TEST CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1933, Page 9

TEST CRICKET

M.C.C. V. NEW ZEALAND

OPENING SENSATION

TWO WICKETS FOR FOUR RUNS

ENGLAND'S FIRST STRIKE

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHUKCH, This Day.

The first Test match between the AT.C.C. and New Zealand began today under conditions that could not have been improved upon. j England fielded a strong side. The pitch and outfield were in perfect condition. ~ England won the toss and elected to bat. The M.C.C. team consists of Jardine, Wyatt, Allen, Brown, Sutcliffe, Hammond, Tate, Verity, Ames, Voce, and Paynter. . • ■■ Sutcliffe and Paynter received a great ovation. Badcock took the ball at the south end, with two men on the leg side and three in. the- slips. There was a sensational opening. The first ball, perfectly pitched, was tipped by the Yorkshircnian and well held by James, and the crowd could hardly believe their eyes when Sutcliffe walked back to tho pavilion. Hammond, who joined Paynter, steered his first ball effortlessly through tho slips to tho fence. Smith then skittled Paynter with his first ball. It worked across slightly from the- ofi and took the lef-t-hander 's leg stump. To the onlookers it seemed too good to bo true, but the score board showed 4—2 —0, both of England's opening batsmen being dismissed first ball.. Wyatt and Hammond showed better form, making scoring shots mostly behind the wickets, perfectly timed, and placed cleverly into the gaps. They took the score- into the twonties in as many minutes. Hammond showed some pretty leg placements and snicked tho ball through the slips, and Wyatt, equally^ facile, rattled tho pickets with a flashing square cut. KEEN FIELDING. The two batsmen displayed snappy running between the wickets. The New Zealanders were" equally keen in tfie field. The advent of Freeman to the north end in the place of Smith saw a temporary slowing up. Hammond went for a big hit off Badcock and nearly missed the ball altogether. In the next over from the same bowler ho lifted one high over the boundary. Freeman's third over was a maiden, Page, at midoff, earning applause for smart stopping ( work. Badcock, bowling excellently, kept the batsmen quiet. When 18, Hammond lifted a cover drive, and Dempster made a great attempt at a catch. Wyatt reached 20, and then drove Freeman hard and started to run. Page brought off a great stop, and whipped the ball back to James. Wyatt, half-way up rthe pitch, slipped and had no chance of getting back, being run out by yards, and that ended a most promising innings. STRONG PARTNERSHIP. Jardine received an ovation when he joined Hammond, and the clapping was renewed when he drove Freeman for a single and turned Badeock* expertly to leg for two. Both bowlers then sent down maidens, Freeman finding a good length and Badcock bowling immacu lately with varying pace and flight and a great nip off the pitch. Freeman sent down a full toss, which Jardine drove to the fence. In the nexf over an appeal for Ibw by the slow bowler failed. Badcock was given a spell by Newman. He had bowled 12 overs, including four maidens, for 19 runs and one wicket. Runs came steadily. Vivian was treated with caution. Both Jardine and Hammond seemed set, batting easily. Hammond was batting as though, nothing could shift him. Only great fielding ;by -Page and Vivian at mid-off and cover respectively prevented-drives off Freeman from finding the boundary. Hammond gave the impression of tremendous power, and got right over the ball before opening his shoulders. Jardine ran into double figures in good time. He was looking for runs. A straight drive off Newman, and then a late-cut both found boundaries. He played other shots beautifully when he turned Smith to the fine-leg boundary. The luncheon scores were:— ENGLAND. First. Innings. Sutcliffe, c James, b Badcock .. : . 0 Paynter, b Smith 0 Wyatt, run out •.... 20 Hammond, not out 38 Jardine, not 'out ................. 31 Extras ! 5 Total for three'wickets 94