CRICKET TEST “OFF”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 868, 11 January 1930, Page 13

CRICKET TEST “OFF”

NO PLAY TILL MONDAY RAIN AT CHRISTCHURCH Press Association CHRISTCHURCH. Today. Owing to rain this morning, further play in the first cricket Test, England. V. New Zealand, was postponed till 2 o’clock. When the wicket was again inspected at 2 p.m. by the> two captains and the umpires, it was found to be unfit for play. A further postponement till Monday was therefore decided | upon. ENGLAND TOO GOOD ARMY OF CRITICS UPSET YESTERDAY THE SUN'S Special Reporter CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. New Zealand’3 sensational batting collapse in its first innings in the first test against the M.C.C. team today rather upset the caluclations of the army of critics who predicted something a good deal better than the unflattering score of 112 from the pick of the Dominion’s batsmen. Certainly, on paper, a considerably better showing was indicated as the team’s batting strength rated higher than its bowling strength. It was the deadly bowling of M. J. C. Allom and M. S. Nichols that did all the damage. Allom, the tall Surrey bowler, started the procession proper in his eighth over, when he took four of his five wickets, including the “hat trick.” Dempster was his first victim in that over, the star Wellington batsman having his stumps levelled by Allom’s second ball. Allom, who had been nursed by Gilligan, the M.C.C. captain, for this test, bowls a fast-medium pace, and his deliveries gather speed from the pitch to make it more awkward for the batsmen. He comes in with his arm sufficiently to make the ball almost a true leg break. This, with his pace, makes him dangerous. GREAT FAST BOWLER Nichols is a true fast bowler, with ability to control both his speed and his length. To feel for his fast, rising stuff on the off is fatal, as Foley and Roberts learnt today, both being caught neatly by K. S. Duleepsinhji at second slip. Nichols had almost all his field on the off, with four men in the slips, in adidtion to a man in the gully. There was little excuse for New Zealand’s poor showing. The wicket was easy, and conducive to scoring, but there was hardly one batsman who felt at all comfortable. R. C. Blunt, the Otago man, claimed the scoring honours, with a useful 45 not out. His was a patient effort, but he batted with nice judgment. He followed F. T. Badcoek, the last victim in Allom’s triumphant over, and the atmosphere was rather tense as he faced Nichols. He broke the strain, however, when ho survived a confident appeal for lbw, and then glided Barratt to the fence for the first four of the innings. BLUNT’S GREAT INNINGS To the unrestrained joy of the crowd Blunt continued cautiously, getting away some pretty leg strokes, and showing that he has lost none of his art as a batsman. With Dickinson, another Otago player who shaped well for his 11 runs, he carried the score from 21 to 64. Merritt, tho Canterbury all-rounder, was New Zealand’s second top scorer, with 19, compiled in a courageous fashion. His forceful batting delighted the crowd, which had grown weary of the slow scoring. Dempster, the Wellington batsman of whom some assistance was expected, was not overconfident. New Zealand was at the crease for 153 minutes, and at stumps the M.C.C. score was 147 with four wickets down. Duleepsinhji, whose appearance was keenly awaited, did not disappoint the fans. In compiling his 49 he showed an amazing mastery of cricket, like the polished batsman he is.

He has no pet stroke. He plays every ball on its merit, and plays it with effortless ease. The quickness of his eye, his flashing footwork, and those last-minute wrist flicks of his enabled him to put the fast bowling of Dickinson and Henderson where he wanted it. His innings was almost faultless, the only bad shot being the one he was caught out with. STYLISH F. E. WOOLLEY Woolley, with whom Duleepsinhji was associated for a while, played stylish cricket for 31, his timing bein.g perfect. When 25 he was dropped in the slips by Foley, the Wellington man, who also dropped Dawson in the same place earlier. Legge, captain of Kent, pleased with his square cuts, the shot he is noted for. Lowry used Dickinson, Henderson and Badcock as his principal bowlers. Dickinson was bowling well, though he was inclined to sacrifice length for pace. Not quite as fast as Nichols is, he does not get the same spin on the ball. A drizzle of rain during the M.C.C. innings stopped play for ten minutes. Details: — NEW ZEALAND First Innings DEMPSTER, b Allom 11 FOLEY, c Duleepsinhji, b Nichols 2 ROBERTS, c Duleepsinhji, b Nichols 3 PAGE,, c and b Nichols 1 LOWRY, lbw, b Allom 0 JAMES, c Cornford, b Allom .. .. .. 0 BADCOCK, b Allom 0 DICKINSON, b Nichols 11 BLUNT, not out 45 MERRITT, b Allom 19 HENDERSON, b Worthington .... 6 Extras 14 Total \ 112 Fall of wickets: 5, 11, T 5, 21, 21, 21, 21, 64. 103, 112. Bowling:—Allom, 5-38: Nichols, 4-28; Barratt, 1-8; Worthington, 1-24. ENGLAND First Innings GILLIGAN, *c Henderson, b Badcock 10 DAWSON, c Lowry, b Henderson .. 7 DULEEPSIXHJI, c Dickinson, b Henderson 49 WOOLLEY, c Merritt, b Dickinson . 31 LEGGE, not out 35 NICHOLS, nqt out 1? Extras ® Four wickets for 147 Action pictures of the M.C.C. team will be found on page 7.