BATSMEN FACE HARD TASK

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 189, 31 October 1927, Page 13

BATSMEN FACE HARD TASK

NEW ZEALANDERS UP AGAINST IT STRUGGLE TO AVERT INNINGS DEFEAT By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Received 2.30 p.m. SYDNEY, To-day. rE weather was hot and muggy this morning when the New Zealanders resumed their second innings against New South Wales, requiring a score of 285 runs to avert an innings defeat. Mills was dismissed early.

the New South Wales bowler, had Injured a finger on Saturday, in stopping a ball fro Lowry. To-day he was replaced by Watson. After a quarter of an hours play, Mills was caught by Oldfield, when the total was 26. He had seemed always uncomfortable. Scores:— NEW SOUTH WALES First Innings GREGORY, st Lowry, b Merritt .. 152 PHILLIPS, b Henderson 6 ANDREWS, b Henderson 134 KIPPAX, o McGirr, b Merritt .. 119 JACKSON, b McGirr 104 MORGAN, Jbw, b McGirr .... . . 7 OLDFIELD, c Lowry, b McGirr . . 0 EVERETT, c Blunt, b Merritt . . 10 MAILEY, st Lowry, b Merritt .... 9 O’REILLY, c Henderson, b Merritt 4 McNAMEE, not out 1 Extras .... .. 25 Total 57i Bowling Analysis.—McGirr, 3-87; Henderson, 2--76; Merritt, 5-21 S-; ' Alleott 0-33; Blunt, 0-33; Page 0-42; Dempster, 0-7. NEW ZEALAND First Innings C. S. DEMPSTER, c Gregory, b Mailey .. 32 J. E. MILLS, hit wkt., b Everett .. 16 M- L. PAGE, c and b Mailey .. .... 38 R. C- (BLUNT, c Bailey, b McNamee 63 T. C. LOWRY, c Oldfield, b Everett 44 O. C.- DACRE, c Oldfield, b Gregory 10 G. F. ALLOOTT, c Oldfield, b Gregory 43 H. M. McGIRR, c Gregory, b O'Reilly 9 C. OLIVER, b O’Reilly 7 W. E. MERRITT, not out 6 M. HENDERSON, run out 0 Extras 43 Total .. .. .. 256 —A. and N.Z. Second Innings MILLS, C Oldfield, b McNamee .. 12 DEMPSTER, b Gregory 3 LOWRY, not out . . 10 BLUNT, not out . . ! 7 Extras 4 Total for two wickets . . . . 36

SATURDAY’S PLAY

N.Z. BATTING COLLAPSES ALL OUT FOR 286 SYDNEY, Sunday. Mills and Dempster, who opened New Zealand’s first innings on Saturday, shaped well. But when the total was 36 Mills stepped back to a ball from Everett, slipped and fell on to his wicket. Runs then came slowly. When Dempster had made 29 he had a very narrow escape from being stumped off Mailey. Mailey was varying his deliveries judiciously and kept ' the runs down. Everett was also difficult to get away in the face of the keen fielding. A combination of fast and slow bowlers eventually tricked Dempster, who snicked a ball from Mailey into Gregory’s hands when his score was 32.—-Two for 72. Page got Mailey’s measure early

and drove him repeatedly. Several times he hit them to the fence and he passed Dempster’s score a quarter of an hour before luncheon. Blunt opened with a boundary hit and then became very slow. Later he livened up, especially against Mailey. The last hall before luncheon Page hit hard hack to Mailey, who accepted a one-handed catch. At the luncheon interval the score was 116 for three. POWERFUL HITTING When play was resumed Blunt and Lowry carried on attractively, hitting powerfully when opportunity offered. Everett was howling at a consistently good pace, just a snick being required to send his deliveries to the fence. The field, however, stopped many. Lowry was rather uneasy against Mailey at first hut he scored faster than Blunt. Both batsmen secured many runs from late cuts and occasional drives. Blunt brought up his half-century with a nice fine cut to the boundary and received an ovation. The pair had added 91 runs when Lowry was skilfully taken at the wickets by Oldfield. Two balls later, without alteration in the total, Mailey caught Blunt off McNamee. Blunt had batted 101 minutes and had hit four , fours. His was a good all-round exhibition. CROWD DELIGHTED Dacre and Alleott immediately attacked the bowling vigorously to the great delight of the crowd. Sixteen runs were scored off one over from Everett. Dacre’s life was all too short. He fell to Oldfield off Gregory’s second hall, with the total at 240 for six. Allcott’s was the brightest and fastest display of the day. He secured his 43 by pleasing strokes all round the wicket. He war, heartily applauded on returning to the pavilion. He had occupied the crease 49 minutes and had hit five fours. The total was then 272 for sevenThe last three wickets fell quickly and the innings ended with the total at 286. It had occupied 253 minutes. Requiring 285 runs to save an inning’s defeat New Zealand followed-on with 45 minutes to play. Mills and Dempster opened the innings, the former facing Gregory. When the total was eight, four of which were extras, Dempster was clean bowled by Gregory. An appeal against the light at 5.30 p.m. failed. Lowry and Mills continued to bat cautiously. A few minutes later another appeal against the light was upheld and stumps were drawn. It is now stated that James’s shoulder is not dislocated. It is a case of a strained muscle.