RECOVERY BY AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28792, 13 January 1959, Page 10

RECOVERY BY AUSTRALIA

O’Neill And Favell ; Hit Hard

(New Zealand Press Association) (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 12. Hitting hard, L. Favell and N. O’Neill showed today how Australia can win the third test match and the Ashes. In the closing session of play on the Sydney Cricket Ground today these two aggressive batsmen scored at the fastest rate of the innings and killed the bogy of the English spin bowlers, J. C. Laker and G. A. R. Lock.

Fave Il’s 50 not out had some near misses, particularly bef6re tea against Laker, but aggression paid and the spell which Laker had weaved around the earlier batsmen was broken.

O’Neill, playing much more quietly than usual, took his score to 66 not out with some beautifullytimed shots and placements.

The unfinished partnershsip was worth 9? at stumps and with seven wickets still standing, Australia should easily pass England’s first innings score of 219. But it needs a lead of at least 100 runs to offset last use of the wicket, which was taking appreciable spin today.

Australia made an indifferent start. J. W.. Burke, who, since his experiences in England in 1958, appears to be mesmerised by Lock and Laker, was out in Laker’s first over when he turned a ball pitched on middle and leg stumps into Lock’s hands at backward short leg. Australia's first wicket fell at 28.

The heavy roller had taken most of the bite out of the wicket and May quickly brought his spinners into- the attack. Both Lock and’ were spinning the ball but Only slowly. At liinch'■Australia was 40 for one 'With C. C. McDonald 22 and R N. Harvey 8.

Australia was in the toils of spin between lunch and tea, when it last the wickets of Harvey and McDonald for the addition of 34 runs. Its total was then 104 tor three. McDonald Missed

McDonald hid his second life shortly after lunch when, at 28, Laker left him stranded down the pitch. But Swetman fumbled the easiest of stumpings. Harvey was out when he played across a ball in trying to force it away to leg and had his off stifmp knocked back. It was a stroke that a batsman of his calibre should not have made on such a wicket and in sifch a situation. He took 47 minutes to make his 7.

to mid-wicket he mistimed the stroke and the. ball flew to T. W. Graveney at silly mid-off. O’Neill, after a quiet opening, began to hit the ball with tremendous power shortly before tea, when he had been batting 92 minutes. Several of his pull shots off Lock were gems. Favell made a most shaky start against Laker and was at the wicket nearly 20 minutes before he scored.

England Loses Grip England lost its grip on the game between tea and stumps when it failed to break the O’Neill-Favell partnership. From these two hard-hitting batsmen Lock and Laker took a good deal of punishment. Both were most severe on Lock. tea back cut, square cut and Favell, in half an hour after straight drove Lock for successive 4’s, -while O’Neill three times went back and pulled him like a bullet to the boundary. At one stage Favell had scofeed 21 runs to O’Neill’s six and the pair brought up the 50 partnership in 64 minutes. O’Neill, who ‘tiad little of the strike, reached his 50 after batting for 164 minutes.

McDonald, who had Laker a little worried by the manner of his batting—which consisted of either moving right down the wicket or back on to his stumps—looked like riding his luck and going on to a big score. But. in trying to force a ball from Lock

After a magnificent cover drive for 4, Favell reached his half century in two hours, a few minutes before stumps: Scores:— ENGLAND First Innings .. 219 AUSTRALIA First Innings C. C. McDonald, c Graveney, b Lock 40 J. W. Burke, c Lock, b Laker .. 12 R. N. Harvey, k Laker .. .. 7 N. 4) ’Netti, not out .. 66 L. Favell, not. out ..50 Extras 9 Total for three wickets .. 184 Fail of wickets: one for 28, two for 52, three Tor 87.

Bowline R. W. O. M. J B. Statham .. 9 1 33 0 F. 8. Trueman 8 0 20 0 J. C. Laker 27 4 58 2 G. A. R Lock 27 t 64 1