WEST INDIES 171 RUNS BEHIND

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27916, 13 March 1956, Page 14

WEST INDIES 171 RUNS BEHIND

CRICKET

Two New Zealand Wickets Down For 61

CAVE AND MacGIBBON GAIN BEST TEST FIGURES

(From Our Own Reporter)

AUCKLAND, March 12.

Rain that reduced the playing time by two hours and. three-quarters was at once a hindrance and a help today to the New Zealand team in its spirited effort to beat thej West Indies in the fourth test at Eden Park. Moisture! on the pitch contributed to New 7 Zealand’s superb bowling today, when the West Indies, losing five wickets while six runs were made, was dismissed for 145, 110 runs short of New Zealand’s first-innings score. At the close of play, New Zealand had made 61 for two wickets. Although New Zealand had another most successful day, rain and bad light have so affected the course of the game that New Zealand may not have enough time to achieve its first victory. But the West Indies is still very much in the game too, for even if the New Zealand batsmen make progress in the morning, there would have to be a declaration by lunch, and the visiting team has enough fast-scoring batsmen to reach a goal of perhaps 320 in four hours.

The pitch today showed further wear, but after the immediate effects of the rain had disappeared—they lasted only a short time—the ball came through fairly easily. However, the pace bowlers on both sides are able to make the ball move off the pitch, end if the present unfavourable weather forecast for the last day js in error, it could be an exciting six hours tomorrow. New Zealand’s success today was chiefly that of H. B. Cave and A. R. Mac Gibbon, each' of whom achieved his best test bowling figures. The West Indies total was the second lowest ever made asainst New Zealand, and it was only 13 more than score in the Calcutta test. v. Cave was nothing less than magnificent. Today he bowled 69 balls, yielding a four from an edge that went through his leg trap and two singles while taking three wickets. Mac Gibbon. much more deliberate in his runup than usual because of the dampness, was also very accurate, and he took two for 17 today from seven overs. Excellent Fielding These two were supported by excellent fielding. It was one of the few occasions New Zealand has gone through an innings without dropping a catch. The game was not resumed until 25 minutes after lunch, and for a time neither H. Furlonge nor A. Roberts was in very much trouble. But slowly Cave won an ascendancy over Furlonge, who was in difficulties consistently. Furlonge was in 25 minutes before scoring, and he played out five successive maidens from Cave. Roberts, however, was cool and correct. wonderfully so for so young a plaver in his first test appearance. The New Zealand bowlers forced him on to his back foot for over after over, but he was particularly sound there, and he did most of the scoring. Twice he hooked Reid beautifully for fours, although the second time he had to execute an intricate dance step around the stumps to avoid breaking the wicket. They staved together for a vital hour, batting very stubbornly and making their partnership worth-45, the best of the innings. Furlonge, who batted 210 minutes, was taken by S. C. Guillen off a lovely ball from Cave, and as he came in there was heavy rain, which delayed play a further 20 minutes. Before the covers could be put on the pitch became just greasy enough to suit Cave admirably, and he exploited the situation perfectly*. The ball did nothing spectacular, as observed from the boundary, but the little extra pace with which it sometimes came through, and its tendency to bite occasionally, gave New Zealand its chance. Cave took his last three wickets in 21 balls without conceding a run. Binns went leg before to Mac Gibbon. the ball turning back from the off sharply, and Cave then yorked Ramadhir. to make the total at tea 145 for eight. Fiftieth Test Wicket Straight after the interval. Mac Gibbon yorked Roberts, to become the first New Zealander to take 50 test wickets. Roberts had defended valiantly and pugnaciously for nearly an an hour and a half. Cave then had Valentine beautifully caught by Taylor at leg slip, to finish with four for 22. a wonderful reward for his determined effort. He was unrelenting in his accuracy, he kepr swinging the ball in unpleasant conditions, and he never conceded that a wet ball might be a handicap to his side. Mac Gibbon offered him excellent support, and although Reid did not take another wicket, he. too, bowled well. J. C. Alabaster had three overs before Cave changed ends and rolled up the innings. They were tidy ones, and he was unlucky to have a four against him when a ball Mac Gibbon was about to field correctly suddenly jumped chest high. The fielding was extremely keen, and Guillen was first-class behind the wickets. When New Zealand's second innings began 100 minutes before the close of play, there were some who expected risks to be taken immediately. Fortunately for New Zealand, they were not. The early loss of wickets could easily have led to a collapse and a reasonably easy task for the West Indies in the last innings. Now New Zealand is in a position from which to attack vigorously tomorrow. Atkinson’s Defensive Bowling The West Indies captain, D. Atkinson, showed his appreciation of the position in his long spell of defensive bowling. He bowled the full 100 minutes, much of the time outside the off stump, the fields designed in the main to keep the scoring rate down and delay New Zealand’s progress. His was a superb effort, and in nearly 18 overs he has yielded only 24 runs, some of them fortuitous. L. S. M. Miller and S. N. McGregor scored only 14 in their opening partnership but they stayed together nearly 40 minutes and removed the immediate possibility of New Zealand's being bundled out as it was on the same ground a year earlier. Mcuregor looked very sound, until he committed his fatal error. Ixl firs t seven overs only one

single was scored, but Mac Gibbon came in obviously bent on attack. He had luck with him two or three times —his first scoring shot was a four off Atkinson that went through the hands of G. Sobers at first slip—but in the main he hit wisely and well. Only some very active fielding in the covers denied him runs off strong and handsome drives. He took 18 off four overs from O. G. Smith. Miller’s Dismissal Miller began very well, but after a time Atkinson, finding he could move the ball sharply off the pitch, adopted more positive methods. He did not risk runs by calling in the third man and fine leg with ‘which he started the innings, but he beat Miller’s forward prod repeatedly before getting him caught from the second last ball of the day. New Zealand was lucky in being able to bat through to 6 p.m., for on the two earlier days there had been very bad light from 5 o’clock. The match remains in an absorbing position, with New Zealand on top, but the West Indies is undoubtedly able and willing to accept a reasonable challenge. Miller’s 25 runs made his aggregate for the season 679, a total only B. Sutcliffe among New Zealanders has beaten. Scores:—

NEW ZEALAND First innings 255 Second Innings. L. S. M. Miller, c Weckes, b Atkinson 25 S. N. McGregor, c Binns, b Atkinson 5 A. R. MacGibbon, not out 30 Extras 1 Total, for two wickets 61 Fall of wickets: one for 14; two for 61. BOWLING O. M. R. W D. Atkinson .. 16.5 9 24 2 T. Dewdnev 8 4 12 0 O. G. Smith 4 0 18 0 S. Ramadhin 7 2 6 0 WEST INDIES First limings H. Furlonge, c Guillen, b Cave 64 B. H. Pairadeau, c MacGibbon, b Cave 9 G. Sobers, c Guillen, b MacGibbon 1 E. D. Weekes. c Guillen, b MacGibbon 5 O. G. Smith, b Beard 2 D. Atkinson, b Reid 28 A. Roberts, b MacGibbon 28 A. Binns, lbw, b MacGibbon 0 S. Ramadhin, b Cave 3 A. L. Valentine, c Taylor, b 1 3ave 0 T. Dewdney, not out 0 Extras 5 Total a45 Fall of wickets: One for 25: two for 32; three for 56: four for 59: Rve for 94; six for 139; seven for 140; eight for 145: nine for 145; 10 for 145. BOWLING O. M. R. W. A. R. MacGibbon .. 21 5 44 4 H. B. Cave .. 27.3 17 22 4 J K. Reid .18 5 48 1 D D. Beard 9 4 20 1 J. C. Alabaster 3 1 6 0