CRICKET TEST

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27993, 13 June 1956, Page 13

CRICKET TEST

Declaration By England

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Bee. 2 a.tn.) LONDON, June. 12. Declaring at lunch with the score 188 for three wickets, England left herself four hours to dismiss Australia and win the first test; Australia had to score 258 runs for victory . Rain again delayed play this morning, but in the 40 minutes available before lunch England scored 59 runs. Cowdrey and Richardson, whose opening partnership had been taken to 129 the previous evening, carried the score to 151 before they were separated. After the first few overs, Miller and Archer bowled defensively and the batsmen had to drop „a violent assault in favour of placing and quick running. Both opening batsmen played some beautiful strokes, others which were lucky, but they met the needs of their side.

Later Watson, Graveney and Evans made a few hurried runs, Evans scoring his eight in five minutes. The pitch played quite well, but the outfield was wet and slow.

The wicket-keeper Langley made three catches, the last one a splendid effort to dismiss Watson.

Australia made a sedate start after lunch to the new ball bowling ol Bailey and Appleyard, the first five overs producing four runs.

The Australians’ awareness of the danger of fast English scoring was obvious in their tactics while Colin Cowdrey and Peter Richardson were raising 129 in an opening partnership that was unbroken when the fourth day ended. After the captain. lan Johnson, conferred with him 40 minutes before stumps, the vice-captain, Keith Miller brought a rumble from the crowd by bowling a whole six-ball over well outside the off stump to Richardson who watched them go by with his bat lofted high. In the last half-hour Miller dropped his only close fieldsman more than half-way back to the boundary to complete the circle of fieldsmen spread wide to save rung. Cowdrey responded by cover-driving off balls which he usually allows to pass. A few hundred shouted, “Come on,” when Johnson again conferred with Miller 2G minutes before time.

Appeals Disallowed The Australians looked dejected when nine leg before wicket appeals were disallowed, mostly when Cow drey and Richardson were passing from the 20’s to the 40’s. Four anneals were by the leg-spinner, Richie Benaud. four by the off-spinner, Johnson who tried both over and round the wicket, and one by the off-spinner. Jim Burke.

Planting his front foot well forward Cowdrey several times allowed the ball to hit his pad without using the bat. His faith in English umpires not to give out a batsman playing straight forward in this way was borne out Oy umpires Bartley and Buller’s decisions. Against England’s unremitting spin attack from both ends, the Australians managed only 148. of which Neil Harvey made 64.

Batting through the wicket’s most difficult period, he saw five partners go and gave no chance in 204 minutes before Tonv Lock’s faster ball trapped him lbw. By contrast with his 112 off 143 balls in his first test in England eight years ago, Harvey was in for 211 balls, made only 30 scoring strokes and defended throughout 14 maiden overs. Besides getting three of the top five batsmen. Lock snapped up two low right-hand catches at leg slip off his off-spinning allies. Jim Laker (fou r for 58) and Bob Appleyard (two for 17). Scores: — ENGLAND First Innings Total (for eight wickets, dec.) 217 Second Innings P. Richardson, c Langley, b Archer .. 73 M. C. Cowdrey, c Langley, b Miller 81 W. Watson, c Langley, b Miller 8 T. W. Graveney, not out .. 10 T. G. Evans, not out 8 Extras .. 8 Total for three wickets, dec. 188

AUSTRALIA First Innings C. McDonald, lbw, b Lock .. 1 J. Burke, c Lock, b Laker .. 11 R. N. Harvey, lbw, b Lock .. 64 P. Burge, c sub (Parks), b Lock .. 7 K. R. Miller, lbw, b Laker .. 0 R. Archer, c Lock, b Appleyard .. .33 R. Benaud, b Appleyard .. 17 I. Johnson, c Bailey, b Laker . . 12 R. R. Lindwall, c Bailey, b Laker 0 G. Langley, not out .. .. 0 A. Davidson, absent injured .. 0 Extras (leg-byes 3) .. ..3

BOWLING O. M. R. W. K. R. Miller ..19 2 58 2 R. G. Archer .. 10 0 46 1 R. Benaud .. 18 4 41 0 I. Johnson .. 12 2 29 0 J. Burke .. 3 1 6 0

Total R. 148 W. Bowling O. M. A. E. Moss 4 3 1 0 T. E. Bailey 3 1 8 0 J. C. Laker . 29.1 11 58 4 G. A. R. Lock. . . 36 16 61 3 R. Appleyard 11 4 17 2 Second Innings C. McDonald, not out 3 J. Burke, not ou 1 Total for no wickets 4 BOWLING O. M. R. W. T. E. Bailey 3 1 2 0 R. Appleyard 2 1 2 0