fishlock, c W. Snedden, b Cowie . . • ? i Washbrook, c Taylor, b Wiles . . 35 Edrich, e Scott, b C. Snedden . . 25 Compton, not out 67 Jardley, c WaH'dce;;b Emery .. 44

Ikin, c and b C. Snedden * 5 Evans, not out (J Extras 8 Total for 5 wiekets . ...197 Bowling: Cowie 1 for 51, C. A. Snedden 2 for 63, Wiles 1 for 29, Weir 0 for 31, Emery 1 for 15.