DOMINION CRICKETRS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 13, 7 September 1931, Page 3

DOMINION CRICKETRS

Press Association—

-"Post" Special Service.

MATCH WITH ENGLAND VISITORS' BAD START ON DECEPTIVE WICKET OPENING- BATSMEN GO CHEAPLY

-Convrieht.

By Telephone—

FOLKESTONE, Sunday. The New Zealand cricketers commenced a- ipatch against an England eleven to-day. The weather was wan and wintry and the wicket appeared dead, but actually the bail kicked up appreeiably. Lowry won the toss. . The English team was : Chapman, Hammond, Tennyson, Woolley, Ames, Pataudi, Owen Smith," Lowndes, Calthorpe, Allen, Freeman. England opened the bowling with Allen and Hammond. The latter was immediately dangerous, the ball swinging and kicking disconcertingly. * Dempster was caught in the slips off the gloves and Mills' mishap was due to an attempt to hook a short ball. Blunt was caught by the wieketkeeper and Weir in the slips. The score was then 25 for four wickets. Vivian and Talbot offered resistance for a period until Freeman struck a dangerous spell and bowled" Vivian and Lowry with successive balls. Before lunch, he beat Talbot with a googly. A valuable partnership followed between Page and.Merritt who drove attractively to add 54 for the eighth wicket. Both were caught in the slips. Page played an innings of sterling value. Rain caused an adjournment of play at the close of the New Zealand innings. England batted for 70 minutes before stumps were drawn. Cromb again succeeded in capturing Hammond's wicket while Lowry . handled the bowling admirably. Woolley was caught by'Allcott at mid-on off Merritt and Tennyson was caught behind. Pataudi went out to a catch in the slips in the final over of the day. The attendance was poor owing to the bad weather. Scores : — . New Zealand. — Firat Innings. Dempster, e Woolley b Hammond 7 Mills, c Lowndes, b Hammond 2 Blunt, c Ames, b Hammond 3 Weir, c Allen, b Hammond 9 Vivian, b Freeman 18 Lowry, b Freeman 0 Talbot, b Freeman 17 Page, c Woolley, b O. Smith 43 Cromb, st. Ames, b O. Smith 14 Merritt, c O. Smith, b Allen ...... 30 Allcott, not out 0 Extras ...... 11 Total 154 Bowling: Allen took one wicket for 43 runs ; Hammond 4 for 42 ; Freeman 3 for 51; O. Smith, 2 for 7. England. — First Innings. Tennyson, c Lowry, b Vivian ...... 16 Woolley, c Allcott, b Merritt ...... 28 Pataudi, c Page, b Vivian ...... 7 Ames, "not out 10 Hammond, Ibw, Cromb 4 Extras 3 Total, 'for four wickets 68