FIGHT FOR RUNS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 847, 16 December 1929, Page 11

FIGHT FOR RUNS

STUBBORN CRICKET AT WELLINGTON TAIL-ENDERS TO RESCUE Special to THE SI X WELLINGTON. Saturday. Throughout a long day under the hoi sun, Wellington fought a grim battle against odds in an endeavour to overhaul the M.C.C. overnight score. Sudden, heavy rain in the early morning left the wicket steaming under a true summer heat. The bowlers delighted in the drying pitch, which allowed them all the nip and spin they wanted. Anxious batsmen patiently waited for an opening and. between overs, gave much attention to a "spot'' which had 1 developed in the southern end of the i wicket. From the first it looked like disaster | when Worker was easily caught, and j thereafter careful play by Dempster j and Hollings seemed likely to pull the | side through its difficulty. Then came i the “Dempster incident,” which will rank with the classic mistakes of cricket. Within two runs, Hollings changed his rpind in the middle of a stroke and was caught by Worthington just when he seemed likely to stay indefinitely. It was fortunate that the luncheon interval came a few runs later. FIGHT FOR TIME After lunch, the match resolved itself into a grim struggle. Dowry and Airey. both forcing batsmen, had to exercise the greatest of restraint, and plod along carefully. It was the dullest of cricket, but the wicket was improving momentarily, and every over passed meant that things would be better for the men who came after them. Two fine bowlers were arrayed against them, Woolley, and the medium fast professional, Nichols, whom little Cornford behind the wickets found hard to stop, because of the way he was swinging in. He was responsible for a large number of leg byes. Lowry fell to the active dart of Duleepsinhji in slips, when the score was 85, but he had held up his wicket for over an hour and the time was invaluable. James, the Wellington ’keeper, shaped as if he meant to stay, survived Airey, who was bowled by Woolley as soon as he reached the fatal twenties, and then flung his wicket away by attemtping to steal a foolish run, because Gilligan and Legge got in each other’s way when fielding a ball close in. McGirr was the next victim. He passed Lowry’s total with three mighty bangs, and then succumbed to a wonderful catch, Duleepsinhji plucking the ball fr6m the air as it passed at bullet force behind his head. Badcock came in .and made some mighty wallops, and then saw his wicket wrecked. A TIMELY PARTNERSHIP McLeod, who had filled James’s place, meantime remained almost a spectator. In eight overs, he faced only three balls. Henderson followed to make the highest score of the match by patient, temperate cricket. Together, they put on 74. It was fast scoring at the finish, 20 runs coming In 11 minutes, and 30 runs in 16 minutes. , The field was now slowing up, the wicket was much improved, and the bowlers, for all the rapid changes made by Gilligan, presented no terrors to the batsmen. McLeod went when he was 37, after playing 115 minutes of dogged cricket. The last man. Massey, sent a ball right through Cornford's hands the moment he arrived. It was the tamest of endings, for once Henderson was past G. F. Earle’s score, he patted one into the air for Allom to hold. RUNS HARD TO GET The M.C.C. was concerned with little but to hold up its wickets until the hour struck. It was a day of fighting cricket, with the slow outfield robbing Wellington of many runs. Shot after shot lost its vim as it reached the sodden area of grass, and boundaries became singles. Only 13 fours were marked down all day, and half of these were run. The crowd of over 10,000 was a record for Wellington cricket.

TODAY’S PLAY

M.C.C. CONTINUES SECOND INNINGS WICKET IN GOOD ORDER Press Association WELLINGTON, Today. The weather was fine for the resumption of the match between Wellington and the M.C.C. and the wicket appeared to be in good order. Gilligan, 8, and Dawson, 4, resumed England’s second innings at 11.30 a.m. Badcock and McGirr opened the attack and McGirr’s first ball brought about Gilligan’s dismissal, the batsman sending a full toss back to the bowler. Score, 14 —I—B.1 —8. . Duleepsinhji was next, and played out the remainder of McGirr’s over. Dempster dropped a hard chance from Dawson, off the second ball of Badcock’s next over, and the Indian opened

his account with a drive off McGirr. and Dawson scored his first run of the day with a straight drive off Badcock. Duleepsinhji being more enterprising than his partner. At noon the score was one for 29 Massey came on in place of Badcock and Duleepsinhji made some nice shots at his expense, slack fielding helping him to some extent so that 12 came off batting with care, but eventually got McGirr away for two and three. Fifty appeared on the board after 50 minutes, and Hollings replaced Massey and three came off the over. Dawson got McGirr away to square leg for four and a drive oft the saintbowler brought bis total past 20. Duleepsinhji was delighting the crowd with a number of crisp shots and ran to 30. At 70 Henderson replaced McGirr. Duleepsinhji getting his first away for a couple and more scoring shots off Hollings saw England make up its first innings deficit. At 12.30 the score was one for 86. Details: ENGLAND First Innings I** Second Innings GILLIGAN. c McGirr. b McGirr .... S DULEEPSINHJI. not out II DAWSON, not out 31 One wicket for S 6 WELLINGTON First Innings DEMPSTER, b Nicliolls 20 WORKER, c Nicliolls, b Barratt .... HOLLINGS, c Worthington, b Woolley 27 AIREY, b Woolley 20 LOWRY, c Duleepsinghji, b Allom .. 10 JAMES, run out 22 McLEOD, b Worthington .".7 McGIRR. c Duleepsinghji, b Nichols 11 BADCOCK. c Woolley, b Nichols . . & HENDERSON, c Allom, b Worthington 47 MASSEY, not out 10 Extras 3t Total 242 Fall of wickets: 1/6. 2/64. 3 56. 4/85, 5/93. 6/125, 7/136. S/142, 9/216, 10 242. Bowling: Nicholls, 3-53: Barratt. 1-44; Allom, 1-21; Worthington, 2-51: Woolley,