South Africa In Fine Position

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29739, 5 February 1962, Page 16

South Africa In Fine Position

(Special Crspdt. N.ZP.A.)

JOHANNESBURG, February 3.

With two days left South Africa is in an unassailable position against New Zealand in the fourth cricket test at the Wanderers ground.

When play ended on the second day New Zealand was struggling desperately to avoid defeat with three second innings wickets down for 51 runs and still needing 249 to make the Springboks bat again.

The precarious position of the touring team came after a scintillating batting display by South Africa which in scoring 464 runs in 428 minutes, gained a first innings lead of 300 after dismissing New Zealand for 164 yesterday.

It was the Springboks’ highest total and easily their best performance in the series to date and generally speaking a heartening day for South Africa cricket with some batting of the highest standard which evoked the applause of the crowd, officially given as 18,363 —the most ever to watch a single day’s play on the tour. The weather was perfect. Record Stand

The chief contributors to the South African total were the captain, J. McGlew (120), and R. McLean (78), who put on 112 in 84 minutes in a record third wicket stand. There was an encouraging display by two young players, C. Bland (28) and W. R Farrer (40), who both batted brightly. Their stand of 69 was compiled in 56 minutes for the fifth wicket. Then there was a whirlwind eighth wicket partnership between the pace bowlers, P. Heine and G. Lawrence, who accelerated the scoring tempo by putting on 55 runs in 23 minutes.

However, in spite of this display by the Springboks many felt sympathy with the New Zealand bowlers, especially Cameron, Who saw five chances dropped, the most notable when J R. Reid missed McGlew off G. Bartlett in the first 16 minutes’ play when the batsman had scored 70, and when A. Dick, behind the wicket, failed to hold a snick by McLean off Cameron when McLean was on 23.

Both these chances, like the others, were extremely difficult, but had they been taken the complexion of the game would have changed completely. It was one of those days when the run of luck was against the New Zealanders who, in spite of the chances they missed in the air, produced ground fielding of a high standard. McGregor, in the outfield, Sparling, who

substituted for P. Barton who had to leave the field with a dislocated shoulder, Dowling and Harris were outstanding Deserved Century

McGlew's century in 239 minutes was well deserved but could not have been his best. Mcdew, although usually aggressive, showed a tendency to swish at balls outside the off-stump. In all, he batted 304 minutes, hitting 10 fours and one six over the square leg boundary off the leg-spinner, Alabaster. It was McLean who really set the tone for the day's attacking play with powerful drives through the covers. He scored 70 out of the 100 stand with McGlew and finished with 15 fours in 87 minutes, picking gaps in the field although Reid packed the covers to curb the Springboks’ flow of runs. With McGlew and McLean dismissed at the same total, it was left to the two young middle order batsmen, Farrer and Bland, to drive home the South African advantage. They began their stand at a crucial stage of the innings when New Zealand was still in a position to fight back and much credit must be given to them for the competent and confident manner they resumed the onslaught. Strong Batting

After a patient start they attacked the New Zealand bowling in a manner which would have done great credit to the more experienced players in the side and Reid could do little to stem the flow of runs.

In spite of his sore knee, it was Reid himself who separated them, dismissing Bland leg before wicket. Alabaster claimed the wicket of Farrer after Farrer had hit eight fours in his polished innings lasting 67 minutes. Reid brought on Alabaster soon after Farrer arrived at the crease but Alabaster did not appear to trouble the batsman unduly Heine ana Lawrence made the most against a tired looking attack. Heine had three sixes two off Alabaster and one off Reid over the square leg and three fours. His partner hit six fours in his 55 minutes at the crease before he was caught in the covers by Harris trying a big hit off Motz.

Reid and Motz were always aggressive. Reid had to be watched carefully throughout with his carried deliveries. Alabaster, who finished with three for 147 on a wicket always in favour of the batsmen, came in for severe punishment against Heine and Lawrence towards the end when 47 runs came off his last six overs. Cameron, who failed to take a wicket, bowled a lot better than his figures suggested. Bartlett bowled with far more control than in some of his previous test spells. With 75 minutes left for play New Zealand made a disastrous start when N. McGregor was dismissed with the second ball he faced from Heine. He edged a rising ball' outside his off-stump to McLean at second slip without a run on the board.

P. G. Z. Harris was sent to the wicket in place of Barton and was still there at the close after batting with grim determination against the Springbok pace attack at its fiercest and fastest. The opening bat, G. Dowling and the vice-captain, M. E. Chapple lost their wickets during the 70 minutes Harris was at the crease. Harris was hardly recognisable as the same batsman who played with such uncertainty in the side’s first innings. He was very confident, scoring all round the wicket to finish with six boundaries in his 33 runs and much will depend on him and his captain to rescue the side when the game resumes on Monday. Scores:—

NEW ZEALAND First Innings G. T. Dowling, lbw, b Lawrence .. 14 S. N. McGregor, c Webb, b Lance ..21 P. T. Barton, b Adcock 22 J. R. Reid, c Bland, b Lawrence .. W P. G. Z. Harris, c Lawrence, b Adcock 4 M. E. Chapple, c Lawrence, b Lance ..11 A. E. Dick, b Lawrence . is G. A. Bartlett, c Waite, b Lawrence .. 0 J. C. Alabaster, c Bromfleid b Lance .. Z R. C. Motz, not out 10 F. J. Cameron, lbw, b Lawrence .. .. 2 Extras ~ ? Tot al .. .. l»i

Fall of wickets: One for 36, two for 40, three for 76, four for 94, five for 130, six for 150, seven for 150, eight for 150, nine for 157. Bowling „ O. M. R. W. P. S. Heine 12 2 45 0 Adcock 10 4 23 2 G. B. Lawrence 16.1 3 52 5 H. R. Lance 13 6 30 3 H. D. Bromfield 2 0 12 • Second Innings M»cGregor, c McLean, b Heine .. .. 6 Dowling, b Adcock 6 Harris, not out .. 33 Chapple, lbw, b Lawrenee .. 9 Reid, not out .. • Extras (no-balls 3) ..3 Total for 3 wickets 51 Fall of wickets: One for 0, two for 23, three for 38. Bowling „ , O. M. R. W. Heine ..7 3 16 1 Adcock. ..5 1 16 1 Lawrence ..4 2 10 1 Lance ..2 0 * •

SOUTH AFRICA First Innings D. J. McGlew, run out .. IM E. 3. Barlow, c Dick, b Reid 07 J. H. B. Waite, c Dick, b Alabaster .. 9 R. A. McLean, lbw. b Mott.. 78 W. R. Farrer, c Bartlett, b Alabaster ..40 K. C. Bland, lbw, b Reid .. 28 H. R. Lance, lbw, b Reid .. 1 G. B. Lawrence, c Harris, b Motz .. .. 99 P. S. Heine, c Dick, b Alabaster • • N. A. Adcock, b Motz .. 17 H. D. Bromfield, not out . 4 Extras (bye 1, let-byes 11, wides, 5, no-balls 7)’ ’.. .. 2? Total •• 404

Fall of wleketa: One for 134. two for 170, three for 282, four for 282. five for 351, tlx tor MJ, seven for 367, eight for 422, nine for 445.

Bowling O. M. R. W R. C. Motz 26.2 2 86 3 Cameron 30 6 84 0 G A. Bartlett 18 1 37 0 J. c. Alabaster 31 4 143 3 M. E. . Chapple 3 0 15 0 J. R. Reid 16 3 55 3