ENGLAND IN SIGHT OF VICTORY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 9

ENGLAND IN SIGHT OF VICTORY

Amazing Test Against

South Africa

EDRICH SETS NEW RECORD By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. DURBAN. March 13. The amazing cricket Test between England and South Africa will enter upon its tenth day tomorrow. England require 200 runs to win and have seven wickets in hand.

Today's play saw England s score taken from 253 for one wicket to 496 for three, Gibb reaching 120 and Edrich 219. After the dismissal of the second-wicket partners, an experienced pair in Hammond and Paynter settled down and were still together at stumps, Hammond having passed the halfcentury.

Edrich’s 219 was a new individual record for Tests between England and South Africa, the previous best being J. B. Hobbs’s 211 at Lord’s in 1924. Today was the ninth day of the match, though there was no play on Saturday because of rain. The position at the resumption of play was that England had made 316 and 253 for one wicket in response to South Africa’s scores of 530 ami 481. The not-out. batsmen were Gibb (75.) and Edrich (107). The pair were still together at lunch, when the score was 333 for one wicket (Gibb 112, Edrich 152). Gibb Out To Shooter.

The wicket showed signs of cracking up, but it played few tricks till a shooting top-spinner \ from Dalton got past Gibbs’s bat. The outgoing batsman had taken 451 minutes to get his 120 runs, ills big partnership with Edrich giving England a _ good chance of winning after being in an almost hopeless position.

Hammond joined Edrich, who continued to bat at the top of his form till he failed to get properly on to a rising ball from Langton and was caught. In making his record score Edrieh gave a chanceless display for 436 minutes. He hit 25 fours. It was Edrich’s first real success as a Test batsman, and it came at the right time.

Stumps were again drawn early on account of bad light. The Englishmen must leave Durban tomorrow evening to catch the liner for Home. Details SOUTH AFRICA. First innings 530 Second innings 481 ENGLAND. First innings 315 Second Innings. Hutton, b. Mitchell 5,> Gibb, b. Dalton 120 Edrich, c. Gordon, b. Langtou .. 219 Hammond, not out ’5B Paynter, not out 24 Extras 30 Total for three wickets 496 Bowling Analysis.—Newson took no wickets for 60 runs; Gordon, none for 130; Langton, one for 10; Dalton, one for 84; Mitchell, one for 97.