GOOD SCORE AGAINST RENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 268, 25 August 1949, Page 5

GOOD SCORE AGAINST RENT

RECOVERY AFTER BAD START Evans Has Field Day , •A.Z.P.A Oopyrlgbt’ . (Rec. 10.5.), CANTERBURY, Aug. 24. After losing four wickets for 92 runs before lunch against Kent, New Zealand went on to make 3i»B. Kent scored one in one over.

The first plank in this recovery was laid by Smith and Mooney, who put on 99. Then Donnelly and Scott scored 104 for the seventh wicket. Donnelly made 6S and Scott 74.

The pitch was damp in the morning after rain the previous day, and aided the bowlers, but as the afternoon wore on it dried out. Evans, England’s wicket-keeper, had a field day, taking four catches and stumping Donnelly. The attendance was 10,000, and 6932 paid for admission. Bad light stopped play five minutes before stumps. Cautious Opening Sutcliffe and itabone began the New Zealand innings quietly and cautiously, for Ridgway, in particular, and Crush, -were both bowling well, and the wicket was helping them to move the ball. Sutcliffe was still rather tired from his efforts of the previous evening against Lancashire, and began easily.

Rabone, relieving Scott from the rather dour business of opening, and so resting his bruisea forefinger, was intent on getting a good start to carry him nearer his target of 1000 runs, Ridgway was worrying Rabone more than a little. A rising ball on the leg side was Rabone’s undoing, for he turned it to fine leg and presented Crush with an easy catch. Hadlee came in when the score was 19. Wright, the England leg-break bowler, came on and made the ball fizz across the wicket. Hadlee was by no means happy, but he appreciated a full-toss and was “out” twice to no-balls, once bowled and once caught. Eventually Wright sent Hadlee one that turned sharply from the leg. Hadlee played forward defensively, snicked, and was caught by Evans. All this time Sutcliffe had been scoring quietly, but Wright trapped him into playing forward with a suspicion of casualness. He hit the ball on to his pads for Clark at silly midon to take a simple catch. Ridgway sealed off a good morning’s work when he had Wallace, who had batted attractively, with the last ball before lunch.

Smith and Mooney started their partnership slowly. Mooney, with a lucky snick that he contrived somehow to place directly behind Evans, which provided broad grins as well' as four runs. i. -

Pleasant Batting After lunch both batsmen settled down to some pleasant batting. Neither Davies nor Wright could make the pitch ‘,‘work” as it did in the morning, and both New Zealanders made full use of the middle of their bats. They put on 50 in 50 minutes and 65 in the hour. Smith reached 50 ‘in 95 minutes, and Mooney, at 49, did his best to qualify for the half century. Then suddenly they were both out, Mooney caught by Evans off Dover-and. Smith caught by Evans off Davies. The partnership added 99 in 93 minutes. Mooney hit seven fours and Smith six.

Donnelly and Scott began patiently, but in 40 minutes to tea the pair had hit 48. After tea both batsmen really went to work. In 80 minutes they added 101. Donnelly was 50 in 90 minutes and Scott in 87 minutes. It was, Wright who ended the stand. Donnelly advanced,, missed the ball, and retreated too slowly, and Evans got his wicket. Donnelly had hit six fours. Burtt swiped Wright cheerfully, but snicked Dovey to Evans. Scott, with the score past 350, attempted to hit Wright out of the ground and was bowled. He had batted for two and a quarter hours and hit seven fours. Scores: NEW ZEALAND First Innings Sutcliffe, c Clark b Wright .. 40 Rabone, c Crush, b Ridgway .. 2 Hadlee, c Evans, b Wright .. 0 Wallace, b Ridgway . - .. 22 Smith, c Evans, b Davies .. 58 Mooney, c Evang, b Dovey .. 49 Donnelly, std Evans, b Wright .. 68 Scott, b Wright .. .. - - 74 Burtt, c Evans, b Dovey .. .. 11 Cave, b Dovey 3 Cowie, not out .. - - --2 * Extras .. .. • • ' • • 20 Total SSS Bowling—Ridgway two for 76, Crush none for 38, Wright four for 128, Dovey three for 67, Davies one for 29. KENT First Innings Todd, not out .. . - - - 0 ipfigg. not out .. .. • • 1 Extras 0 Total for no wickets .. 1