LOWRY'S ACTION

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

LOWRY'S ACTION

MASTERFUL BATTING

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") ' ! AUCKLAND, This Day. The great pity about the cricket Test was that it was confined, owing to the weather, to one day. The gate- ot i-iu 17s Gd on an off day, when' scarcely any interest centred in the game, gives a. fair indication of what the takings would have been over three days, especially on tho Saturday. . . For the third time in succession the toss favoured Lowry, and there were many who considered ho made a ims. take" in sending the Englishmen in, but, as a definite result was out of the question, it was fairly obvious that the -New Zealand captain gave the spectators an opportunity of seeing the Englishmen in action. This decision found general approval, especially as the leading batsmen in the team all made runs. Although rain fell at intervals on Sunday night, the wicket was in surprisingly good condition, aiid much to the dismay of the bowlers played dead easy The trundlers failed to gain any nip off the pitch, and in the circtmstances the batsmen could playback with the greatest confidence. Dawson, who opened with Bowley, was at no time impressive, and at times was very uncomfortablo facing Merritt, who eventually accounted for the batsman. On the other hand Bowley, who was obviously out of form for the second Test on account of his compelled rest,'found himself quite at homo on a wicket to which he has been accustomed for the past'three seasons. He gave one of those exhibitions, for ; which Aucklanders, and for that matter New Zealanders know him so well, scoring with a nice variety of shots all round the wicket. .Ho always seemed at home, and, after passing tho century sacrificed his wicket in chasing Merritt and . attempting a big hit. Ho hit twelve fours and ono six. LIKENED TO TBUMPER. It was left to Duleepsinhji, however, to provide the most masterful and entertaining display of tho day. Not since the days of the late Victor Truinpcr has such a graceful and effortless exhibition been witnessed. He faced all the bowling with the greatest confidence, and his excellent placements and wristy shots all round the wicket will live long in the memories of all cricket lovers who were fortuante enough to have the 'privilege of seeing him in action. The manner in which he dealth with Merritt was an object lesson, and there are few batsmen in tho world who would attempt to late cut "wrong 'uns'' and other deliveries from this bowler, but Duleepsinhji changed his tactics with tho greatest of ease at the last moment, when other batsmen would have been left standing. Two : seasons ago New Zealanders had the privilege of witnessing tho greatest Australian batsiiibn at that timo in action, but none showed such a variety of strokes or produced such entertaining cricket as that provided by Dulcepsiuhji. Ho hit ten fours and ono six, the six being registered to' long-off without tho least effort. A STRONG HITTER. In making 59, Woolley showed a docided..liking for strokes to tho on, but also brought his strong drive into use on several occasions. One of tho features about Woolley's batting was the power he put behind, back play. It is not often a batsman of this class is run out in the manner Woolley was dismissed.' After playing a ball from Merritt to tho square log boundary, AVoplley attempted a second run when M' Girr had just picked up the ball, and a good return sent tho batsman to the pavilion. It was a very close decision, but the umpire was never in doubt. Legge was, seen for the first timo in Auckland, and impressed by his free style, but Nichols should have been a. victim to Merritt. A simple catch was hit up over the wicketkeeper's head, and Weir and Lowry, at first slip and short leg respectively, got mixed up and the ball fell between them. NEW ZEALAND ATTACK. Merritt, in sending down 28 overs, and Allcott, 22 overs, bore the brunt of the attack for New Zealand. The Canterbury representative, although expensive at times, bowled woll at various stages, and ended with two wickets to1 his credit for 119 runs. Allcott bowled very steadily in the morning, and even Duleepsinhji found it. difficult to get the bowler away. At the start of the innings, M'Girr and Badeock bowled twelve and eleven overs respectively, but neither appeared dangerous, although the latter kept the batsmen quiet. Blunt sent down two maidens in his first three overs, but after this the batsmen had his measure. DEMPSTER GOES WELL. Those who were again looking forward to a partnership between the New Zealand pair, Dempster and Mills, were doomed to disappointment, as the Aucklander was always on the defence and could not bring his scoring shots in action during a stay; of threo-quarters of an hour at the wickets. Dempster once again proved he is the leading batsman in the Dominion by playing, a sound, solid innings for 62 unbeaten. He scored with splendidly-timed shots. His first cut through the slips to the boundary off Nichols was a beauty. Dempster hit six fours and finished the day well by lifting Legge for a beautiful straight six. AVeir got one or two lucky snicks through the slips, but outside these his ininngs .'was very solid, and he and Dempster were well set when stumps were drawn. The Aucklanders were very keen to see Nichols in action, but the fast bowler was not troublesome, and after five overs was spelled and not used again. Barratt proved easily the most dangerous bowler and sent down twelve overs for 26 runs and 0110 wicket. Ilia splendid length caused tho batsmen to take no liberties. Logge, a slow leg break bowler, proved expensive, his fivo overs costing 34 runs.