THRILLING DAY AT LORDS

Chronicle (Levin), 23 May 1949, Page 5

THRILLING DAY AT LORDS

(N.Z.P.A.—

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M.C.C. Get 311 Runs Against Excellent Bowiing

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-Received Sunday, 7 p.m. LONDON, May 21. Londoners packed Lords, when the New Zealanders played their first game in the city against an M.C.O. team notable for its batting strength. The M.C.C. made 311 for 6 in 5 hours 40 minutes of play against bowiing of exaellent iength on a slow paeed wieket. Burtt was otitstanding and by the end of the day had established himself as both a bowler and a person ality with the crowd-. .He bowled over after ovesr keepiiig down runs, his cheerfttl square built figure apparently tireless, and it was not lyitil the last 40 minntgs that .he was treated with anything approaching famiHarity. Until tlien the only batsman who was in any way eonfiderit against him -was Compton who played the bright.est innings for the M.C.C. Burtt 's figures at the end of the day were: 55 overs, 26.. maidens, 78 runs, 4 wickets. The New Zealanders' fielding was again of 'a high standard and with a little luck they would have had more wickets. It was. a day, however, when ■atches were bouncing a foot or two in front of eager hands. The New Zealand attack was handieapped -in that Hayes strained a stomach musele at Cambridge and rest-' ed on medical acLviee. He joined Cowie Ln the pavilion and both fretted with exagperatio.n. A remarkable total of 149 overs was bowled during the day, an average of 25 hourly, which was about five more than normal. Cresswell, who bowled 44, was deeidedly unlucky in not securing a wicket but the chances given were difficult. Cave's contribution was also notewOrthy, for he delivered 30 overs for 50 runs — less than two runs an over. Rabone bowled well, too, though less fortunately than at Cambridge. It was the first taste for the New Zealanders of a "big cricket" atmosphere. Other grounds ou which .they had played so far had beeu pleasant enough and the crowds had been comparatively thick. But here, at Lords. some 28,000 people were packed int'o stands frowning over the ground. The record for Lords is 33,000. They overflowed out of the stands, too, and sat around the bdundary line-— the first oecasion on which this has occurred for any New Zealand teatti at Lords. it Was a generous erowd-.'that dxd not miss a point and appl.auded bat'smen and fielders at every opportuuity.' From the top of the members' pavilion B.B.C. television cameras loolied down, recording every movemeiit of play for the unseen onlookers who probably numbered hundreds oi thoiisands. * Long-range cameras also filmed the wieket. The New Zealanders were in no way unnerved by this densitv of population and in two hour§ to luneh their bowlers performed ali Ihat could be asked of them on this rather slow-paced wicket. Burtt and Cresswell. in 'particular, did well, Cresswell being unchanged for 1 hour 40 minutes. Edrieh and Robertson put on 50 in 52 minutes and then Robertson played forward to Burtt. He was out of his crease for a fraction of a second and in that time Mooney ripped the bails off and up went the umpire's hand. It was a magnificent pieee of work by the Wellington boy-. Scores: — M.C.C.

First Innings Edrieh, c Rabone, b Cresswell . . 57 Robertson, stpd Mooney, b Burtt . . 29 Simpson, b Burtt 51 Compton, c Hadlee, b Cave .... 63 Carr, c and b Burtt 36 Watkins, not out Mann, b Burtt u Broderiek, not out 2^ Sundries 5 Total for 6 wicket9 .. .. .. 311