WELLINGTON OUT FOR 125

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26078, 3 April 1950, Page 8

WELLINGTON OUT FOR 125

CRICKET

MATCH AGAINST AUSTRALIA VISITORS SCORE 160 FOR THREE WICKETS (New Zealand Press Association) a WELLINGTON, April 2. Australia taught Wellington cricket a valuable lesson on Saturday—how to dig in and recover from a set-back—but the digging-in process appeared to be pverdone, thus a day as fuU of cricket drama as could be desired up to mid-afternoon tapered off to correct, polished, but uninspiring stroke-making, to the great disappointment of a crowd of 10,000. At stumps Australia, with 160 for three wickets in reply to Wellington's 125, had the game in safe keeping. The gate takings were £lO9l.

Conditions were ideal when J. A. Ongley won the toss and E. W. Tindill and S. A. McVicar opened the innings. There was a sensational starW Tindill being dismissed leg before wicket off A. Davidson’s third baH, which kept low. McVicar was yorked in L. Johnson’s second over, and R. A. Vance failed to get across to an off ball in his third over and was caught at first slip. J. Reid and Ongley set about retrieving the situation, Reid doing the bulk of the scoring. Just when he appeared wed settled, Ongley tried to turn a baH from Davidson to leg and was well caught by D. Tallon.

After F. L. H. Mooney had fallen to a brilliant catch by Davidson, E. Dempster and R. Murray contributed quick doublefigure scores, but it was Reid who saved Wellington from a real collapse. He stole quick singles to keep the bowling, drove square, drove and turned deliveries to the on with power and confidence, and lost his wicket when chasing runs with only the tail-enders to support him. His 74 occupied 115 minutes, and included eight of the 11 boundaries hit during the innings. Few more competent or courageous efforts have been seen at the Basin Reserve.

After the fast bowlers had done their share, D. Ring and J. Iverson came on. Iverson was more expensive than usual, 13 cpming off one over. In spite of their difficulties, the Wellington batsmen were always looking for runs. Their 125 was made in 143 minutes.

Australia’s Batting K. Meuleman dominated the scoring when he and J Burke opened Australia’s innings. C. L. Randall was expensive, 23 runs coming off six overs. A. E. Cresswell relieved Randall and had an immediate success, Burke touching a leg side ball to Mooney. In the next over Murray caught Meuleman off his own bowling. W. A. Brown, the Australian captain, received a big ovation. There was a gasp when, before he had scored, Mooney and Reid appealed confidently for a catch behind the wicket off Cresswell’s bowling, but the umpire had no hesitation in refusing the appeal. Brown and R. Howard showed admirable defence and took no risks. They dead-batted several overs from Cresswell and let many of Murray’s accurate outswingers pass by. At one period seven runs came in 20 minutes. Murray bowled three consecutive maidens. Reid and Cave rested Cresswell and Murray, and the scoring brightened before tea, which was taken with the score at 75 for two wickets in 90 minutes. After tea, 85 runs were added for the loss of Brown’s wicket. He attempted to glide a ball from Cresswell, which swung in and took his leg stump. Howard reached 50 in 105 minutes. Almost a replica of Brown in his stroke-making, he was very confident, off the back foot. When 61 and with the score at 150, Howard skied a slower ball from Murray, but the glare of the sun caused Vance to misjudge it, and an’ easy catch was dropped. L. Duldig, with a sound 21, was unbeaten with Howard’at stumps. Scores: — WELLINGTON

First Innings E. W. Tindill, lbw, b Davidson .. 0 S. A. McVicar, b Johnson .. .. 2 R. A. Vance, c Ring, b Johnson .. 2 J. R. Reid, st Tallon, b Ring .. 74 J. A. Ongley, c Tallon, b Davidson .. 8 F. L. H. Mooney, c Davidson, b Johnson .. -. ' - • 0 E. W. Dempster, c Davidson, b Iverson 14 R. McK. Murray, b Ring . . .. 10 H. B. Cave, c Davidson, b Ring .. 5 C. L. Randall, not out .. .. 7 A. E. Cresswell, b Iverson .. . • 0 Extras .. .. .. .. 3 Total 125

First Innings K. Meuleman, c and b Murray 28 J. Burke, c Mooney, b Cresswell .. 9 W. A. Brown, b Cresswell .. .. 27 R. Howard, not out .. .. ..68 L. Duldig, not out .. .. ..21 Extras .. .. •• ..7

Total for three wickets .. 160 BoWling O. M. R. W. C. L. Randall ..9 0 27 0 R. McK. Murray .. 12 4 23 1 A. E. Cresswell ..11 1 18 2 H. B. Cave ..9 1 34 0 J. Reid .. ..10 4 14 0 E. W. Dempster .. 9 1 37 0

Bowling O. M. R. W. A. Davidson .. 17 5 32 2 L. Johnson .. 14 2 37 3 J. Iverson .. 5.4 0 31 2 D. Ring .. -.8 0 22 3 AUSTRALIA