THE CRICKET TEST

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 221, 18 August 1937, Page 9

THE CRICKET TEST

ENDS IN A DRAW. DOMINION FIGHTS HARD. WICKET FAVOURS BOWLERS. (From the Special Correspondent of the United Press Association with the Team.) (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received August 18, 10.5 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 17. The cricket Test ended in a draw. New Zealand made 249 in the first innings and in the second innings 187. England declared their first innings closed at 254 for seven wickets, and in the second innings had lost one wicket - for 31 at the end of the day. New Zealand had to fight hard to avoid defeat, which wus saved by Moloney, who has now reached four figures m first-class matches, Tindill and Dunning. All three played resolutely at a critical period. Page was unable to field as he had strained his stomach muscles. The wicket favoured the bowlers most of the day and run-making was difficult till the pitch had dried after tea. Now Zealand again bowled well and fielded enthusiastically. Uncertainty among the early batsmen was again a pronounced weakness. Although a draw was practically certain from the start the attendance was about 5000.

Following tho rain the wicket waft taking the spin. After Cowie had bowled seven overs for nine runs the attack was entrusted to Dunning, bonding ofi’-spinners round the wicket with a leg trap, and Vivian, bowling slow left-hand breaks. Compton and Hardstaff, although occasionally uncomlortable, scored steadily. '1 hey patted the soft spots on the pitch alter almost every ball. When Page retired Carson fielded and Vivian took the captaincy. Compton was dismissed in an unusual manner. Hardstaff drove one straight back and Vivian, in attempting to stop it, deflected the ball on to the stumps. Compton was out of his ground and was given out. Hardstaff and Compton, who added 125, had many adventures. Roberts and Weir nearly made catches about leg off Dunning and a mishit off the same bowler went over the head of the wicketkeeper and fell just out of reach of Roberts at first slip. Hardstaff was enterprising and attractive and scored quickly. He hit 16 four in his third century against the present team. Hammond also was vigorous. Tantalising luck handicapped the tourists. Many strokes by all three batsmen sent the ball in the air, invariably just clear of the fieldsmen. Cowie, coming on with the second new ball, bowled fullout and scored two quick successes, one being caught at cover and the other being bowled by a beautiful ball which just took the bails. Robins, after some uppish strokes, returned an easy catch to Roberts. England declared at lunch. Cowie was again the most impressive bowler. He was played carefully even when the wicket was against him. Roberts was very steady. Vivian flighted Ins slows well and occasionally turned the ball sharply. Dunning was unlucky: when the wicket was helping the off-spin he might easily have been played into instead of just out of the hands of the fieldsman. New Zealand soon had their backs to the wall again. Vivian was the lone star among the early batsmen. Hadlee was caught in the gully and Wallace was beaten by an extra fast ball. Weir was caught at mid-off when making a drive. . .

Vivian, undismayed by the position of the game and the quality of the attack, was confident and aggressive. Beautiful drives and powerful hooks yielded seven fours, eight twos and two threes. After .Cover and Matthews had taken the shine off the new ball the attack was left mainly to the spinners, Robins and Goddard. The latter sometimes had four men at short leg within a few feet of the bat. Hammond, varying the pace cleverly, was an effective relief bowler. Vivian and Donnelly were dismissed in quick succession and Roberts followed soon afterwards. In this crisis a fine defensive innings was played by Moloney, who batted for over two hours against keen bowling and fielding without the slightest risk or chance. Compton, the left-hand, slow medium howler, was tried after tea and had an instant success. Tindill, who had batted stubbornly for half an hour before tea, continued determinedly for over an hour after the interval, being ably supported by Dunning. The latter stayed so long that no time was left to force a win. England batted for half an hour, a wicket falling in the last over. Detailsi-

NEW ZEALAND. First innings 249 Second Innings. Hadlee, c Compton, b Matthews ... 0 Wallace, lbw, b Gover 7 Weir, c Hutton, b Goddard 8 Vivian, lbw, b Hammond 57 Donnelly, c Ames, b Hammond ... 0 Roberts, lbw, b Goddard 9 Moloney, b Compton 38 Tindill, not out 37 Dunning, b Compton ••• 19 Cowie, c Robins, b Hutton 2 Page, absent ••• 0 Extras ... 10

ENGLAND. First Innings,

Barnett, c Hadlee, b Cowie ... 13 Woshbrook, lbw, b Vivian 9 Hutton, c and b Vivian 12 Compton, run out oo Hardstatf, b Cowie ... ... .... ••• 103 Hammond, c Wallace, b Cowie ... 31 Ames, not out ... .’ ” Robins, c and b Roberts « Matthews, not out - Extras 4 Total for 7 wickets declared ... 254 BOWLING ANALYSIS.

Barnett, c Roberts, b Dunning ... 21 Washbrook, not out • ... ... ... 8 Extras ... 2 Total for 1 .wicket ... 31 BOWLING ANALYSIS.

The New Zealanders’ next match is against the Combined Services at Portsmouth on August 18, 19 and 20.

Total . 187 BOWLING ANALYSIS. 0. M. R, w. Gover ... 12 1. 42 1 Matthews ... 8 2 13 1 Goddard .. ... 18 8 41 2 Robins ... 11 2 24 0 Hannnond ... 11 3 0 19 2 Compton ... 6 34 2 Hutton ...' 2 1 4 ±

0. M. R. W. Cowie 24 5 73 3 Roberts 15 4 26 1 Dunning 25 5 89 0 Vivian 29 5 Second Innings 62 2

0. M. R. w. Cowie ... 4 1 15 0 Roberts ... 4 * 1 9 0 Dunning . ...' 1.2 0 5 1