N.Z.'S GOOD START.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 57, 7 March 1936, Page 21

N.Z.'S GOOD START.

FINAL CRICKET TEST.

MARYIXBONE ALI OUT 195,

KERR AND WALLACE lIST FORM.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. New Zealand had the better of the first day's play in the fourth and final representative match against the touring Marylebone cricket team at Lancaster Park to-day. Splendid bowling on a wicket that gave some assistance to spin bowlers, supported by excellent fielding, brought about the dismissal of the Englishmen for 195, and at the close of play New Zealand had made 138 runs for the loss of three wickets. It was a glorious day for cricket and a fairly large crowd saw the play which, though no spectacular, was never lacking in interest or incident. Only three of the English batsmen made a prolonged stand, and seven were clean bowled. The outfield -was slow and boundaries had to be earned by solid hits. Underlying moisture probably caused the nip the spin bowlers obtained from the pitch, but the wicket was not playing tricks. As in the Wellington match, Blundell started the collapse of the M.C.C. In his third over Parks, who opened with Barber, reached forward to a ball from Blundell well outside the off stump, missed, and Jackman had the bails off in a flash. Hardstaff was dismissed by the first ball he received from Blundell, and two wickets were down for 9. Smith, the aggressive left-hander, was looking for runs from the start, and delighted the crowd with beautiful crisp drives down the wicket. He eventually fell to the first ball he received from the slow bowler, Griffiths. With his captain Holmes at the wickets Barber began to open out, and from then on scored freely. Human and Sims were associated in the most profitable partnership of the innings. The former's straight driving was a joy to watch. He became very severe on Cromb, and had hit nine off one over from the slow bowler when he fell to a really brilliant one-hand catch by the bowler. Sims Again to The Rescue. Sims once again played a valuable innings when runs were badly needed. He was finally beaten by another splendid ball from Roberts. The full resources of New Zealand s attack were not required. Blundell unaccountably was given only one spell with the ball at the opening of the innings, and he took two wickets for 13 runs off six overs. Roberts was again exceptionally steady. His three wickets cost only 33 runs off 18 overs. Griffiths was watched with interest, as he has been declared New Zealand's most promising slow bowler in recent ypars. His performance to-day was most impressive. He has a very low trajectory, and lie varies his pace and spin well. As yet his length also is varied, and he sent down a fairly high proportion of bad balls. He broke considerably from leg and the good balls positively fizzed off the pitch. Vivian was steady, but not dangerous. Cromb bowled more overs than anyone else, and while the wicket was admittedly one for spin bowling, it appeared that he kept himself on too long. The New Zealand fielding on the whole was first New Zealand's very good start is largely attributable to the partnership of Kerr and Wallace for the second wicket. I hey put on (30 runs together is as many minutes, Wallace being the more aggressive and scoring 38 of them. Whitelaw opened very well with Kerr, scoring nicely to leg from the fast bowlers, Baxter and Read, but with the score at 22 he swung at a short ball from Read which bumped more than, head high and was "well taken by Sims. , , * n. "Wallace attacked the bowling from the start and seemed keen on knocking the fast bowlers off their length.. He lilt every ball hard, even on defence, and was looking for runs all the time. Vivian maintained the scoring rate and with Kerr added 34 runs for the third wicket. Kerr, more sedate than the Aucklanders, played an innings deserving of the highest praise. It was, moreover, an innings played under difficulties, for indisposition had prevented him from fielding while the M.C.C. team was at the wickets. He was at the wickets for 128 minutes in making his 62 not out, and towards the close of play was scoring freely from every bowler. The English attack was good without being really troublesome. • Baxter opened with Parks, but while the latter was steady, neither seemed likely to break the, ' opening partnership. Parks bowled with a leg trap and was very steady. • TE ATA BEATS MOUNT ALBERT ! GRAMMAR. A win on the first innings was secured by | (ho To Ata team in the crickc-t gan>e "gainst 1 the Mount Albert Grammar School first 5 cloven. Scores: — mi—* Mount Albert Grammar School .--First in- ! nings, 135 (Smith 30, Kingstone 24, Burgess . 10, Taylor 11, Thorn 11, Irvine 10. Bowling. I lock in took three wickets, Langton two, Brown, Martin and Munro one each. To Ata.—First innings, 222 for eight . wickets (K. M. Almno 42 not out, D. Jj. 1 Martin 41 retired, I. \V. Cooper 04, G. .T. ! Langton 31 retired, H. G. Walters -o rer tired, J. P. Norris 22, .1. G. Brown 13). : AN ANNUAL CONTEST. 1 The annual cricket match between the i Grain and Produce Merchants and Brokers 1 was played at Eden Park yesterday. The " Merchants made a total score of 139, against 1 (ho Brokers' 135, thus winnning by the nar- ; row margin of four runs the special clial- - longo silver cup presented by the Challenge » Phosphate Company. The principal scorers a were:—Merchants: A. Lewis (44), C. J. 1 Molloy (28), C. F. Kosser (17). R. James (lo), 1 .7 K Howie (11). Brokers: R. T. Postles (33). 11. W. Bennett (21), A. M. Howden (14), e X. Pountney (11).