Bowlers Justified Benaud’s Tactics

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28820, 14 February 1959, Page 13

Bowlers Justified Benaud’s Tactics

ISpeciallv written tor th, NXJ’ui Ou W. J. O’RCILLT.J

(Rec. 11 pm.) MELBOURNE. Feb. 13.

Winning the toss for the first time in the series, Benaud ordered England to bat on a pitch which provided his fast bowlers on the first day of the fifth test with plenty of preliminary fire. It was just the type of wicket which would have substantiated May’s decision to send Australia in to bat at Adelaide in the fourth test. Davidson's first ball of the match bounced clean over Richardson’s head and sSt the pace of the first sporty session in which England lost Bailey and May. In scoring 22 most attractively. Cowdrey gave the England batsmen a lead which few, unfortunately, were able to follow. Realising that opportunity was offering for adventure, Cowdrey attacked Meckiff with' the hook shot and dealt severely on the on side with Rorke.

But just as his partnership with Richardson seemed to have straightened out the new customary early batting tangle, he hit under a shoulder-high ball from Davidson to give Lindwall a sharp slip catch.

Cowdrey’s policy demonstrated clearly enough that the pacy pitch could have been used advantageously by batsman as well as bowler. Richardson in Form

Richardson found his form at last For the first time we saw him commence his innings purposefully and concentrate fully upon giving his team the start It has missed so badly. Bailey was out to the first ball he received. Playing straight down the line at Lindwall, he took a "lifter” on his gloves .to give Davidson an easy gul'.y slip catch. His dismissal could certainly be attributed to the pitch , So. perhaps, could May’,. He started confidently, but facing Meckiff he played a "change of mind” shot at a good length ball which he originally intended to drive. From his forward position he played defensively and cocked up a ridiculously easy catch to Benaud fielding short and fine of point Mortlmore’s Innings Mortimore, batting at number eight gave the best performance seen from any English batsmen charged with the responsibility of wagging the batting tail in this series. He had some luck when snicks went safely through slips to the boundary, but he made up for them amply enough with some stylish offside stroking which should quickly give him standing as a valuable allrounder. Benaud was lucky that his tactics brought him early Important successes. The ease with which Mortimore, assisted by

Trueman, added 83 run, of their unfinished partnership suggestad that Australia would have struck trouble aplenty had the earlier batsmen applied themselves more diligently. Meckiff and Rorke were too.

inaccurate to be really effective. Each of them bowled so wide of the stumps that one grew accustomed to the "two arms” signal from the umpires. There have been more wides bowled in this series than I have seen in all the tests of my experience put together. It is difficut to imagine circumstances which cause an international bowler to have such little control. \ One feature of Australia's bowling will have interested the Englishmen deeply. That was the manner in which Benaud bowled. The ptteh seemed to give him enough lift and pace to make Laker's selection a wise one

The valuable partnership initiated by Mortimore has deprived Australia of much of the advantage gained early in the day. This match shows definite signs now of developing into an interesting tussle.

“LURING” OF PLANES False Signals Picked Up

(Rec. 10 p.m.) SARNIA (Ontario), Fob. 13. A former Royal Canadian Air Force ferry pilot said yesterday that his flight of four Sabre Jeu was almost lured Into the North Atlantic two and a-balf years ago by false radio signals, apparently emanating, from a Russian ship off the Scottish coast. The pilot. Mr Kenneth Hagerty, said he was following a radio beam into Kinross. Scotland, when a new and stronger radio signal was superimposed on the beam to his Sabre.

The other three Sabres in the flight also picked up the signal.

but all four stayed on course, being able to distinguish just enough of the Kinross signal to complete the flight without trouble. The pilots, on landing, were instructed not to mention the incident. He added that by following the other signal, the flight would have veered north into the Aretic. The Sabre’s range is a short Mr Hagarty said the pilots discovered that the signal apparently was emanating from a Russian ship in the North Atlantic below them. No absolute proof | of this eeuld be erioblished. ■