N.Z. MAKE GOOD START

Chronicle (Levin), 15 August 1949, Page 3

N.Z. MAKE GOOD START

(N.Z.P.A-

-Reuter.

Eight Down For 320 In Fourth Test I

Copyrighi)

Reeeived Sunday y p.m. • * - LONDON, August l4. ' - " After Hadlee won.the toss' fot thei' first time in the Test seriie^, New'^eal land made an excellent start'"against: England in the fourth and final Test match and with fine hatting hy Sutcliffe, Scott, Wallace and Donnelly, scored at a run a minute irntil tea time. Then with the ahrupt removal of Wallace and Donnelly in successive overs, the English howlers took the upper hand and at the close of play New Zealand had lost' eight wickets for 320. The mateh was watched by the Duke of Edinburgh who shook hands with both teams before play began, and about 22,000 people of whom 19,000 paid over £3000. The Oval piteh was not elosely sliaven, has a reputation for crumbling and if Cowie and Burtt can maintain good bowling form, assisted by Cave and Cresswell, New Zealand's total may be deeidedly useful before the game is over. c It was a perfect summer day and this time New Zealand was lucky with the toss as well as the weather. When Hadlee looked up to the New Zealanders window while he was walking back from the piteh with Brown and gave the thumbs up sign, the ro vvere broad smiles all round the room, wliich developed as the morning proceeded. Sutcliife and Scott fairly exploded into action and were particularly rough with Bailey. Sutciiffe cut him for a single for the iirst scoring stroke of the day and then perhaps- eonsciouslv conserving his energy for the work ahead, waiked a single "carrying his bat in both hands and gianeiug back over his slioulder as the ball was field ed. Both he and Scott followed " this declaration of independenee with - free scoring though tliey treated Bedser with more reserve. Scott departed from his usual on-driving and punched holes through the oif -field. Bailey was not amused bv one-a-min-ute scoring and endeavoured to trap Scott with an admixture of bouncers and yorkers but Scott ;s bat was as straight as his nerves were firm. Bailey also tried a few bouncers which lanled halfwav down the pitcli against Sutciiffe who merely grinned and knelt and the ball sailed feet over his liead. Bowling Changes. After 40 minutes with the score at 41, Brq^vn made a double change'and produced Wright and Edricli.' 'Sutclflfe halved the efficiency of this offenslve by keeping Scott away from Wright and his top spinners for 25 minutes. Meanwliile he played Wright attentivelv, pulled and drove him as opportunity offered and with Scott helped himself to Edricli. Scott put 53 on the board ip. 51 minutes by square-driving Edrich 'fo the boundary. At this Brown produced Laker and Sutclift'e lofted him straiglit back for i2 and 51 in 77 'minutes. The merit of the policy in keeping Scott away from Wright, was seen when after a leg glance worth three, he offered Laker a difiieult .ehance at short square leg. Scott was then 37. The incident served to sharpen his appetite for he hit more freely,.100 up in S8 minues, and he was 51 in 97 niinutes when he sent Bedser, who reiieved Laker, through the covers. Scott Cauglit Then Hollies came on for Wright and had success wliere the otliers had failed in stemming the flow of runs aiid Bedser, who bowled well, took the flrst wieket by having Scott cauglit by Edrich at slips. Scott had been batting 1 with great conlidence but once again he tried tliat defensive forward shot to a rising ball. Reid's Rashness Reid was steady for 10 minutes to lunch wlien New Zealand were 1 down for 125. Unfortunately Wright, in hin first over after the interval, tempteu him to rashness with a full toss. Reid deeided to lash it right over the gasometers. The ball was on its downward trek and he missed conipletely. Ile was now right in front of his wicket and as soon as the ball hit liim tliere was an appeal, he started to walk, knowing he must be out. He was three yards from the crease by the time the umpire's finger went up. Wallace began quietl}- against Bailey who was using a few more bouncers but with Sutcliff'e he so maltreated Wright that Hollies returned. All this time Sutciiffe had been ba,tting beautifully, btimming with conlidence and with a blade that was all middle. Sutciiffe Goes When he on-drove Hollies witli spped and power to the boundary to reac.h 88 statisticians began checking^his centuries but their elforts were wasted • for next ball Sutciiffe, with another ,ondrive in mind, did not get sufficiently over the ball but cocked it "forward ' to Bedser at midwiekct and the Surrev bowler dived for a good eateh, endins face downwards on the ground with his elbows for props — three down for 170. Donnelly now joined Wallace for a delightful partnership. . Both 'were in form and Wallace was intent on brea'liing the hoodoo which seems to affec; him at the Oval. Thev drove to the off and then on, swept to leg and hookec and put on 54 in an liour. * In two overs, one of Wright' s anc another of Hollies', they hit 22. Wallace on-drove Hollies for foiir and swept him to leg for a single. Do'n uelly pulled him to the boundary aho off- drove him. Then immediately it ,w'a; Wright 's turn for similar treatment Two hundred were np in 3 hours 20 fnip. utes and at 224 Bailey took a new ball Wallace cut bim for a couple and hook'

£d a long hop to the boundary to xeacli •52 in lf hours. I Luck Changes * Tea is often worth a wicket. to the ffelding side but today it was to yielu two.' In two overs immediately followIng the break, both Wallace and Donnelly were caught by Edrich, first slip. .Wallace played 'four balls from Bedser and then nudged the fifth. Donnelly took two from Bailey and. tickled the third. Edrich was jubilant as well as he miglit be. The orowd loved this taste of blood^ Wallace and Donnelly were left to refleet tliat they could have shouldered their bats out of karm's way. Those cups of tea certainly did not bring eheer to New Zealand but they swung play round in England ;s t'avour for the first time during the day, Hadlee and Iiabone, however, were not disconcerted and wlien Wright replaced Bedser, Eabone used him for twu boundaries, one to leg and the other tp. the on. Eabone, however, had not the answer to Bailey who was bowling a little wide of the off stump with his eye on the slips. Eabone entered the trap, so to spealc, and Evans, suddenly 110 wicket keeper but a goal keeper, dived and caught the ball while still horizontal. Hadlee showed liow a Bailey bouneer should be hooked but he was rathei too inclined to swish at the balls off the sfumps and when Bedser took over from Bailey, hhe was caught by Evans in the Surrey man's first over of his juew spell. V Burtt and Cave, though they irritat'ed sections of the crowd, defied Bedser and Wright by sticking and endeavouring to reach 300. This they did comiortably with commendable patience. NE^V ZEALAND First Innings Sutciiffe,' c Bedser, b Hollies .... 88 Scott, c Edrich, b Bedser 00 Eeid, lbw, b Wright 5 Wallace, c Edrich, b Bedser .. 55 Donnelly, »c Edrich, b Bai*/ .. ... 27 Hadlee, c Evans, b Bedser 25 Eabone, c Evans, b Bailey . . . . 18 Buitt, not out - 24 Cave, b Compton 10 Cowie, not out ; 1 Extras .. 7 Total for 8 wickets .... 320 Bowling: Bailey 2 for 59; Bedser 3 for 63; Edrich 0 for 16; Wright 1 for 93; Laker 0 for 11; Hollies 1 for 51; Brown 0 for 14; Compton 1 for 6.