FIELDING WEAK

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 42, 12 May 1927, Page 1

FIELDING WEAK

NEW ZEALAND AT LORD’S MARYLEBONE MAKES 392 MERRITT NOT SUPPORTED THE New Zealand team opened its three days’ match against the M.C.C. eleven at Lord’s yesterday in perfect weather. The English team made 392, poor fielding being responsible for the large total. Titchmarsh, who made 171, was missed when he was three. Merritt was the outstanding bowler, but he had no luck with the fielding. He is hailed as promising by the critics. Blunt and Mills opened for New Zealand, and 51 was up when play finished for the day.

Reed. 8.30 a.m. LONDON, Wed. There was a perfect wicket and good weather at Lord’s and an excellent crowd cordially welcomed the New Zealanders, though most of the critics feared that the visitors’ bowling would be their chief weakness. The early overs, how'ever, suggested A different story. Titchmarsh, w'hen three, was badly missed in the slips. There was an unusual incident when Lyon fiercely hit a full toss to leg and Dempster, w'aiting tor the catch, was blinded by the sun and did not sight the ball, w'hich struck him in the stomach and winded him. Three catches w r ere missed before lunch.

Allen w*as missed in the slips directly after play resumed. Merritt, whom the critics hail as distinctly promising, often tied up Titchmarsh and completely per plexed Douglas, but he did not have an atom of luck.

He was easily the most outstanding bowler.

The others were lacking in length and were not aDvays on the wicket. The fielding in the middle of the afternoon was far from clean, but after tea, when a big score looked certain, Merritt and Blunt had an inspired period and finished the innings with decided zest. Blunt and Mills opened the New Zealand innings.

Blunt w r as the more confident and hit freely all round the wicket. The following were the scores: M.C.C. First Innings

Lyon, b Bernau 24 Allen, c Dempster, b Henderson .. 38 Ashton, c Page, b Merritt 4 Chapman, c Page, b Bernau 18

Titchmarsh, b Merritt 17J Douglas, b Blunt 36 Calthorpe, b Blunt 31 Enthoven, b Merritt 0 Haig, c James, b Henderson .. .. 34 Falcon, b Merritt 0 Franklin, not out 1® Extras -. ■ 25 Total 392 Bowling.—Merritt, 4 wickets for 104 runs: Blunt, 2 for 117 runs; Bernau, 2 for 45 runs; Henderson, 2 for 45 runs; McGirr, none for 42 runs. NEW ZEALAND First Innings R. C. Blunt, not out 31 J. E. Mills, not out 13 Extras 7 Total for no wickets 51 —A. and N.Z.

By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright

man scored 154 for Maclaren’s team against Auckland. But for the fact that he plays for one of the smaller counties, Herts, Titchmarsh might have made a great name in cricket, but although less is heard of him than many of his better known content poraries, his great ability is undeniable.

The M.C.C.’s big score was largely a one-man innings, it being noticeable that the next highest score was Allen’s 3S. A pleasing feature is that although the Englishmen took heavy toll of the dropped catches debited to the fieldsmen, the New Zealand bowlers came to light toward the end of the day, ant* cleaned up the tail-enders fairly cheaplv. Merritt, seemingly, has already impressed the critics as the team’s outstanding bowler. His rise has been meteoric. A few months ago hardly anyone knew anything about the Canterbury colt. Now at the age of 18, he is being talked of as a Test match possibility for the next Australian Eleven.