ARMY CRICKET

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23493, 22 November 1941, Page 11

ARMY CRICKET

AUSTRALIA V. N.Z. XI (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service) CAIRO, October 11. Dropped catches at a vital stage of the first day’s play severely handicapped the New Zealanders in the two. day game between the touring A.I.F. cricket team and a 2nd N.Z.E.F. eleven on the Maadi Sporting Club's ground this week. The Australians won by seven wickets. , New Zealand batted first, and after the Australian test bowlers, White and Hurwood, had dismissed the side for 159, D. A. N. Mcßae, the Canterbury left-hander, bowled so well that five Australian wickets. Including that of the international, Lindsay Hassett, fell in an hour for 49 runs. It was at this stage that three catches were missed in the space of 15 minutes. Cameron, who went on to make 59 not out, was dropped first ball in the slips, a mistake that altered the whole complexion of the game. The Australians, helped by a determined ninth wicket partnership of 59 between White and Cameron, then carried their first innings score to 161, two runs ahead. With their only chance of winning lying in forcing the pace, the New Zealanders found such tactics unsuccessful against White and Hurwood, and were all out in the second innings for 77. The Australians’ secpnd innings opened dramatically, Whitington being caught at the wickets first ball, but Hassett’s powerful hitting quickly assured his side’s victory. At no stage of the game could liberties be taken with the Australian bowling, which was backed up by dashing fielding. Bearing the brunt of the attack, White and Hurwood each took nine wickets in the match. They were so accurate that the opening _ hour s play in New Zealand’s first innings realised only 34 runs. A subdued Tindill took 80 minutes over his 29 runs, and Rainbird was two hours in making an invaluable 39. The best batting came from Betts, the Taranaki allrounder. There were five 4’s in his forceful 42. No one. however, bowled better than Mcßae. Consistently hostile, he troubled all the batsmen and richly deserved his figures of six for 44 on 22 overs. Betts, Massey, and Purcell supported him well in the first innings, Massey in particular bowling without luck. The New Zealand ground fielding was generally good. After winning the match, the Australians continued batting for an hour. Hassett and Chanman giving a highly entertaining display of big hitting. One of Morgan’s overs cost 38 runs. Chapman hitting three successive sixes and Hassett two. At stumps Hassett was 102 and Chapman 47.