England Shows How

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 900, 18 February 1930, Page 13

England Shows How

ILL-FATED THIRD TEST Two Brilliant Batsmen BY scoring 330 runs in approximately 215 minutes and then declaring its first, innings closed with only four wickets down, the M.C.C. cricket team was responsible for one of the brightest batting performances seen on Eden Park in recent years, when the first and last day’s play in the ill-fated third Test, England v. New Zealand, was’commenced yesterday.

la compiling that total two men had a big share. They were E. H. Bowley and K. S. Duleepsinhji, both o£ whom hit UP as attractive centuries as one could wish. Frank Woolley registered a uo less attractive half-cen-tury. The wicket played surprisingly well during the day, after the quagmire it was on Saturday afternoon, and the outfield, although on the heavy side when play began, livened up considerably as the day wore on. Bowley and Duleepsinhji have both gained places this year in the the select gallery of the five cricketers of the season chosen by Wisden's, and the performances of both yesterday left little doubt as to why they have found places there. Bowley has scored many a century on Eden Park, and yet one finds it hard to recall a more forceful effort than the one he was responsible for yesterday. Bowley is In his element forcing the pace. He jumped off with a four as hia first scoring shot yesterday, and resumed again after lunch with a similar effort. He went for the bowling at a time when Dawson was content to stay at home to it, and brought off some of the most glorious drives ever seen at the park against all the bowling that Lowry could put on to try and silence him. He gave no glaring chances in compiling that century. and batted for approximately 130 minutes. •‘SMITHY’S” WONDERFUL EYE Duleepsinhji was every bit the master bat he has been heralded. Ho began quietly, but on the runs so effortlessly that his batting sometimes seems slow when in reality it is very fast. He batted faster than Bowley did yesterday, taken all round, and Bowley can seldom have piled on the runs more merrily. The Indian displayed ail his artistry when putting up his brilliant 60 against Auckland last week, but yesterday he was seen in action before the wicket also, in off and on driving as stinging as that of Bowley. He jumped out to Merritt without hesitation where Dawson had been forced to stay at home, and squarecat, drove and pulled him at will. On many occasions yesterday Duleepsinhji changed his mind in the very act of playing a stroke. This with any ordinary batsman would be fatal, but with the “tulip” a wonderful eye makes it both possible and profitable. The perfect combination of eye, foot and wrist was seen in his cutting, which time and again left the New Zealand slip fieldsmen standing. He displayed his versatility often by cutting, glancing, hooking, pulling and driving all in one over. It is not often that Allcott is hit for a six. but yesterday Duleepsinhji lifted him right up on to the terrace for a glorious sixer. Slight of frame, one is often set wondering where all the power for these big hits and stinging drive of Duleepsinhji’s comes from. The secret is to be found in his perfect timing. WOOLLEY’S FOOTWORK ■Woolley, although playing a very entertaining Innings, gave the lmpres-

slon somehow that he has not yet touched the heights which made possible a double century on the Sydney Cricket Ground. Like Bow ley, he can never be content staying at home and blocking. He must either be getting runs or getting out. What impressed one most in his j innings yesterday was his wonderful footwork. He used this with devastating effect when facing Allcott by putting himself into position to hook the left-hander. Legge ran up a bright 19 before England’s innings was declared closed. The wicket yesterday suited slow bowlers better than fast men, and thus Merritt took the bowling honours for New Zealand. Alicott bowled well to get one wicket Duieepsinhji and he certaintly had a quietening effect on the scoring rate where he could not altogether silence it. The New Zealand fielding was not up to the mark. Even Badeock was off colour to commence with, but he redeemed himself later by puttiug in some brilliant work. Mills. AVeir, Allcott and Page were all very fair, but the remainder very patchy. NEW ZEALAND TOO SLOW New Zealand failed to live up to England’s example when it opened its second innings after tea. Dempster, the incomparable. “Governor-General” of New Zealand cricket, gave the visitors another taste of his genius, but Mills, after scoring three runs in an hour and 10 minutes, was out Ibw to Barratt. Frequently Gilligan would have the on well fortified when Dempster was batting, for the Wellingtonian to glide the ball round to leg. In fact, Dempster’s cutting and glancing was i every bit as brilliant as anything j Duieepsinhji has shown the Auckland public. New Zealand had everything to gain and nothing to lose by forc- ! ing the pace yesterday evening, and it is strange that further efforts were not made in that direction. Weir played very confidently and ably seconded Dempster’s efforts after the departure of Mills. Allom was the most impressive M.C.C. bowler, for the wicket did not suit the speed merchant, Nichols, who was seen in action in Auckland for the first time. Details: ENGLAND Pir3t innings DAWSON, b Merritt '.. 23 BOWI.EY, stprl James, b Merritt .. 103 DULEEPSINHJI, c and b Allcott ..117 WOOLLEY, l-un out G 9 LEGGE, not out 19 NICHOLS, not out 1 Extras 2 Four wickets (declared) for .. 330

BOWLING ANALYSIS O. M. R. W. McGirr .. .. 12 45 0 .. .. 11 24 Merritt .... 2K 1 119 Blunt .. 16 0 .... 5 1 15 0 Weir .. .... 4 0 20 0 Allcott . 2 89 1 NEW ZEALAND First innings t MltXS. lb vr, b Barratt . DEMPSTEK, not out .. WEIR, no t out Extras One w icket for .. .. BOWLING ANALYSIS O. M. R. w. Nichols .... 5 0 IS 0 .... 6 4 Barratt .. .. 12 3 26 1 Worthington . fi 1 11 Eegge . .... « 0 34 0