FOURTH TEST.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19862, 25 February 1930, Page 14

FOURTH TEST.

another drawn game. DOGGED BATTING BY NEW ZEALAND. (PBEBB ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, February 24. The fourth cricket Test between' the touring M.C.C. team and New Zealand was concluded at Eden Park to-day, the game ending in a draw in favour of the Englishmen. In reply to M.C.C.'s first innings total of 540 New Zealand continued its innings, being dismissed for 387, which was four short of the number required to avert a follow-on. The time was too short, however,, for any advantage to be gained by enforcing the rule, so Gilligan sent his own side in to bat again. M.C.C. loßt three wickets for 22 before stumps were drawn.

Early morning showers failed to affect the wicket, which, when tho weather cleared, played perfectly. An attendance estimated at 3000 produced gate takings amounting to £169 13s, which brought the total takings for the match to £IO6O 18s. Lowry's Dogged Innings. Play throughout the day was characterised by dogged batting by the New Zcalanders, which, if tending to promote uninteresting cricket, nevertheless gave a splendid example of what New Zealand could do when pushed for runs. To Lowry went the honours of the day in playing a splendid fighting innings for 80. In an endeavour to take his side's total past the follow-on stage he set himself determinedly against all the bowling. On the whole his innings was attractive as well as useful. Weir did not show the same confidence as on Saturday and fell a victim to Barratt after adding four runß to his previous score. McGirr played a Bimilar useful innings of 51 to that of Lowry, being more aggressive than his partner. He was particularly strong in leg shots. Allcott was beginning to shape confidently when a bad run out ended his career. The remaining batsmen fought stubbornly, but eventually succumbed to bowling which was rarely off good length. Allom ran out with the best bowling figures, taking four wickets for 42 runs, and on the day was the steadiest bowler. M.C.C. made a bad start in their second innings, Legge, who compiled nearly a double century in the first innings, being well beaten by Blunt before opening his account. Matheson accounted for the other two wickets and was well on the spot.

Weir Bowled, The New Zealand innings was resumed by Weir (59) and Allcott (21), to the bowling of Nichols and Barratt. Weir only added a single, when he appeared to snick Barratt to Cornford, but the batsman received the benefit in spite of a unanimous appeal. Twenty minutes produced 10 runs, Woolley then relieving Nichols, who, while not appearing dangerous, had kept both batsmen quiet. The succeeding over of Barratt's saw Weir dismissed, however, the batsman playing all over a "yorker." 186—5 —63. Allcott carried on, partnered by Lowry, but the former was fortunate to play an uppish shot just clear of Nichols at mid-on, the fieldsman making a great effort to get it. A few minutes later he lost his wicket, however, in a bad run out, a smart return finding Allcott only half-way down the wicket. 1936 —33.

A Good Stand. McGirr joined Lowry, and both played safely, when the M.C.C. slow bowlers, Woolley and Bowley, were introduced. McGirr raised 200 with a lucky snick through the slips for three, the dfiuble century having taken 255 minutes to compile. Lowry settled down the quicker of the pair, running into double* figures by driving Woolley to the off boundary. McGirr soon caught him up, however, taking three boundaries at Bowley's expense, and one off Woolley. The advent of Allom in place of Woolley and Barratt instead of Bowley, did not deter the batsmen, who had feot properly into tlieir stride. Lowry was in particularly fine form with the glide and took seven runs off three successive balls received from Allom. McGirr reached 25 with a fine late-cut, and then gave a chance off Allom to Cornford, but the wicketkeeper fumbled and dropped it. Play quietened as the adjournment drew near and Barratt was changed for Bowley, but the batsmen were together at the break, the score being 266 for six wickets (McGirr 34, Lowry 28).

Slow Scoring. Nichols and Barratt had tho batsmen very subdued on resuming, a series of singles taking the total to 270. McGirr gave a difficult chance to Cornford off Nichols in the second over, the ball being a trifle low down for the wicketkeeper to gather cleanly. Twen-ty-one minutes passed before Lowry added a single to the score, and McGirr having reached 40 appeared satisfied to stay there. Gilligan made a double change in the attack after 19 runs had been added in 40 minutes, Worthington and Woolley handling the bowling.

McGirr Stumped. Ironical cheering from the hill greeted each run jnade, but a burst of applause followed for McGirr when he gained his 50. McGirr was then stumped off Woolley. 293—7—51. James just joined Lowry in time to see tho latter send 300 up after 345 minutes with a shot through tho gully. Bowley came oil to bowl at the opposite end to Woolley, and with a good length made the batsmen quiet. Lowry pulled Bowley to the leg fence for four after playing carefully for three overs, the batsmen gaining 50 in 150 minutes. Barratt replaced Woolley, James greeting him with a four to the leg boundary and a single, Lowry also hooking the new bowler to the boundary. A quick double change saw Bowley substituted by Nichols and Barratt by Worthington. Almost instant success accompanied the change, Worthington finding James's legs in front to a straight one. 349 —B—l4.

Worthington Injured. Still batting solidly, Lowry reached 70. Worthington suffered a leg injury while bowling just before the tea' adjournment and had to be carried off. The score at the interval was 352 for eight wickets. Lowry wis aggressive to Woolley on restarting, while Merritt was content to hold his wicket up against Barratt. Facing Barratt, Lowrj- chopped the bowler to the houndarv through the slips.

j Lowry Out. ( Aliom took over from Barralt and i got Lowrv leg-before in his f, rs j 07Cr< I 573—9—80. Merritt and Mathcsou carried ti<3 ! total to within four runs of the number j required to prevent a follow on, when I the lattor played Aliom on •tzr I 10—7. The innings occupied -'M minutes, j M.0.0. Eat Again, j Gilligan did not compel Nw Zealand ! to bat again, Corn ford »nd Dawson being sent in to fact ike l-owling of McGirr and Mathesoa Eight runs were added at a vary Blow r<ite, apd then Matheaon went right through Corn- , ford'B guard and bowlod hini. 13.—l 4. ' Blunt had partnered Matfceson ftt the bowling creas3, anc. Lheir attack had the Englishmen on the defence. Jfuthc-

gon in his next over knocked Dawson's middle stump out. 21—2—<5. Legge Clean-Bowled. Matheson was taken off next over, Lowry going on to bowl a maiden. A sensation followed when Legge was beaten and bowled by a good length ball from Blunt. Stumps were then drawn, the score being 22 for three wickets. Scores: — M.C.C. First Innings. E. H. Bowley, run out .. 42 E. W. Dawson, c Allcott, b Blunt .. 55 t£* g, Duleepsinhji, b Allcott ... 63 F. E. Woolley, b Allcott .. .. 10 li. c Matheson, b Weir 196 M. S. Nichols, b McGirr .. ..75 S.' Worthington, b Merritt .. 0 A. H. Gilligan, b Merritt ... '25 j?', Barratt, c Mills, b Blunt ... 17 \V. Cornford, c Matheson, b Page 18 l\f J. C. Allom, not out ... 8 Extras ... ... ••• 31 Total ... ... 540

NEW ZEALAND. First Innings. J. E. Milk, c Duleepsinhji, b Allom ... ... ... 12 C. S. Dempster, c Cornford, b Allom ... ... ••• 27 G. L. Weir, b Barratt .. .. 63 M. L. Page, c Barratt, b Woolley 25 R. C. Blunt, b Nichols ... ... 0 C. F. L. Allcott, run out .. 33 T. C. Lowry, lbw, b Allom .. 80 W. M. McGirr, st Cornford, b Woolley .. . • .. 51 K. C. James, lbw, b Worthington 14 W. E. Merritt, not out .. .. 18 A. M. Matheson, b Allom .. 7 Extras .. .• ..57 Total .. .. ..387

DEMPSTER WINS BAT FOR FIELDING.

[THE PEESS Special Serrlc*.]

AUCKLAND, February 24

A presentation of a bat in recognition of his splendid fielding in the fourth cricket Test between the M.C.C. team and New Zealand was made at Eden Park to-day to C. 8. Dempster, the Wellington representative. The bat was given by Major G. A. Faulkner, D.5.0., the famous South African cllrounder, who, with the object or drawing attention to the value «nd necessity of good fielding, desirei i.hnt the bat should be presented to the best fieldsman in the Test matcii against the M.C.C. at Auckland

The presentation was made by Mr F. Eitrl, president 'of' the Auckland Cricket Association, who said that Dempster's fielding was one of the features of the Test, probably the greatest match ever played in Auckland.

Dempster will also lie presented later with the ball, engraved, which was used while he made his century in the second Test in Wellington.

BOWLING ANALYSIS. 0. M. R. W. JVIcGirr ... 15 2 65 1 Matheson ... 30 6 89 — Merritfc ... 34 2 127 2 Allcott ... 47 17 102 2 Weir ... 10 1 29 1 Blunt ... 21 3 61 2 Page ... 14.4 4 36 1 Second Innings. W. Cornford, b Matheson 0 E. W. Dawson, b Matheson 6 M. S. Nichols, not out .. 7 G. B. Legge, b Blunt 0 ' Extras • • 7 Total for three -wickets .. 22 BOWLING ANALYSIS. 0. M. E. W. McGirr .. 3 1 4 — Matheson ..5 2 7 2 Blunt .. 3.3 2 4 1 Lowry ..1 1 -—

BOWLING ANALYSIS. 0. M. - B. W. Nichols 19 4 45 1 Barratt t. 37 12 60 1 Allom 25.1 5 42 4 Woolley 41 10 100 2 Bowley 28 6 58 — Worthington 15 u 25 1