FIRST TEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 72, 28 March 1921, Page 2

FIRST TEST.

AUSTRALIA V. NEW ZEALAND

VISITORS AT WICKETS. i RAIN INTERFERES WITH PLAY. (By Tel'.'g:aph. Press _ssucialiou.) i \V„_Ll.\<;ru.\". Saturday. | The first test match between Australia ! au,l New Zealand was interrupted by j rain thi- afternoon, when the score stood at lil_ for the loss of one wicket. After three, Kichardson. lioj.ii'. and Kansf'ird had been disposed id' for 25, Lampartl partnered Liddicut and i brought .'(0 up by glancing one- from lirice to tlie northern boundary. Then Liddicut opened his shoulders and drove the la>l ball of tluit over from the sunn- trundler to tlie Caledonian end. j Tlie over e..-t 0 runs. Sandman sent i down a maiden out. Bike's next over jco.-t 7 runs. Runs came freely, and the total was raised to :rl for 4S minutes' play. At tltis stage Middleton took the ball from Brice. whose average was two for 22. Liddicut (23) gave n chance to i Smith at first slip off tlie second ball | from Middleton. but it was not accepted. I I'm- batsman-showed appreciation of his ; good fortune by showing even more en- ' terprise. and together with Lampard carried the total to 74. They appeared tn be getting well set, and tlie .Vow Zealand skipper endeavoured to cause a dissolution by a change of bowlers. The now trundler was MrBeth, and he relieved Sandman. After he had sent down one over with the wind M<-Betb was transferred to the other end, Middleton, who was bowling much below form, and whose three overs had cost 22 runs, being taken otT. Smith went on at the north end. The change very nearly bore fruit straight away, as Larnpard ;-. 4!1 gave Shepherd at point a chance off Mcßeth's second hall. The fieldsman handled the ball and drop|>ed it. .Tust before the luncheon adjournment 101 appeared on the lioard. I.ampard 40 not out and Liddicut 40 not out. The game had been in progress for 78 minutes. When play was resumed Liddicut opened to Smith and liricc took the ball from Mcßeth. The batsmen had only added 10 runs to the total when Price sent down a short one to I.ampard, which the batsman tried to hook, but missed the ball, and was clean bowled. Ill—4— 51. The partnership yielded Sti runs. The retiring batsman played a really fine innings for his contribution, which included eight fours, several the result ol masterly strokes.

Waddy joineii Liddicut and signalled his arrival by cutting the second ball from Briee to the leg boundary. At 2.13 p.m. a driving rain set in from the north-west- 11 eoiriinued. nnd stamps were drawn at 2.22 p.m.. when the total was 132 runs for four wickets. (Liddicut 52 not out, Waddy 1(1 not out.) As rain had apparently set in stumps were drawn at 3.55 p.m. until 11 o'clock on Monday. TO-DATS FLAY. LIDDICUT'S FIXE INXINGS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.! WKLLIXGTOX, this day. The cricket test was resumed to-day in perfect weather. The wicket was excellent, having dried since Saturday's heavy rain. The attendance was large this morning, and promises to be a record. Liddicut (52) and Waddy (16). the not out men, faced Sandman and Briee. The latter started with a maiden over, while only five runs were obtained off Sandman's first two overs. After eight overs, Which produced 20 runs, Mcßeth replaced Sandman. None for 47. The change proved more acceptable to the batsmen, who played freely, and half an hour after resumption tlie total reached 160. Occasional boundary hits were made by both batsmen, but many runs were saved by good fielding. Rowntree's injured hand was troublesome, hut he carried out his duties effectively. At 181 Middleton replaced Briee. and in Mcßeth's next over Liddicut was bowled, after a fine innings of 83, with only one chance at 27. Five for 183. Waddy 37 not out, extras 8. SEVEN OUT FOR 256. Kippax partnered Waddy. ami before scoring was missed by Hid'dleston in the slips off Middleton. Scoring slowed down somewhat, but by careful play the second century was Teaehed at 12.15. Xine runs were added when Mcßeth beat Waddy by a similar ball to that which found Liddicut's wicket - 7 0i)— 6—4 S. TiatclifTe, the newcomer, commenced with a two, after which Briee, replacing 'Middleton, clean bowled Kippax 211—7—8. Asher and Ratcliffe improved matters, the former driving nicely. The fielding continued good, but Middleton missed an easy catch at mid-on from Asher, who was then 8, off Briee, when the total was 232. At this stage Sandman relieved Mcßeth, and the score was taken to 2.52, when Smith bowled in Brice's place. The Aucklander was played carefully. Before lunch -Mcßeth was again tried, but the partnership was unbroken, and the score at the luncheon adjournment was seven for 258, Ratcliffe being 27 and Asher 17, both not out. AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. Richardson, c Rowntree, b Briee .... 1 Bogle, run out 0 Ransford, c Smith, b Briee 4 Lampafd, h Briee 51 Liddicut, b Mcßeth 83 Waddy, b Mcßeth 48 Kippax. b Mcßeth 8 Ratcliffe. not out 27 Asher, not out 17 •Extrajs 1 (!

Total for seven wickets 258