Canterbury Successes In First Test Match

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28618, 21 June 1958, Page 5

Canterbury Successes In First Test Match

[Specially written for "The Press”] EDGBASTON, June 10. TUST before 3 o’clock on the ** fourth afternoon of the first test, New Zealand succumbed to the cricketing might of England.

This bias in favour of the seam bowlers, although advantageous to New Zealand’s attack, was a somewhat dubious blessing, since the batsmen would surely have put up a far better performance on a hard, true pitcn. On Friday night and again on Saturday there were showers which freshened the wicket and it was in keeping with New Zealand’s lack of luck that the tourists found themselves batting on this lively pitch on Saturday afternoon, with 343 to make to win. After a fine week-end, the, wicket on Monday played truer than at any time in the match, but by then the iamage was done.

If the test match news cast a gloom over cricketing circles ip New Zealand, there must also have been a glimmer of satisfaction in Christchurch that the two successes of the match were both Canterbury players. It is doubtful whether . Mac Gibbon has ever bowled Better than he lias In, the last fortnight, and especially in this test. One cricket writer has said that no finer fast medium bowling has been seen since the hey-day of Alec Bedser—high tribute indeed, but well earned. Mac Gibbon’s figures of five for 64 in the first innings might well have been better, for Loader was dropped off his bowling. They also do not record the number of times that he beat May and Cowdrey before he finally claimed their wickets, nor how many times Richardson flashed at his

deliveries without getting a touch. The other Canterbury man was D’Arcy, who withstood the bowling of Trueman, Loader and Bailey for four hours of the match, scoring as a by-product 44 runs in all—the best aggregate for New Zealand in the match. He experienced some of the little luck that wasgojng to New Zealand, for his second innings had a charmed life in the matter of dropped catches. He will clearly have benefited from this match and indeed his scoring rate was appreciably quicker at the second attempt. He did not, however, have practice against the slow bowlers, for all he received was one over from Laker.

Petrie took six catches in the match and when in the second innings he took a superlative leg side catch to dismiss May he secured his hundredth victim in

ftrst-clas, cricket—only the sixth New Zealander to do so. Thia is the second time on tour that he - has equalled the record for New Zealand of six catches- in a match and this is also a New Zealand test record. Wicket, keeping records require a great deal of -co-operation - from the bowlers )and->the opposing bats, men. Petrie'* ■'keeping, while good, was not spotless. He is inclined! to drop the ball too often, although only one catch went astray. The experience on this tour has been that the New Zealanders are quick to learn, and it .is to be hoped that by next week the batsmen will be able to put up a much better performance In the second test. If they axe to do this, however, they must set themselves to score runs and not lust survive. ' -<■ -, ’