VICTORIA RECOVERS FROM COLLAPSE

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26263, 7 November 1950, Page 7

VICTORIA RECOVERS FROM COLLAPSE

283 For 7, After Early Losses

(N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) (Rec. 10.45 p.m.) * MELBOURNE, November 6. Trevor Bailey’s five wickets for 45 runs, Roy Howard*! fine century and the hard-hitting display of Doug. Ring, who made 75 ift 82 minutes, were highlights in another entertaining day’s cricket between England and Victoria to-day.

Victoria, after losing Harvey for seven, Loxton for four and Kerr for three in a mid-innings collapse, recovered brilliantly in the afternoon to wrest the initiative, and at stumps had 283 runs on the board for the loss of seven wickets.

Apart from Bailey ’and Warr, England Jiad not a bowler to counter the free-hitting tactics of the later batsmen, and missed an excellent opportunity to bundle the Victorians out cheaply.

Compton’s field placing for the early overs of Bailey and Warr was not so aggressive as on Saturday. He had a deep thud man and a deep fine leg, short leg and silly leg. and three slips, with others at point and cover.

The first surprise of the day occurred in Bailey s second over when he clean bowled Meuleman with a yorker for six with the score at 17. Neil Harvey, the new batsman, played out the rest ot the over without apparent concern after a three by Howard past mid-on. Harvey also played out Warr's next over. He then opened his account with a single off a hall from Bailey which he turned to fine leg. But Harvey did not stay. After pulling a short ball from Hailey to the square leg lence, he was out to a brilliant onahanded catch by Sheppard at silly leg. oft a hard-hit shot. Bailey, In taking the first two wickets, had bowled seven overs lor 15 runs.

When the leg-spinner, Hollies, came on at the other end- Howard twice lifted him to the outfield to reach 20. Hassett, who began very quietly, opened his account with a single to third man off Warr and a tour with a sweep to leg off Hollies. Hassett, liae Compton, should have been out at four, in a similar way to the Englishman he darted yarda down, the pitch to smother a slower ball from Hollies which beat boui nini and the keeper, Mclntyre. It was an unlucky miss for Hollies who nad oeen bowling particularly well and giving nothing away. , Victoria at lunch had lost two for 65. Howard was 31 and Hdssett Ift.

Hassett moved to 19 in the second over after lunch when he appeared to lose sight of a ball frqjn Bailer and was clean bowled. He batted 81 minutes for 19 runs (onq four). Loxton began by snicking Bailey’ft next ball .through the slips for tour. He repeated the shot a few minutes later and was caught by Hutton at first slip. Bailey had then bowled nine overs for foul' wickets and 23 run*. Two balls later Howard, who nad moved to 43 after punishing Hollies with two fours in the previou* over, gave Compton a hard chance at second slip. Compton dived for the catch with his righj hand and waa unlucky not to hold it In the aame over Kerr was easily caught by Close at third slip and Victoria had tost five wickets for 89. Eventful Over That ont over from Bailey had yielded two wickets, a chance, and 10 runs.

After struggling for every run Howard and lan Johnson brought up Victoria's 100th run in 147 minutaa, Howard, who was then 47, reached his 50 (four four*) in 161 minutes. After the dullest half-hou* ot the sama, Howard swfing Hollies to square leg boundary to reach flfl. while Johnson hovered around 18, when Howard repeated the shot and the batsmen ran four The 50 partnership came up in 59 minutes. Johnson gave his first chance at 22 when he lashed out to a ball from Hollies and gave Warr the chance of a difficult catch at long-on. Undeterred he also clouted the next ball to the fence to reach 30. The score at tea was five for 155. with Howard 78 and Johnson 32. Howard reached 80 after tea, when Bailey returned to the attack with renewed zest but less effect The score had reached 161 when Johnson hit a dull from Warr firmly to square log and in going for two he was run out by a perfect return from Berry. Johnson batted 91 minutes in scoring 36 (four fours) and the partnership yielded 72 runs. Ring was dropped by Mclntyre in the same over in Bailey's next over. The Englishmen appealed confidently for an lbw decision against Howard who was then 81 but it was disallowed. Ring Was missed again at three, this time by Warr off his own bowling. Then making the most of his charmed existence he lashed out and hit Bailey for four to long-on. Howard went to 96 by straight-driving Warr to the boundary and picked up two for a shot past square leg. A fine forcing shot through the covers for four gave him his century (eight fours) in 280 minutes. Having accomplished this much he lifted Holllee' next ball over mid-off for six.

Period of Free Scoring In the free-scoring period that followed Howard and Ring reached a 80 partnership in 46 minutes while Ring raced on to 40 in one hour. Still bitting merrily Ring reached 50 (nine fours) in 67 minutes with the brightest display of the match. Two minutes later the 100 partnership came up in only 70 minutes and with Victoria’* score at six for 264 England had lo«t its early grip on the game. Ring's entertaining display ended at 75 when he was well caught by Berry at longon off Close. He had batted only 82 minutes and hit 11 fours. The parnership had been worth 120. Howard (125) and McDonald were the not out batsmen at stumps. Scores:—

M.C.C. ‘ First innings (total for nine wickets declared) .. .. 306 VICTORIA First Innings K. Meuleman. b Bailey .. ..fl R. Howard, not out 125 N. Harvey, c Sheppard, b Bailey .. 7 A. L Hassett, b Bailey .. .. IS S. J. Loxton. c Huttort, b Bailey 4 Kerr, c Close, b Bailey, .. 1 I. W. Johnson, run out .. .. M p. Ring, c Berry, b Close .. 75 I. McDonald, not out .. ~ 1 Extras ~

Total for seven wickets ~ 283 Bowling.—T. Bailey, five for 45; J. J. Warn none for 69; W. E. Hollies, non* tor 87; D. C. Compton, none for 2; B. Close, one for 44; R. Berry, none for 29.