Fine Weather And Hard Pitch For Third Test

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29145, 4 March 1960, Page 12

Fine Weather And Hard Pitch For Third Test

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, March 3. Fine weather and a hard, true pitch are expected at Carisbrook tomorrow for the first day of the third unofficial test cricket match between Australia and New Zealand. Both teams arrived in Dunedin before noon today. The pitch has rolled out well and the outfield is fast. The only life it should have on the first day will be in the opening few overs, and whichever team bats first should score freely. The pace bowlers can expect little assistance from the pitch on the first day. It is hard, but not expected to be fiery. Twelve of the 14 Australian players had net practice at Carisbrook this afternoon. The fast bowler, B. Fisher, who had to leave the field through injury in the Wellington test, had a thorough work out. He bowled throughout most of the practice and at one period worked up to full pace. It is not expected that he will be in the team for this test, but his form was impressive enough to believe that he will play before the fourth test.

The Australian team for the match has yet to be selected, but the general feeling is that J. Potter, the young Victorian bats-

man, will replace J. Lili, of South Australia, who has yet to find form on this tour after batting well in the Sheffield Shield series. Most of the New Zealand team rested this afternoon. It was intended that the side play an afternoon match against Dunedin combined secondary schools, but this was cancelled. Four members of the team, G. T. ’ owling, R. C. Motz, K. W. Hough and B. Sinclair, had batting practice against the schoolboy bowlers. “The two teams have proved to be so even that I cannot even hazard a guess as to which way this test will go,” said the Australian captain, I. D. Craig. “We had a little the better of the duel at Wellington and New Zealand shaded us at Christchurch.” The umpires for the test are Messrs W. J. C. Gywnne (Dunedin), who umpired the test series against the West Indies in the 1955-56 season, and R. W. Pollok (Invercargill).