AUSTRALIA WINS COMFORTABLY

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26039, 16 February 1950, Page 6

AUSTRALIA WINS COMFORTABLY

CRICKET

TOUR BEGUN AGAINST HUTT VALLEY

BURKE AND REID BAT WELL

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Feb. 15. The Australian cricketers opened their New Zealand tour with a comfortable win. in a one-day match against Hutt Valley, scoring 283 for seven wickets, in reply to 181 for eight wickets declared. The 19-year-old New South Wales opening batsman, J. Burke, headed the day's performances with a delightful century, but was dropped behind the wickets before he reached double figures. The match finished in a riot of scoring. After Australia had passed Hutt Valley’s total in 130 minutes, another 100 runs were rushed up in 35 minutes, with the test wicketkeeper. D. Tallon, prominent. Some powerful driving and pretty leg shots by the New Zealand representative, J. Reid, the spin bowling of the 6ft 3in Victorian, J. Iverson, Tallon’s flawless wicketkeeping, and the superb fielding of the Australians were relished by the crowd.

The ease with which the Australians scored emphasised their alert and correct footwork. Most were very strong on the on. To-day’s play indicated that the Australian attcck falls far short of that of previous sides. The wicket rolled out surprisingly easy after the heavy week-end rain, and the faster bowlers, L. Johnson, C. Puckett, and P. Ridings, were unable to get results from it. Much may rest on the 20-year-old New South Wales player, A. Davidson, who did not play to-aay, to .lift the fast attack into good class. The 1948 test bowler, D. Ring, got a little spin, but Iverson fulfilled all advance reports. He took three wickets for 31 runs .off 15 overs. He sent down only one loose ball, a short one, which was promptly hooked for six. Iverson moved the ball more than any other bowler, and generally kept a teasing length. The batsmen found difficulty in steering him through any gaps. r *. The Australian fielding had few blemishes, but the usually reliable Johnson dropped a catch in the outfield and Iverson failed to anticipate a hard pull by Reid off Ring when the batsman was nine. The finest catch of the day was made by J. Coulston (Hutt Valley), who raced 10 yards along the boundary. The ball struck his outstretched * right hand, bounced out, and was then held. Details:— HUTT VALLEY A. F. Nightingale, c Johnson, b Ridings 20 J. Coulston, c Tallon, b Johnson .. 9 C. Jones, lbw, b Ring .. ..20 J. R. Reid, lbw, b Johnson •.. .. 61 R. Crawford, b Iverson .. .. 3 R. J. Kemp, c Burke, b Iverson .. 1 I. Brennan, c Howard, b Ring .. 45 G. Drylie, b Iverson .. .. .. 6 C. Muir, not out .. ..7 Extras (byes 4, leg byes 5) ..9

Total for eight wickets dec. .. 181 Bowling: Johnson two for 18, Puckett none for 18, Ridings one for 17, Ring two for 78. Iverson three for 31.

AUSTRALIA J. Burke, retired .. 101 K. Meuleman, st Anderson, b Muir .. 15 R. Howard, c Coulston, b Brennan .. 13 W. A. Brown, c Blair, b Brennan .. 35 P. Ridings, c Blair, b Muir .. .. 27 L. Duldig, b Muir .. .. 4 D. Tallon, st Anderson, b Crawford .. 28 D. Ring, not out .. .. .. 30 L. Johnson, not out .. .. 21 Extras (byes 7, no-balls 2) ..9 Total for seven wickets .. 283 Bowling: Blair none for 47, Muir three for 66, Reid none for 19, Brennan two for 60, Drylie none for 39, Crawford one for 43. CANTERBURY BEATS ASHBURTON J. G. LEGGAT SCORES 113 1 A sixth wicket partnership worth 139 between J. G. Leggat and M. B. Poore, helped to secure a win for Canterbury against Ashburton, by 46 runs on the first innings. Leggat was the top-scorer in the Canterbury innings, making 113. This score included one six and 16 fours. He hit 20 off one over from P. Zouch. Zouch was Ashburton’s most impressive bowler, taking three for 72 off 31 overs. At stumps. Ashburton had scored 82 for three wickets in their second innings. Scores were:— CANTERBURY First Innings R. Condliffe, lbw, b Zouch .. .. 15 P. Z. Harris, run out .. .. 54 M. W. Stanley, b Jordan .. .. 27 R. T. Dowker, run out .. ..36 M. J. Moffat, b Zouch .. .. 17 M. E. Chapple, b Zouch .. .. 1 J. G. Leggat, c Jordan, b Wall .. 113 M. B. Poore, c Griffiths, b Wall .. 38 H. McCree, c Harper, b Todd .. 5 W. Bell, b Todd .. .. ..2 J. Harliwich, not out .. .. 1 Extras .. .. .. .. 10 Total .. ... ..319 Bowling: M. Wall, 23 overs. 5 maidens. 58 runs, 2 wickets; J. Harper, 21. 5. 71, 0; P. Zouch. 31. 14. 72. 3; H. Jordan, 19, 5. 45, 1; A. Todd. 22. 9. 61, 2. ASHBURTON First innings .. .. .. 273 Second Innings D. Smith, b Chapple .. .. 4 L. Kerr, b Leggat .. 10 H. Cullen, not out .. .. .. 55 A. Burrows, b Leggat. .. .. 5 C. Robertson, c Lowker, b Leggat .. 8 Extras .. .. .. .. 0 Total for three w'ickets .. 82 Bowling: M. Stanley, 7. 3,7, 0; M. Chapple, 6, 1. 20, 1; J. G. Leggat, 5,0, 39. 3: R. Dowker. 4. 0, 16. 0.