BATSMAN'S WICKET

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 41, 18 February 1930, Page 7

BATSMAN'S WICKET

TWO CENTURIES SCORED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, 17th February.

The third cricket Test between the M.C.C. touring team and New Zealand was commenced and concluded at Eden Park to-day, the match ending in a draw, as was only'to bo expected, as rain had prevented play on Friday and Saturday. The .wicket played very easily, and the attendance of about 3500 yielded gate takings of £210 17s 6d. M.C.C. batted first, and compiled 330 runs for four wickets' before declaring at the afternoon tea adjournment, leaving New Zealand an hour and three-quarters to bat. New Zealand had lost one wicket for 96 runs at the drawing of stumps. The Englishmen .were seen at their finest ba.tting form, two particularly outstanding innings being played by Bowley, the Sussex professional, and Duleepsiuhji, of the same county. The former gave a fine exhibition of all-rounrl-the-wioket play for his 109. Some of his drives past cover were a source of delight to the crowd, the ball leaving the bat with a crispness '■which left nothing 'to be desired. His forceful back play was also splendid, the New Zealand mid-on and off fielders being compelled to go down time after time to stop drives which he 'clipped back along the carpet. Duloepsinhji was seen for tho most part in aggressive mood. In the Auckland match he was content to wait and take toll of the bowling with judicious cuts and occasional forcing shots, but to-day .he attacked the bowling from the outset, running up his total of 117 in about as many minutes. He dealt with Merritt effectively by jumping out and catching the slow bowler on the full to'the leg boundary, at other times cutting him prettily through the ' slips. Woolley also contributed a bright 59 before being run out. Merritt did most damage , with the ball, sending down 28 overs for two wicketa and 119 runs. Allcott also bowled very consistently to register figures of 22 overs, 89 runs, one wicket. The New Zealand fielding was very patchy, the picking .up being well below representative form. Two or three valuable chances also went begging, mainly through lack of anticipatipn. ' > Dempster batted very attractively for New Zealand, making a very, useful 62 not out. Mills could ' not settle down, although he occupied the crease for just on three-quarters of an hour. Weir was batting well at stumps. The score at luncheon was 124 for one wicket (Bowley 73, Duleepsinhji 26). On resuming, Bowley sent M'Girr through the covers, and, -facing Badcoak, who had taken up the attack at the .other end, lifted him for a brace. Bowley moved into the eighties by square-cutting Badcock, and then collected a brace off the same over with a lucky snick just past his wicket. He repeated a splendid square-cut shot, gaining four, to bring him within seven of the century. Duleepsinhji was missing most of the bowling, but cut M'Girr through the slips on three occasions, and his 30 was passed. Bowley progressed very carefully after reaching the nineties, and a series of singles took him to 99, when he slip-cut Merritt'and lifted him over the fence. He had been batting just on two hours, and had played attractive cricket.'".He threw his wicket away in Mcrritt's next over," however,- tho batsman being.■:•". stump1 c"d. in" going>for a big hit. 193—2—109. ■■'.■■' v BRIGHT BATTING. Woolley partnered Duleepsinhji, the latter hitting out after passing the 50 mark. Two hundred was raised after 145 minutes. Woolley batted very nicely, sending everything straight along the. ground. Frequent bursts of applause greeted Duleepsinhji when he stepped out to Morritt and made beautiful placements. Tho batsman's score rose with; a rush from 50 to 80. Morritt was instantly taken off, and Weir substituted. Woolley gave a chance to Merritt in Weir's second over, but the fieldsman made tho catch difficult by trying to take it in one hand, and he dropped it. Merritt was brought on again in place of Weir, while Allcott still continued at the other end. Duleepsinhji, although not as aggressive as formerly, was still scoring freely, and had reached 90. Woolley was also somewhat subdued by the good length bowling and closely packed field. Ho reached 50, however, with successive boundaries off Merritt. He \pulled a full toss to M'Girr at tho leg fence a few (minutes later, and in attemptirfg a second short run was run out.- 286—3t-59. Legge followed, 'and soon got going at Allcott's expense, sending the ball flashing past cover for a boundary. Duleepsinhji gained his 100 off the next over after 123 minutes, and then commenced to hit out, lifting Allcott on. the terraces for six. He attempted to repeat the stroke, and hit the ball mo Blunts hands on the boundary, but the fieldsman dropped it. H.owever, off the succeeding ball Allcott caught and bowled him. 320—4—117. Merritt had Nichols scratching when the latter camo in just before the afternoon tea adjournment, the batsman skying a catch behind tho .wicket, but a' misunderstanding between thfe fieldsmen saw tho chance missed. Tho M.C.C. declared at tho adjournment with 33.0 for four wickets. NEW ZEALAND INNINGS. Mills and Dempster opened for New Zealand, * the latter late-cutting Nichols's second ball for four. Facing Allotn, who commenced the attack from the other end, Mills took a single and Dempster did likewise. The latter reached double figures Iby picking a fast'full toss from Nichols off his body and sending it sweetly to the leg fence. The first half-hour's play produced 18 runs only, the low rate of scoring being mostly due to the good length of Barratt, who had replaced Nichols. Dempster secured 20 with a nice late-cut for a brace, but Mills batted 40 minutes for one run. He added two runs, and then f6ll victim lbw to Barratt. 27—1—3. Weir opened with a brace at Barratt 's expense, and followed with a similar number off Worthington, who had replaced Allom. Legge was given a chanco with tho ball in place of Worthington, and Dempster took twelve off his first over with three powerful, pulls. Weir snicked a fastish ball from Barratt which landed just in front of Woolley and wont for four, to give the batsman double figures. Applause greeted Dempster when his 50 appeared ■as the result of a pretty glance to leg for four. He had been batting for 84 minutes. The score at stumps was 96 for one wicket (Dempster 62, Weir 27). Details are as follows:—

Blunt •-. . 6 2 10 0 Pago C 1 15 0 Weir 4 0 20 0 Allcott 22 2 89 1 NEW ZEALAND. ' First Innings. ■ J. E. Mills, lbw, b Barratt 3 C. S. Dempster, not out G2 G. L. Weir, not out ....."•• 27 Extras ••• J* Total for one wicket • 9(5 Bowling Analysis. O. M. B. W. Nichols 5 0 18 0 Allom G 4 3 0 Barratt 12 3 26 1 Worthington ... 6 1 11 . " Leggo 5 0 34 0

M.C.C. First InningB. E. W. Dawson, b Merritt 23 E. Hi Bowley; st James, b Merritt . 109 K. S. Duleepsinhji.candb Allcott . 117 V. E. Woolley, run out .....'..... 59 G. B. Legge, not out 19 Mi S. Nicho's, not out 1 Extras 2 Total for four wickets (doc.) 330 Bowling Analysis. Merritt 28 1 119 2 O. M. E. W. M'Girr 12 2 45 0 Badcoek ...... 11 -2 24 0