FIRST TEST DRAWN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 315, 28 March 1928, Page 13

FIRST TEST DRAWN

Rain Spoils Third Day N.Z.’S FIGHT TO SAVE GAME THE weather took a hand in the final day's play in the cricket Test at Eden Park yesterday, the game ending in a one-sided draw after less than three hours’ play. In the later stages of the afternoon, New Zealand was fighting hard to save the game on a tricky wicket, which was all in favour of the bowlers.

VEW ZEALAND had added 33 runs to its overnight score without losing a wicket yesterday morning .when torrential rain set in and flooded the wicket, causing a cessation of play until nearly three o’clock. When the game was resumed, the wicket was very soft and erratic, and the remaining four wickets fell cheaply. New Zealand was all out shortly before four o’clock for 288 runs, only lour more than Woodfull himself had scored in his marathon innings for Australia. Faced with a deficit of 285 runs, and with only a little more than an hour to play, New Zealand played for a draw, losing one wicket for 53 before stumps were drawn. LOWRY PLAYS “THE ROCK" The only wicket which fell in New Zealand’s brief second knock was Mills’s, but the wicket was so tricky at that stage that anything might have happened, and Lowry went out to bat himself with the determination to stay in at all costs. Although vigorously baracked by some of the crowd, who failed to realise the seriousness of the position, he grimly stuck to his guns, and with Dempster played out time. Toward the end, when it became apparent that the match was safe, the Australians took the game less seriously, and Schneider and Kippax went on to bowl slow tosses. Stumps were drawn at 5.15, giving the Australians ample time to prepare for their departure by the Limited, bound for Dunedin, where the second test (the final match of the tour) will be played this coming week-end. FOLEY’S FINE DISPLAY Quite the outstanding feature of yesterday’s play was Foley’s half century. It was a great display of sound,

steady batting under most difficult conditions, and stamps Foley as one of the coming men in New Zealand cricket. Little was heard of the tall young Wellingtonian until this season, when he started off with two fine knocks against the New Zealand team and then scored a century against Otago. The Australian bowling was always difficult to play yesterday, Morton, Me-

Name© and Blackie all being considerably assisted by the sticky wicket. On his performance in this match, McNamee must be a strong candidate for selection in the next Australian test team, although he has little in the way of batting ability to help him. He keeps such a fine length that he is always difficult to score off, and when the wicket is helping him at all, he becomes almost unplayable. Details: AUSTRALIA First innings (5 wickets declared) .. 573 NEW ZEALAND First Innings DEMPSTER, b Grimmett 44 MILLS, b Grimmett 58 BADCOCK, b Grimmett 0 HAMILTON, b McNamee 40 LOWRY, c Oldfield, b McNamee .... 18

GALLICHAN, lbw, b McNamee .... 11 FOLEY, not out 50 McGIRR, c Schneider, b McNamee .. 19 FINLAYSON, b Blackie 0 MERRITT, b Blackie 6 READ, c Jackson, b Blackie 9 Extras 33 Total 288 Bowling: McNamee, 4-36; Grimmett, 3-85; Blackie. 3-93; Morton, 0-41,

Second Innings DEMPSTER, not out 33 J. E. MILLS, b McNamee 5 LOWRY, not out .. 9 Extras 6 * Total for one wicket ...... 53 Bowling: McNamee, 1-5; Grimmett, 0-15; Morton, 0-0; Kippax, 0-6; Schneider, 0-12. THE SECOND TEST STRONGER N.Z. SIDE The following 12 players have been selected to represent New Zealand in the second test match at Dunedin on Saturday. Monday and Tuesday next: C. S. Dempster (Wellington). H. Foley (Wellington). C. G. Finlayson (Wellington!. T. C. Lowry (Wellington). H. M. McGirr (Wellington). F. T. Badcock (Wellington). K. C. James (Wellington!. J. E. Mills (Auckland). W. E. Merritt (Canterbury). I. M. Hamilton (Canterbury). R. C. Blunt (Otago). G. Dickinson (Otago). The question of who shall act as 12tli man will be decided in Dunedin. R. Read, Canterbury, and N. Gallichan, Manawatu, who played in the first test, have been omitted for the second game. The inclusion of Blunt, Dickinson and James will strengthen the side considerably. A.C.A. AFFAIRS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETS EASTER MATCHES A letter was received from the Suburban Cricket Association at last evening’s meeting of the management committee of the A.C.A., stating that, in view of the fact that the Auckland Association was desirous of re-engag-ing J. Langridge as coach, and is negotiating with him, as far as the Suburban Association is concerned Langridge will not be eligible for engagement to that body. The Grafton Club was requested to give an explanation before next meeting of its playing of M. G. Webster, of the Eden Club, when he had rot received a transfer. It was previously stated that Webster obtained the permission of Messrs. Snedden and Beale, on behalf of the A.C.A., to play, but both gentlemen state this is not the case. It was resolved to ask the Eden Park Board of Control to consider the question of remodelling the interior of the members’ stand, so as to give better facilities to the players and public.’ Mr. P. C. Furley was granted permission to take a team to Paeroa and Thames during the Easter holidays, and Mr. J. H. Miller to take a Y.M.C.A. side to Waiuku to play Franklin on Easter Saturday. A wicket at Eden Park was alhitted to the Auckland Training College for its match against the Wellington College at Easter time, and the Commercial Travellers’ Club was granted the use of No. 4 wicket at the Domain for its town v. country match. AUCKLAND V. N. AUCKLAND A two-days match will be played at Eden Park on Good Friday and Easter Saturday between an Auckland team and the North Auckland representatives. The following 12 players have

been chosen to represent North Auckland:— Bridgens, W. Dawson, E. White (Mangonui). R. Switzer (Northern Wairoa), R. J. Dunn, S. Metge (Whangarei), N. Vipond, A. R. Dunning, W. J. Dunning, K. Dean, F. Andersen. C. Farman (Rodney). The selection of the Auckland eleven will be made by Mr. E. C. Beale at the request of the Auckland Cricket Association.