PLAY ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 72, 27 March 1933, Page 9

PLAY ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

CHBISTCHUECH, March 25.

Although faced with the hopeless total of 560 for eight wickets made by the M.C.C. team, at the close of today's play in the first Test match, New Zealand had the respectable score of 153 for three wickets, Kerr and Weir making a useful stand, adding 9i runs for the third wicket.

Whitelaw and Dempster opened New Zealand s innings against the bowling of Voee and Tate, and the lunnch'eon adjournment was taken when seven runs had been scored.

After lunch Allen, the fast bowler came on instead of Voce. Whitelaw handled the bowling rather better than Dempster. Tho field was placed for the off theory to both bowlers, but Allen had a deep fine leg, short leg and forward short leg. Dsmpster was out off the second ball of Allen's fifth over, when he hooked the ball into Wyatt's hands at forward short leg. Tho score was now 25, of which Dempster had made 8.

Weir partnered Whitelaw. Voce took' over from Allen, and Brown, the slowmedium bowler, relieved Tate. The first 30 runs had been made in fortyfive minutes—painfully slow cricket but the bowling was very difficult. Weir did not get the pace of the wicket for a few overs, but survived • his troubles, and then batted steadily. Verity, the tall left-hand slow bowler, relieved Brown with the' score at 44. "Weir had a narrow escape when he made an uppish stroke just out of reach of Jardine at point. At 54 Tate replaced Voce. WHITELAW OUT. Whitelaw was out when he made a bad stroke in attempting a cover drive off ',"Y«rity,. and was caught easily by Brown at extra cover. 59-2-30.

Whitelaw had taken seventy-five ainntes to get his runs, and Weir's

total was 17 when Kerr joined him. Kerr, usually a streaky and venturesome beginner, kept his wicket up through two maiden overs from Tato, who was swinging tho ball in with tho cast wind. Kerr scored two runs in thirty minutes, when Allen relieved Tare. Kerr late-cut his first ball to the pickets, a good stroke.

At tea the total was 85—Weir 33, Kerr S.

'} Allen and Brown bowled on resuming, and the score rose to 100 after 13(3 minutes. Kerr had by this time got the pnee of the turf, and was accustomed to the dull light. Ho timed his strokes well, and practically every English bowler was tried, but the batsmen faced all of them confidently. At 5 o'clock Weir appealed more than once against the light, but the appeals were disallowed. Eventually he lost his wicket when feeling for an off ball from Voce, and Hammond took a catch at second slip.

With Weir out, tho umpires agreed that the light was too bad, and stumps were drawn.