England Two For 66 In First Test

Press, Volume C, Issue 29535, 9 June 1961, Page 13

England Two For 66 In First Test

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) BIRMINGHAM, June 8. England had scored 66 for the loss of two wickets shortly after lunch on the first day of the first test match at Birmingham after winning the toss and batting. G. Pullar was bowled by A. Davidson for 17 and K. Mackay had E. R. Dexter caught in slips by Davidson for 10. The morning session was interrupted by rain which drove players from the field after 15 minutes.

The Edgbaston ground holds 25,000, and is expected to be full to see Australia attempt to hold the Ashes it won from May’s side in Australia in 1958-59. The Air Ministry early this morning forecast showers or longer periods of rain and a chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon. Conditions would be mostly cloudy with some bright intervals, and the winds light to moderate. The Edgbaston head groundsman, Mr Bernard Flack, said that the pitch, which has a good mat of grass, would favour fast bowlers for the first hour of play. “Seam bowlers have always done well on the first day on this pitch. There have in fact been some startling first innings collapses on the pitch, which later becomes quite tranquil,” he raid. Australia’s top batsman, N O'Neill, was passed fit and is playing. The captain. R Benaud. said: “O'Neill was included in the team yesterday, after he had a successful try-out at the nets, under the proviso that there was no adverse reaction this morning.” About 7.30 a m., before he had breakfast, O’Neill walked along the passage from his third floor bedroom in Birmingham’s Queens Hotel to tell Benaud that his knee was all right O'Neill tore the fibres of the main tendon of his left knee against Sussex on Saturday but made a startling recovery after it was thought

he would be unavailable for a fortnight. O'Neill was the “guinea pig" for a revolutionary treatment which cured bis injured knee, the Exchange Telegraph news agency reported. The agency quoted the Australian team treasurer, Mr Ray Steel, as saying the cure was a combination of the special treatments. The usual cure for such an injury is normally to rest, but a team of London specialists experimented on O’Neill with "galvanism" and “ultrasonic" treatment. Metal pads charged with electricity were strapped round his injured left knee and this was followed immediately by the "ultrasonic" treatment. In this a metal rod sending out shock waves is placed on the injured part. Mr Steel said it was the first time the two treatments had been used at the same time. The “Daily Mail” writer, Alex Bannister, said that while O'Neill's presence In the team was morale boost to the Australians, he doubted whether it eould affect the final result. "On a perfect wicket I visualise a cascade of runs and final victory to the groundsman—unless there is a freak weather intervention at the right time for the lucky side,” Bannister said Australia and England will be fighting for more than the Ashes in the coining test series. The W D. and H. O. Wills organisations in Britain and Australia are offering awards totalling £BOOO for the best team and Individual performances. The side winning a test will get £5OO, and the side scoring at the fastest rate a 100 balls in each test, another £5BO. On the individual aide the man scoring the fastest 100 in the series will get £4OO as will the bowler taking the most wickets in the series, and the bowler with the most wickets in an innings. The batsman with the fastest individual scoring rate throughout the series and with a minimum aggregate of 200 runs, the fielder—excluding the wicket-keeper—-who takes the most catches and the wicket-keeper with the highest number of victims in excess of 15 will also receive £4OO each. Scares at laark:

ENGLAND Urn ImIiji G. Fuller. b DavMnon E. B. Dexter, r DavM11 son. b Mackay !• * Hubba Bow. net eat r M. C. Cowdrey, Mt ent i Extras J .Total (for two wickets) M Fall of wlcketa: eae 44. two for M. f«r Bowlint A. Davidson. one for 2t. 5. Mackay, one for II. E. Misaoa, none for 1J.