AUSTRALIA NEEDS 54 TO WIN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28823, 18 February 1959, Page 14

AUSTRALIA NEEDS 54 TO WIN

Magnificent Innings By Cowdrey (NZ. Press Association-Copyright) (Rec. 930 pun.) MELBOURNE, February 17. Needing 69 runs with two days of play remaining to beat England, Australia in 20 minutes’ batting this evening had scored 15 runs—all by C. C* McDonald.

England went down with a fight before being dismissed for 214 runs in its second innings, with F. S. Trueman smashing the bowling to all parts of the field.

Today the Australian wicketkeeper, W. Grout, equalled D. Tallon’s record of 20 dismissals for a series against England when he caught F. H. Tyson.

England lost M. C. Cowdrey ' and P. E. Richardson in the session before lunch. Richardson was out lbw in. the last .over before lunch when he hit all over a half volley from Benaud. Cowdrey's innings, in which he made 46 after batting for 123 minutes with seven fours, was one of the most brilliant of the series and ended on a controversial note when he was run out after he and Richardson had put on 66 in 58 minutes for the fourth wicket.

Richardson played a ball to backward point, started to run, but hesitated when he saw N, O’Neill swooping on the ball. Cowdrey, who had not considered a run, had begun to move late and O’Neill’s return broke the stumps. Grout taking the ball at the moment it deflected. Cowarey, who had his back to the Umpire, was in the process of returning to the crease when he was told he was out. Magnificent Driving Cowdrey’s driving this morning was magnificent. He trounced A. K. Davidson, hitting him gloriously through the covers straight down the ground. He' gave

Benaud a hot chanee at second slip off Davidson when 40. * The first 30 minutes produced 42 runs off five overs, of which Cowdrey got 33, the 50 coming in 54 minutes. T. W. Graveney also began strongly by twice hitting Davidson to the cover fence, but in G. Rorke’s first over he gave Lindwall a sharp catch at short fine leg when 20. R. Benaud, who was reported to be suffering from- a torn muscle in , his right side after batting yesterday, came on 10 minutes before lunch and dismissed Richardson in his second over. England lost the wickets of E. R. Dexter, R, Swetman and Graveney for the addition of 60 runs during the session, with Graveney cut for a fine 54, which he made in 137 minutes.with four fours. Once agliin Dexter showed himself to be out of his class as a test batsman and after a stay of 33 minutes was unable to refrain from flicking at balls outside his off stump—strokes on which he was fed—and was finally caught behind by Grout. Swetman hit all over a ball from R. R. Lindwall and was out lbw. Appeal Refused There was some obvious annoyance from several Australian players when umpire Townsend refused to allow an appeal against Mortimore for a catch behind off Lindwall. Had it been allowed

Grout would have equalled Tallon’s record.

Graveney looked likely to go on to his first century of the series but he failed to get over a ball from Davidson in his endeavour to push it to the off, touched it and was well caught by R. N. Harvey at first slip. England went down with a fight when Trueman, in a blaze of hitting, added 32 for the last wicket with J. C. Laker. Mortimore was beaten and bowled by Rorke and F. H. Tyson was caught behind off the young fast bowler.

Tyson’s leg-side catch gave Grout his 20th victim.

Trueman, urged by the crowd to "have a go,” quickly obliged when Laker, the last man, came to the wicket. He hit Davidson for 14 in one over, raising the 200' in 291 minutes. Australia did not hesitate to take the new ball in an effort to get rid of the troublesome Trueman but Lindwall was unsuccessful in his opening over and it was. left to Rorke to end the innings by bowling Trueman for 36 after a stay of 80 minutes with five fours. Scores:

ENGLAND First Innings .. 205 Second Innings P. E. Richardson, lbw, b Benaud 23 T. E. Bailey, b Lindwall P. B. H. May, c Harvey, b Lind- ! 0 wall 4 M. C. Cowdrey, run out T. W. Graveney, c Harvey, b 40 Davidson 54 E. R. Dexter, e Grout, b Davidson 6 R. Swetman, lbw, b Lindwall .. 9 J. Mortimore, b Rorke .. 11 F. R. Trueman, b Rorke 36 F. H. Tyson, e Grout, b Rorke .. 6 J. C. Laker, not out .. 5 Extras ’ .. V- •.. 14 Total .. 214 Fall of wickets: one for 0, two for 12, three for 78, four for 105, five for 131, six for 142, seven for 150, eight for 172. nine for 102. Bowling O. M. R. W. A. K. Davidson 21 1 95 2 R. R. Lindwall .. 10 1 3? 3 I. Meckiff 4 0 13 0 G. Rorke .. 12.4 2 41 3 R. Benaud 0 1 14 1 AUSTRALIA First Innings ... 351 Second Innings C. C. McDonald, not out 15 J. W. Burke, not out .. o Extras .. •• 0 Total for no wickets 3 Bowling O. M. R. w. Trueman .. 2 0 8 0 Tyson •• •*, * • * - •