Cricket Test “So Near And Yet So Far”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29702, 21 December 1961, Page 13

Cricket Test “So Near And Yet So Far”

(Specialty written far "The Press" by LOUIS DUFFUSI

DURBAN, Dec. 13. “So near and yet so far . . . perhaps we should have won ... we didn’t bat as well as we should have done . . .” So said a sad J. R. Reid, with tributes to South Africa, as the champagne was passed round and a wild wind blew boisterously outside as if to sweep into the past the memories of the last test match destined to be played on Durban's old Kingsmead ground. It was a bitter disappointment for the New Zealanders. They had bowled and fielded magnificently in their bid to beat South Africa for the first time, only to fail by a mere 31 runs. Who could say when such a chance would occur again?

I have watched all 10 tests between the two countries and have not seen New Zealand play as well all round as it did in this match. What Reid could not say, since he was speaking for publication, was that his crippling bout of influenza had probably made all the difference between winning and losing. Of his first innings of 13 he said: "Not being too well, I felt I was due for a miss so I didn’t take a chance. When the half volley came along 1

played it on the bottom of the bat.” He skied a catch behind the bowler, G. B. Lawrence. That evening of the second day he went at once to bed, was laid up all Sunday and was not fit to have played on the last two days. Other Causes The only other causes for the lack of success were the two difficult chances offered by D. J. McGlew when he had scored 36 and 57 of his 127 not out and, as Reid said, some shortcomings in batting. McGlerw’s first lapse was a shoulder-high catch to J. C. Alabaster in the slips off R. C. Motz. Alabaster said afterwards that he lost sight of the ball. The other was a leg-side stumping chance off Reid. A. E. Dick was not quite fast enough to clinch his opportunity. Those were the only two Kiwi chances that went astray and they were offset by a brilliant stomach catch by Bartlett in gully to dismiss R. A. McLean before he had scored, and a diving leg-side catch by Dick, who took seven wickets in an admirable display as J. T. Ward’s substitute. Dick had bad luck to be given out caught off his arm in the first innings. He made a similar sweep, in the second innings and this time gained a genuine touch. N.Z. Handicapped In both innings New Zealand was handicapped by the indifferent displays of the opening pair, J. W. Guy and J. T. Sparling. Only once in eight first-class matches had the first wicket passed 35. This is evidence enough of a weakness which has to be rectified if they are to obtain the best from their strong middle batting in the second test. In their first innings the Kiwis looked to be out of the hunt when they had Sparling, Guy, S. N. McGregor and Reid out for 89. It was then that P. T. Barton batted three hours for his 54 and P. G. Z. Harris four hours to make 74. The team survived two crises, the second at 162 for seven, to come within 47 of South Africa’s 292.

Their remarkable rally followed when they dismissed South Africa for 149. Motz at one stage took three for seven and Alabaster, who finished with his best test figures of seven for 95, had a spell when he had three for 15. Alabaster said this was the fastest and fairest wicket they had played on. It gave assistance to all types of bowling and yet allowed the good batsmen to play telling strokes. Began Defensively Whsn New Zealand had all the time In the world to score 19 to win it made the mistake, I feel, of starting its final innings too defensively. It played a minimum number of attacking strokes, scored only 53 in two hours and lost the wickets of Guy, Sparling and Barton. Then Harris went without scoring, bowled, according to Dudley Nourse, by an uncalled noball. The fantastic number of 60 no-balls was recored during the game On the last day McGregor played a delightful cocky top-score innings of 55. He was completely confident, in spite of the early loss of his partner Reid, but possibly because of the strong wind he was inclined to loft his drives Several dropped short of fielders and he succumbed when driving straight into the midriff of K. A. Walter, at cover-point. Still the New Zealanders had a chance to win, for after his excellent 40 of the first innings. G. A. Bartlett was batting like a champion When he booked his catch to deep midfield he hit himself with the bat in chagrin all the way back to the pavilion. Motz was going well and attacking when he made a wild swing at H. D. Bromfield and was bowled.

It was all over with nearly four hours to spare. South Africa's bold move of playing seven new caps was successful to a limited degree. It produced splendid all-round bowling, superb fielding in which only one chance was missed and that of no consequence, and it unearthed two stars for the future. One was 20-year-old P. M. Pollock whose nine for 99 was the best test debut made by any fast bowler in the country’s history, and the other K. C. Bland, an accomplished batsman and an outstanding fielder. The aggregate paid crowd of 16,950 did not do justice to the absorbing cricket which left the general reaction in this country that the Kiwis are quite capable of beating South Africa.