WEST INDIES TEST DRAWN

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27636, 18 April 1955, Page 5

WEST INDIES TEST DRAWN

PLAY RESTRICTED BY RAIN

WALCOTT SCORES SECOND CENTURY

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) PORT OF SPAIN, Apl. 16. The second test match between the West Indies and Australia at Queen’s Park Oval ended in a draw today after 122 minutes had been washed out by rain, ruining any chance Australia had of forcing a win. The match was saved from fading into oblivion by the magnificent batting of Walcott and Weekes. Walcott scored 110, giving him a century in each innings, and Weekes just failed to achieve a similar distinction, after his 139 in the first innings, by scoring 87 not out. The final scores were: West Indies, 382 and four for 273; Australia, 600 for nine declared. Rain undoubtedly prevented a decision in this test in which the honours were with Australia. Altogether 510 minuses of play were lost. Australia still looked to have a fighting chance of winning the match when the West Indies resumed its second innings at 1.40 p.m. today. But a sudden tropical downpour cancelled play for the first 45 minutes, and from then on therewere intermittent showers which held up the game throughout the day. The match, which promised to develop into a anti-climax, ended on an exciting note with Walcott scoring his century and Weekes fighting gallantly for his. After the dismissal of Walcott the crowd “rode” every ball that Weekes played in the hope of seeing him reach his century. The Australians gave him every opportunity by hurrying between overs, but they gave nothing away in the field. The bowlers did not cease attacking the stumps. Collie Smith, who scored a century in the first test against Australia at Kingston; had his second no score for the match, being dismissed in the same over that Archer dismissed Walcott. Walcott Is the third West Indies player to achieve the feat of scoring a century in each innings of a test match. George Headley did it twice (against England) and Everton Weekes once (against India). Walcott’s third wicket partnership with Weekes was worth 127 runs in 87 minutes. Scores

WEST INDIES First innings . 382 Second Innings C. Holt, lbw, b Archer .. . 21 J. B. Stollmeyer, b Johnson «• . 42 C. L. Walcott, c Watson, b Archer . 110 E. P. Weekes, not out .» • 87 C. Smith, c Langley, b Archer • o G. Sobers, not out .. . 8 Extras .. .. * 5 Total for four wickets .*273 Bowling O. M. R. W. Lindwall .. 16 1 70 • 0 Miller . 12 0 52 0 Archer .. ..8 1 37 3 Benaud .. •• 12 2 52 0 Johnson .. 7 2 26 1 Johnston .. 7 0 31 0 AUSTRALIA First Innings C. McDonald, c Walcott, b Valentine 110 A. R. Morris, c King, b Butler . Ill R. N. Harvey, lbw, b King .. R. Watson, lbw, b Ramadhin . 133 . 27 R. Benaud, c Walcott, b Ramadhin . 5 K. R. Miller, run out . 3 R. Archer, c McWatt. b Valentine . 84 I. Johnson, c McWatt, b Butler . 68 R. R. Lindwall, not out . 37 G. Langley, c King, b Walcott . 9 W. Johnston, not out . 1 . I* Total for nine wickets dec. . 600 Bowling O. M. R. W. Butler .. ..40 7 151 2 King .. ..37 7 98 1 Holt .. ..11 0 0 Ramadhin •• 32 8 90 2 Valentine ,, 49 12.. 133 a Walcott .. ..19 5 45 1 Sobers . • .. 3 1 10 0 Smith .. ..15 1 48 0 Stollmeyer .. 5 0 11 0