A HARD TASK

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 139, 2 September 1927, Page 1

A HARD TASK

New Zealand Cricketers KENT AWAY~IN THE LEAD

FINE CENTURY BY BLUNT *

KENT has lost six wickets for 217 in its second innings, and the New Zealanders (who made 293 in their first innings), are 329 behind. A first-class century by Roger Blunt was the best feature of the New Zealand batting. Mills made 65.

By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright.

Reed. 9.5 a.m. LONDON, Thursday. T>LUNT, at last, coming into his own, -*-* with Mills less restrained than usual, made things look rosy for the New Zealanders. They were not separated till they had added 75 to their tally of the previous day. Mills hit live fours. The unexpected collapse of the New Zealand batsmen did not perturb Blunt, who went on to make a firstclass century. He hatted for three hours.

McGirr, at a critical stage, smote the howling merrily, and added 20 while Blunt made 3. Just after reaching the’ century, Blunt was bowled in playing forward to Freeman. He had hit seven fours. The innings closed after 250 minutes’ play. Kent, In its second innings, quickly lost three wickets for 21 runs; but •Woolley and Chapman put on 56, and Woolley and Ashdown 50.

Woolley was in his best form. He hit 100 out of 197 in 135 minutes. The attendance was 5,000. Details: KENT First Innings Hardinge, st James, b Merritt .. 31 Ashdown, c James, b 'Merritt .'. .. 84 Woolley, c Lowry, b Allcott' . . . . G 8 Evans, lbw, b Merritt 8 Ames, c Allcott, b Merritt 84 Chapman, c James, b Merritt .... 30 Legge, c Page, b Dempster .... 23 Knott, c James, b Allcott 32 Hubble, c Page, b Allcott 50 Wright, b Merritt 1 Freeman, not out '. . .. 0 Extras 14 Total 405 Bowling analysis.—McGirr took no wickets for 40 runs, Bernau none for 40, Merritt six for 185; Allcott three for 60, Lowry none for 31, Blunt none for 19, Dempster one for 16. Second Innings Hardinge, c Bernau, b McGirr . . . . 14 Ames, sfc James, b McGirr 0 Evans, 1} Bernau 3 Woolley, not out HO Chapman, c Page, b McGirr . . . . 28 Legge, b McGirr 8 Ashdown, b Bernau 19 Knott, not out 21 Extras 14

Total for six wickets 217 NEW ZEALAND First Innings C. S. Dempster, c Chapman, b Freeman 26 J. E. Mills, b Wright 65 R. C. Blunt, b Freeman 103 C. C. Dacre, c Chapman, b ‘Freeman 11 M. L. Page, st Hubble, b Freeman 0 T. C. Lowry, b Wright 9 C. F. Allcott, b Wright 7 H. M. McGirr, lbw, b Freeman .... 43 E. H. L. Bernau, c Ames, b Hardinge 3 K. C. James, c Evans, b Hardinge 9 W. E. Merritt, not out 3 3 Extras 4 Total 293 Bowling analysis: Wright took three wickets for 88 runs, Freeman five for 108. Hardinge two for 35, Ashdown none for 15, Woolley none for S, Chapman none for 2, Evans none for 33. —A. and N.Z.