CRICKET NORTH ISLAND OUT FOR 294

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 12

CRICKET NORTH ISLAND OUT FOR 294

J. E. Guy And J. A. Hayes In Form A. M. MOIR ALSO BOWLS WITH SUCCESS

Two players who were not thdught to have particularly good prospects of winning places in New Zealand’s team for the first test against England on March 11 improved their chances considerably on the first day of the interisland match at Lancaster Park yesterday. They were the 20-year-old left-hand batsman, J. E. Guy, and the Canterbury fast bowler, J. A. Hayes. In North Island’s first innings score of 294, Guy made 81 not out, and Hayes, after a bad start, bowled very well in the afternoon, finishing with four wickets for 77 runs. The North Island innings occupied the whole day. Others who gave impressive performance® were A. M. Moir, who confirmed his claim to selection, and the young Wellington wicket-keeper, T. G. McMahon. G. O. Rabone, the North Island captain, who is available for the test matches, seems certain to be one of the opening batsmen, his innings of 67 runs yesterday being won by diligent and intelligent batting. The teams are:— North Island: G. O. Rabone (captain), D. B. Clarke, J. E. Guy. L. S. M. Miller, J. B. Morris, N. H. Harford, J. R. Reid, J. E. F. Beck, H. B. Cave, L A. Colquhoun and R. W. Blair.

South Island: L. D. Smith (captain), W. S. Haig, S. N. McGregor, L. A. Watt, A. M. Moir, J. A. Hayes, A. R. Mac Gibbon, M. E. Chapple, M. B. Poore, T. G. McMahon, and J. G. Leggat. R. T. Dowker has withdrawn from the South Island team, and E. C. Petrie is acting as twelfth man for both sides. There was considerable merit in the performances of Rabone, Guy, Moir and Hayes, in particular, but it was, in the main, a somewhat colourless day’s play. It is a common failing to criticise batsmen for slow scoring without giving due credit ter bowlers, and yesterday it was tempting to do that. Moir’s bowling was often first-class, and Hayes had a really good spell after lunch. Further, the easy pace of the pitch, while allowing the fast bowlers few opportunities, did not lend itself to rapid scoring. For all that, there was nothing much to increase the pulse rate of the most eager spectator.

The humid weather for most of the day, and the rapid switches in the direction of the wind, set the fieldsmen and Smith some problems, but there was no suggestion in the batting of the inspiration needed to force runs from the bowling at a more reasonable rate than 277 off the bat in 390 minutes. Guy was in about four hours for his 81, Rabone three hours and a quarter for 67, and if the handful of spectators was not always held in thrall by the beauty of the stroke production, both these batsmen showed the deep concentration required of first-class cricketers. . Bowlan Start Badly the £n they I£l to open “tsgtoih®* mutt have been bamttud by toe bowling, in his first •£££?’ Hayes was badly out of form. With five fieldsmen in sinister attitudes about the slips and gully positions, he persisted in presenting the batsmen with runs outside the leg stump, with only a leg slip to stem the flood Mac Gibbon was tetter, but bowled like a man conscious of the fact that the pitch was no ally. P ,easant conditions, Rabone and Miller scored 50 in ev® time, Miller making most of his run* on thewith well-timed glancpfcand pullcHjbone also scored heavily tefi»Lin mid-fIBC and fine leg. but once he the morning with a rippling drive for four off Mac Gibbon. Miller looked quite sound and made the most ot the easy runs offered him. Rabone was all concentration and determination, and the fan of MlUrt wicket at n was not expected. Rabone and Morris improved North Island’s position, and they were still together at lunch, when the score was 110. Morris had some moments of uncertainty but his driving was strong and handsome and again there seemed little Immediate prospect of a wicket falling, although Moir was bowling very well indeed. North Island's troubles began soon after lunch when Rabone pulled a muscle in his back and had to retire. That was at 114; at 131 Morris deflected one from Moir on to his stumps, an unfortunate enc to an innings which was beginning to blossom Into bright colours. Next ball, Harford was beautifully taken by McGregor, close in on the leg side, and Hayes chose this moment to find form. Bowling with real pace in defiance of the turf, he improved his control of length and direction quite dramatically. Reid was out to an exceptionally good one, Hayes contriving to make it lift off a length. Reid seemed to play it down, from his full height, quite well, but the ball spun back into his stumps, and soon after that Bee* was beaten and had his off-stump knodked back. Gay's Inaiasi Guy, with a reputation for playing fast bowling badly, did much to disarm his detractor*. Admittedly, there was nothing in the pitch to cause much anxiety, and Guy did make one or two passes at the ball pitidling outside his off stump, but in general he did a good job, defending stoutly, taking most of the runs offering, and at the end of the inning* attacking joyously with some graceful drives and pulls. Rabone came back half an hour before tea, and after the interval had Beck

running for him. Again he played surely, but he was out in a way to delight any slow bowler—trying to drive a leg break thrown a little wide of him, and lifting the ball enough for Mac Gibbon to make the catch.

At 198 for seven. North Island was not well placed, but Colquhoun helped Guy score 76 for the ninth wicket in 68 minutes. Colquhoun lacks a few of the batting refinements, but he is a very useful player, and his hard hitting of tired bowling was most profitable. Just before the end, Guy made the stroke of the day —moving well down the pitch to drive Moir through extra cover with superb ease and timing. South Island Bowling Hayes was two men yesterday. In the morning he was full of errors, but between lunch and tea he bowled with considerable fire and success. After one over from the south end after lunch he changed to bowl down-wind, and then in 1C overs he took two wickets for nine runs. He has not often bowled faster nor with such intent, and his stamina was remarkable. Moir’s bowling was always interesting, often delightful. On such a pitch the ball should not have turned quickly, but he made it fairly fizz several times, and his turn was quick enough to compel the hasty defensive stroke even when he dropped the ball a little short of a length. He showed very good control most of the day, he flighted the ball well, and he turned it to beat the bat quite often. Cricket has little better to offer than the curve of a flighted, good-length leg-break, and I Moir often pleased the connoisseur. He might have had Guy out twice; at 31 the batsman snicked him between wicketkeeper and slip, and at 49 he hit back a hard catch which Moir did not hold. Mac Gibbon bowled with only moderate success, but he, too, was better in the afternoon. He has had to do a lot of bowling this season, and yesterday’s heat probably took its tolL However, he has an older bowling head on his shoulders than he had before the South African tour, and in the second innings—if his batsmen give him one—be may strike more fire from the pitch. The South Island fielding was hardly sound, but it could not look very athletic for long in such conditions. McMahon, however, did very well behind the wickets. In the morning he was called on for some aerobatics, and be got through a trying time most capably. He has tremendous energy, and late in the day he startled everyone by soaring skywards to stop a bouncer from Mac Gibbon which seemed to have four byes written all

he is very capable. Moir and Smith were perhaps the best of the fieldsmen, but most of them can do much better than they did yesterday. The umpires are Messrs E. D. Milne and L. C. Johnston. Scores:— NORTH ISLAND First Innings G. O. Rabone, c Mac Gibbon. b Moir 67 L. S. M. Miller, lbw, b Mac Gibbon .. 32 J. B. Morris, b Moir .. .. .. 34 J. E. Guy, not out .. .. ..81 N. Harford, c McGregor, b Moir .. 0 J. R. Reid, b Hayes .. .. 1 J. E. F. Beck, b Hayes .. ... 0 H. B. Cave, b Hayes .. ..19 R. W. Blair, b Mac Gibbon .. ..8 I. A. Colquhoun, c Haig, b Hayes .. 35 D. B. Clarke, b Moir .. 0 Extras (byes 6, leg-byes 6, wides 2, no-balls 3) .. .. 17 Total .. .. ..294 Fall of wickets: one for 72, two for 131, three for 131, four for 132, five for 132, six for 175, seven for 198, eight for

Mac Gibbon bowled four no-balls and a wide and Hayes one wide. M.C.C. MATCH The Lancaster Park bowler, K. J. McNicholl, has been added to the list of players practising for the Canterbury team to play M.C.C. on March 5,7, and 8.

217, nine for 293, 10 for 294. Bowling O. M. R. W. J. A. Hayes .. 32 11 77 4 A. R. MacGibbon .. 30 7 82 2 L. D. Smith ..8 1 17 0 A. M. Moir .. 30.5 5 77 4 M. B. Poore .. 7 2 20 0 W. S. Haig ..10 4 0