DULL BATTING

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 148, 18 March 1939, Page 13

DULL BATTING

Sir Julien Cahn’s Team In Auckland SOLID FIRST-DAY SCORE Caution Rarely Relaxed On Easy Wicket By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND. MARCH 17. In spite of the fact that the Eden Park wicket has never been easier, Sir Julien Cahn’s side gave a rather uninteresting exhibition when the final cricket match of the tour between the visiting team and the Auckland ' representatives was begun yesterday. When stumps were drawn the visitors, who won the toss and batted first, had lost four wickets for 318. Dempster and Mudge, the opening batsmen for the visiting side, batted with the utmost caution,; which drew ironical comment from some spectators, but they laid the foundation for a good score. The succeeding English batsmen, with the exception of Heane, who showed a fair amount of initiative, were equally dull.

The Auckland bowling was accurate throughout but it did not merit the exaggerated respect that the visitors were prepared to pay it. Vivian, controlling his length nicely and flighting the ball deceptively, had the batsmen playing him throughout the day. There were many occasions when some looser deliveries by the bowlers merited harsher treatment than they received. Jackson and Hardstaff occasionally brightened play with full-blooded shots on either side of the wicket, but for the most part they were content to ■ watch the bowlers intently and score with safe singles and twos. With the advent of the English captain, Heane, spectators were provided with some attractive stroke play. Playing at the pitch of the ball throughout, Heane, though he failed to pierce a well-set field, impressed with his freedom. Lifeless Wicket. The visitors were fortunate in winning the toss, as the wicket was lifeless and greatly in favour of the batsmen. In the circumstances faster scoring than that of the opening pair, Dempster and Mudge, was expected. They plodded, along, content to wait for runs, which came mostly in singles, with an occasion, al two. The first half-hour produced 22 runs, with only one boundary, this being made by Dempster in Matheson's opening oven The half-century was reached in exactly an hour, Dempster bringing up this total with the second boundary of the innings. The luncheon adjournment saw only 80 up for 102 minutes’ batting. The pair continued just as steadily on resuming and it was another 28 minutes before Dempster brought up the century and 50 opposite his own name. The partnership was eventually broken at 105 with the dismissal of Mudge. Dempster was out five minutes later. Chances Missed. Jackson and Hardstaff then added 122 in 116 minutes but, though there were some bright patches, they did not score at the fast rate expected after the bowling had been subjected to so much “dead bat.” Hardstaff was the top scorer for the Englishmen, but he was fortunate in going so far. He gave a difficult chance behind the wickets off Vivian before, he reached double figures, another to Vivian in the slips off Matheson when in the thirties and a third to Whitelaw, also in the slips, off Cowie just after passing the half-century. Though Hardstaff once more revealed himself as a master of numerous strokesj, it was only occasionally that he let himself go. Then the majority of his runs came from forcing shots off the back foot, in front of the wicket. He was at the wickets for 2 hours 24 minutes and hit four fours. Considerable interest centred round the reappearance in Auckland of Dempster. He exhibited dogged defence without, the all-round shots he was accustomed to play when resident in New Zealand. He batted for nine minutes less than 21 hours and hit four boundaries. Mudge batted very stodgily and seemed unable to hit out with ‘any degree of confidence. During his stay of 140 minutes at the wickets he sent the ball to the boundary only once. Jackson displayed confidence and turned anything short very nicely to leg. Like Hardstaff, he showed more initiative than the opening batsmen, though he found difficulty in being able to place the ball between the fieldsmen. This was revealed by the fact that he hit three boundaries only. Oldfield occupied the crease for 78 minutes, and his was another defensive innings, most of his shots being off the back foot. Like those wiho preceded him, he was unable to find gaps in the field. Heane, the visitors’ captain, proved himself a graceful left-hander with an easy aggressive style. It was only keen fielding that kept his total down. Seven Bowlers Tried. The Auckland captain, Postles, had * a difficult task in working his bowling changes to the best effect on a wicket which gave the attack no assistance. He handled bis bowlers exceptionally wbll in the circumstances. Seven, men were tried all told, and in no case were -liberties taken. Matheson, Cowie and Carson, the fast bowlers, all maintained a good length and sent down very few loose ones. Matheson and Carson each obtained a wicket, but Matheson and Cowie deserved greater success. Vivian and Burke, the slow bowlers, both made the batsmen play them all along, though in the afternoon Burke did not quite keep the excellent length he found before lunch. Weir once more proved himself a useful change, as lie obtained a valuable wicket when he and Sale were responsible for the dismissal of Hardstaff. Postles kept the batsmen ,uiet in the four overs he howled. A remarkable feature about the bowling was that only 10 maidens were bnwJefl all day. and that every one of Cowie’s 2o overs were scored off. Vivian sent down six maiden overs out-of 23. Matheson three out of 19. Carson one out. of eight. Sale in an unaccustomed position, allowed only three extras. His wicketkeeping generally was fairly sound. However, on the average, be had comparatively few deliveries to handle. Perhaps the finest feature of the days play was the perfect understanding between the batsmen in the running of short singles. Tt was one of the finest exhibitions in this respect ever seen in Auckland. Scores: — SIR JULIEN CAHN'S TEAM.—First Innings. C. S. Dempster, 1.b.w., b. Carson ... 56 H. Mudge, b. Vivian J” V. E. Jackson, c. Vivian, b. Matheson o 9 J. Hardstaff, c. Sale. b. Weir S 4 N. Oldfield, not out ij,, G. F. Heane, not out .- ““ Extras - Total for four wickets . — • MS