CRICKET TEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 37, 13 February 1930, Page 13

CRICKET TEST.

THE THIRD MATCH.

M.C.C. V. NEW ZEALAND.

AT EDEN PARK TO-MORROW.

The third and deciding Test match between the M.C.C. team and the New Zealand eleven will be commenced tomorrow morning at Eden Park. At the moment the honours are with the vsitore, who Bcored a decided win by eight wickets in the first Test, a lowecoring game at Christchurch, and made a draw of it when New Zealand had a good lead on the first innings in the second Test at Wellington. At the moment, the weather is dull and showers seem probable within the next three days. The general consensus of opinion that fine weather and good wicket coditions will make the game a drawn one. With a fall of rain the conditions may favour either side; the first Test was interrupted by showers. No change has been reported in the New Zealand team, and the southern players are assembling In Auckland today. The team is: — T. C. Lowry (capt., Wellington). C. S. Dempster (Wellington). K. C. James (Wellington). H. M. M<jGjrr (Wellington). J. E. Mills (Auckland). G. L. Weir (Auckland). C. F. Allcott (Auckland). R. C. Blunt (Otago). P. T. Badcock (Otago). M. L. Page (Canterbury). W. E. Merritt (Canterbury). H. D. Gillespie (Auckland) is twelfth man.

It will be seen that the New Zealand fast bowlere, Dickinson (Otago) and Henderson (Wellington), have been omitted in favour of the medium-pacers, McGirr and Allcott. This change strengthens the batting. Whether or not it weakens the attack will depend' largely en the wicket conditions. The English team for the occasion nas not been announced yet, but it is almost certain to include the Essex fast bowler M. S. Nicholls and G. B. Legge, captain of the Kent County side, who batted well in the second Test 3nd lias bowled usefully during the tour. Neither of these players has yet been seen in action at Eden Park. The results of previous games are:— Warner's Team, 1903. England 304 (Fane 124) and 75 for 3; New Zealand 164 and 214. England won by seven wickets. England 380 (Warner 125); New Zealand 274 (Reese 148) and 84 (Burnup five for 8). England won "by an innings and 22 runs. Wynyard's Team, 1907. England 257 and 140 for. one; New Zealand 207 and 187. England won by nine wickets. New Zealand 165 (Douglas seven for 49) and 249; England 160 (Fisher four for 25) and 198 (Fishetf five for 61). New Zealand won by 56 runs. MacLaren's Team, 1933. England 505 (MacLaren 200 not out); New Zealand 222 and 127 (Gibson five for 42). England won by an innings and 156 runs. New Zealand 375 (Collins 102) and 270 for eight (dec); England 384 and 14*3 for five. Match drawn. England 401 (Lowry 130); New Zealand 160 (Calthorpe six for 53) and 215 (Calthorpe five for 65). England won by an inpings and 20 runs..

In England, 1927. M.C.C, 392 and 426 for four (dec); New Zealand 460 (Dacre.lo7, Lowry 106) and 224 for four. Match drawn. Gilligan's Team, 1930. New Zealand 112 and 131; England 181 and 66 for two. England won by eight wickets. New Zealand 439 (Dempster 136, Mills 117, Woolley seven for 76) and 164 for for four (Dempster 80 not out); England 320 (Nichols 87 not out) and 107 for four. Match drawn. Previous Test Matches. It may be of interest to recall that New Zealand has played ten matches against M.C.C. teams, nine in New Zealand and one in England. The English teams have won six of the games, and three have been drawn. New Zealand's sole success was in 1907 against Captain Wynyard's team at Wellington.