M.C.C. Forced To Be Content With Draw

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29398, 28 December 1960, Page 10

M.C.C. Forced To Be Content With Draw

(Neto Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, December 27. The M.C.C. cricketers accepted the challenge of 214 runs in 143 minutes for an outright victory over Auckland in the first match of their Nev. Zealand tour, but found the pace too torrid, and with six wickets down and their captain, D. R. W. Silk, unable to bat, reached only 156 by stumps at Eden Park today.

The powerful M.C.C. spinners dominated the morning session allowing Auckland only 55 runs in two hours and taking five wickets in the process, but some merry hitting and running between the wickets allowed a declaration at 3.14 o.m. with 193 on for nine wickets

Tea was taken immediately and the M.C.C. began its second innings at 3.37 p.m. W E. Russell was soon out—his second low score of the match—but when the solid R. M. Prideaux and the small, but compact. D V Padgett set out for the runs their partnership of 104 in 72 minutes produced some of the finest cricket of the match. Prideaux drove and hooked magnificently and Padgett cut and glanced to such effect that when the 100 appeared in 75 minutes, victory for the M.C.C. seemed quite possible, but then first Padgett, and then in the space of three runs, Prideaux, J. M. Parks and D. R. Smith lost their wickets the remaining batsmen decided to close up. | R W Barber eventually fell to a fine catch at short mid-wicket by J. G. Kemp, but W. J. Stewart, batting most cautiously and still nursing his injured leg, and D Wilson had little trouble in playing out time. Spinners in Form

Earlier in the day, especially before lunch, the M.C.C. gave some indication of their strength when the three fine spinners, D A. Allan, Barber and Wilson, all gaining much more turn than on the first day, tied batsman after batsman in knots, and once again it was left to the youngsters, J G. Kemp and P. B. McGregor, and the hard-hitting captain, L. A Clark, to save the day for the home team.

Resuming at 47 for one wicket this morning, Gedye, after the hesitant addition of 12 runs to his overnight score of 34. completely misjudged a well-pitched ball from Barber and was out leg before wicket, after 30 minutes. Very soon after, Deas repeated his first innings dismissal by gently steering Allen to Prideaux at short leg. J. T Sparling again began quickly and with the youngster, R W Morgan, stone-walling at the other end had moved the score to 88 for three wickets when the M.C.C. produced the first of three brilliant run-outs. Sparling hit gently towards midon and set out for what looked a distinctly possible run, but Padgett swooped on the ball and from about 15 yards threw down the bowler’s wicket from almost side on.

When Morgan, who had scored four hesitant singles in 41 minutes was beautifully stumped by Parks, and Tovey was caught in the leg trap by Barber, both off Alien, Auckland went to lunch at 102 for six, and it was left to McGYegor and Kemp, to repeat their first innings effort. Forceful Batsman Although not batting as well as on Saturday, McGregor produced his fine array of forcing shots hitting four successive fours off Allen and Barber before being run out by a 40-yard throw from Barber at mid-on.

Kemp ’continued carefully until he was bowled by Wilson, who like Barber and Allen, was gaining much more spin than in the first innings. Clark hit merrily for 22 before he too was run out, and his declaration, leaving the M.C.C. 214 in 145 minutes, was made soon after leaving Norman, the top scorer in the first innings, not out for 15. Andersen opened with a maiden, but soon conceded two fours to Prideaux. Russell at the other end produced one good shot, a leg glance for four, but it proved to be his last as he was bowled in the next over by Norman

Padgett joined Prideaux and immediately began to send the score along at a great rate. The M.C.C. needed four runs an over for victorv and Prideaux especially kept the score up to schedule. In one over from Sparling he twice drove him and once hooked him for four with great power. Prideaux reached 50 in 67 minutes and the M.C.C.’s 100. with Padeett doing his share, too. came in 75 minutes.

There was a lull in the attack on the Auckland bowlers for a while and then wickets began to tumble. Padgett was first to go. then Parks and finallv. when Prideaux was also caught, M.C.C had lost hope of victory. Auckland claimed the wickets of Smith and Barber before stumps,

but Stewart and Wilson had little trouble playing out time for the draw. Scores:— AUCKLAND First innings .. .. ..261 Second Innings S. G. Gedye, lbw, b Barber .. 46 E. D. Giles, c Parkes b Barber >l3 K. R. Deas, c Prideaux, b Allen 11 J. T. Sparling, run out .. 14 R. W. Morgan, st Parks, b Allen 4 P. B. McGregor, run out .. 34 E. R. Tovey, c Barber, b Allen 9 J. G. Kemp, b Wilson .. ..14 W. B. Norman, not out .. 15 L. A. Clark, run out ... .. 22 D. Andersen, not out .. .. 5 Extras (byes 6) ..6 Total for nine wickets declared .. .. 193 Fall of wickets: one for 46, two for 65, three for 79, four for 88, five for 90, six for 102, seven for 149, eight for 152. nine for 182.

M.C.C. First innings .. .. 241 Second Innings W E. Russell, b Norman .. 4 R. M. Prideaux, c Kemp, b Clark 68 D. V. Padgett, b Clark .. 46 J. M. Parks, c Deas, b Andersen 8 D R. Smith, c Norman, b Andersen .. .. .. 1 W. J. Stewart, not out .. ..12 R. W. Barber, c Kemp, b Sparling .. .. .. 9 D. Wilson, not out .. ..3 Extras (leg byes 5) ..5 Total for six wickets 156 Fall of wickets: one for 15, two for 119, three for 130, four for 130, five for 133, six for 149.

Bowling O M R. W D R Smith 8 1 18 0 D. N. Sayer .. 16 4 38 0 D A. Allen .. 32 15 35 3 R W. Barber .. 27 7 69 2 D Wilson .. 18 9 27 1

Bowling O M. R. W D. Andersen .. 15 2 41 2 W. B. Norman .. 10 2 23 1 J T. Sparling .. 12 2 54 1 L. A. Clark 11 2 30 2 P B. McGregor 4 3 1 0 R. W. Morgan .. 1 0 2 0 K R. Deas 1 1 0 0