Follow-On Saved

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 881, 27 January 1930, Page 16

Follow-On Saved

M.C.C. TEAM’S FINE EFFORT

Keen Cricket in Second Test

Special to THE SUN WELLINGTON, Saturday. NEARLY 12,000 spectators at the Basin Reserve today enjoyed the sight of the M.C.C. team, captained by A. H. H. Gilligan, fighting hard to avoid a follow-on against New Zealand. By the end of the day, it was practically certain that the Englishmen would not have to yield New Zealand the unique pleasure of a follow-on by an overseas team in this country, for, with four wickets still in hand, Gilligan’s men needed little more than thirty runs to make New Zealand bat again, and so increase the chance, already big, that the match would be drawn. But before that position was reached, the Englishmen had many anxious moments. It was quite likely that if a catch had not been dropped by the New Zealanders, the Englishmen would have been out for less than half of New Zealand’s splendid first innings score.

It was a partnership between two professionals, Nichols, of Essex, and Worthington, of Derbyshire, for the sixth wicket, that saved the Englishmen from disaster, these two putting on 70 runs after five wickets had fallen for 149. But fortune was with both men. Worthington had practically three innings in one in scoring his 32 runs, and Nichols, who played out time with 48 runs to his. credit, had been rather lucky. At the same time, credit must be given to these two men for their dour fighting partnership. Nichols is not an attractive bat —the word homely fits his style very well—but he has the knack of getting runs when these are wanted urgently, and he must, rank as one of the best all-rounders in

against New Zealand’s faster bowling, but, like Dawson, he had been sadly bothered at times by the slow bowlers, and for a time the spectacle of Merritt and Blunt tying up these two products of English public schools and universities had reminded one of how seldom the English public schools turn out batsmen who can deal really effectively with bowlers of googlies. BRILLIANT DULEEPSINHJI Generally, the English batting had been an uphill fight against bowlers who were fortified in spirit by the work of the New Zealand batsmen on the previous day, but Duleepsinhji’s innings stood out like a glowing ruby in a collection of quartz. This batsman of the swift-moving feet, the hawk-like vision, and the supple wrists, had batted as if his team were just comfortably on top of the match. He scored with glorious ease, and lack of flurry or care, placing polished strokes right round the wicket. But even the best or the most precise of batsmen must make mistakes at times, and a few of Duleepsinhji’s strokes lacked just a little of the sureness of contact that the position of the game demanded. So, after scoring at a good rate (40 of the 61 runs which had been put on since the first wicket fell), he gave an easy dropping catch. Badcock was the most useful of the Zealand bowlers on results. He kept a very steady length, and turned a bit, besides making the ball come up quickly at times. His normal pace is a shade on the slow side of medium, but he surprised Dawson with a change to quicker pace to get that patient batsman’s wicket. Badcock bowled 26 overs today, took two wickets, and had only 45 runs hit off him. MERRITT HAD NO LUCK Merritt was the unlucky bowler of the day. The wicket was expected to. suit him, and it did rather, though not quite as much as had been anticipated. In chances and near-chances of catches, and at least a couple of chances of stumping, fortune was all against him, and though he bowled really well, he could get only one wicket- for 71 runs in 24 overs. Lowry persevered with hrim to the -extent of ten overs in one period, because it seemed so often that he must take a

wicket. It was not, however, until his ninetennth over that he did get his one wicket of the day, and that had cost him 53 runs. They were not flagrant misses that were made off his bowling, but also it must be said that the catches were not specially difficult. Merritt certainly should have had Gilligan stumped by James when the English captain, then at 18, was yards out of his ground. However, there it was. On the previous day the Englishmen had not brought off the almost impossible catches that two or three of them had made in Christchurch, and the luck in that respect was equalised tpday. LOWRY'S METHODS Lowry again handled the attack with acumen, even if his changes are not understandable to some people, who like to see bowlers kept on for long periods, regardless of whether or not they are bowlers likely to dismiss a particular batsman. In one direction, Lowry did not have at his command the abilities that are exploited by the M.C.C. team. It was very noticeable that when New Zealand was batting, the English fast and fast-medium bowlers, especially from the northern end of the wicket, were pitching the ball short of a good length to make it fly. The English bowlers of pace could do this frequently over long periods to keep the batsmen playing at them, but the only pace bowler Lowry had at his command was Dickinson, who was able to make the ball bump and fly for a time, but not to do it when he wanted to all the time he was on. _ . _ , This was the first really hard wicket Dickinson had bowled on this season. Except in three overs, he bowled really well for a New Zealand fast bow.er, without sufficient opportunity of practice on such a wicket, and generally he was well on the wicket. He bowled at a good pace, too. ‘When he got his second wicket 47 runs had been hit off him in 12 overs, but 13 of the runs had come off one over. By the drawing of stumps, the cost of his two wickets had become 65 runs, off 19 overs, although luck in the air was with the Englishmen. FIELDSMEN IMPROVE This time the New Zealand fielding was smart and good. Merritt, for example, was much more alert and eager than he usually is in Christchurch, and at least once he was applauded for smartness in saving a boundary. Badcock, who had not fielded really well in the Christchurch test, was another who won applause for fielding, as well as bowling. When Badcock next appears in the New Zealand team, which doubtless will be in the third test, he will be an Otago representative, as he is accepting the position of coach to the Otago Cricket Association. The dominant impression of the day’s play is of the Englishmen’s fight for runs. There is little need to comment on this morning’s portion of New Zealand’s innings. The New Zealand batsmen then were not at all burdened with care, and made no great effort to save their wickets. Next to the batting of Mills ahd Dempster on the previous day, Page’s innings was the best on the side, but it was known that Lowry would be quite satisfied with 430 to 450 runs for the innings, and that the New Zealanders would not bat after lunch today, so there was no incentive to steady batting. In this portion of the innings, a patch had become apparent in the wicket over-night, and the pitch was expected to add to the Englishmen’s difficulties a little. However, the wicket wore rather better than was expected, although it may become uncomfortable for the batsmen before the end of the match, unless rain falls in the meantime. The gate takings today were a little over £6OO, making about £925 for the first two days.