England Fights To Save Test

Press, Volume C, Issue 29599, 23 August 1961, Page 15

England Fights To Save Test

(N Z.P.A .-Reuter—Copyrigh t) LONDON, August 22. Although England scored only 90 runs in the 150 minutes before lunch on the final day of the fifth test at the Oval, no wickets were lost, and by the interval the team had gone a long way towards saving the match.

On a pitch of easy pace, R. Subba Row and K. F. Barrington defended dourly, and picked up runs when they were offering. Subba Row, suffering from a muscle injury, batted gallantly for his second century of the series—a fine performance in his last test innings. At lunch England, 245 for four wickets, led Australia by seven runs with 210 minutes' play remaining; the partnership was then worth 155 in four hours?

The pitch did not give the bowlers much encouragement, but the scoring was slow, save for one brief period when the slow bowlers yielded several boundaries. An hour before lunch, England's deficit had been reduced to 24, and the Australians had already had 20 minutes’ use of the second new ball. There did not seem to be much life in the pitch when the game was resumed, and the Australian bowlers. KMackay aid R. Benaud. did not look capable of making bricks without straw. Subba Row, handicapped by a leg strain, was subdued, and Barrington was also intent on defence. But when the new ball became available after 45 minutes, with the score 171, Australia was also in difficulties, for Davidson was also limping. Jenaud kept on bowling, with R. B. Simpson at the other end. and suddenly the scoring leapt ahead. Subba Row. in his last test innings twice pulled Simpson for fours; Barrington pulled Renaud to the boundarv. then Subba Row took another boundary off each bowler miking the partnership worth 100.

Simpson was hurriedly taken off. Mackay bowling ?rain. In successive overs. Subba Row was almost caught by R. N. Harvey at short fine leg off Mackay and when Subba Row, on 97. escaped to the other end. Davidson was there for the new ball. He took it at 204.

and a run later R. A. Gaunt joined him. Subba Row, two short of his century, was quite unable to make progress, and he was on that mark for nearly half an hour. Scores:

Subba Row’s century came, with a leg glance off Gaunt, in 330 minutes, and it must have been as much of a relief to the spectators as to the batsman. It was his second century of the series. Runs continued to come reluctantly, until Mackay came on for Davidson, Subba Row startled everyone by hitting Mackay straight back over his head for six. In the same over, the umpires conferred before rejecting an appeal for a diving catch by Gaunt. Davidson, clearly very uncomfortable because of his injury, bowled steadily but without much venom when Benaud brought him on again shortly before lunch. Ten minutes before the interval a cover-drive by Subba Row off Mackay brought three runs, put England ahead, and took the partnership to 150. ENGLAND First Innings .. ..256 Second Innings R. Subb* Row. not out .. 127 G. Pullir. c Groot, b Mackay • ■ 13 E. R. Dexter, c Gaunt, b Mackay .. 6 P. B. H. May, e O’Neill, b Mackay .. -.33 M. C. Cowdrey, e Benaud, b Mackay 3 K. F. Barrington, not out 64 Extras .. 5 Total for four wkts. 243 Fall of wickets: one for 33, two for 33. three for 83. four for M. BOWLING

o. M. R. VP. A. K. Davidson 29 7 67 0 R. Gaunt 16 3 24 0 K. Mackay .. 43 IS 78 4 R. Benaud 27 10 58 0 R. B. Simpson 2 0 13 0