Simpson, Burge Lead Australian Recovery

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30348, 25 January 1964, Page 18

Simpson, Burge Lead Australian Recovery

(N Z. Press Association—Copyright) ADELAIDE, January 24. Australia’s fortunes fluctuated on the first day of the fourth test against South Africa today, but at stumps Australia was well placed with five wickets down for 281. The wickets of W. M. Lawry and N. C. O’Neill fell at 37, but determined batting by R. B. Simpson, P. Burge and B. C. Booth forced a recovery.

Simpson, the Australian captain, played a great sheet-anchor role for 78, after Lawry was dismissed for 14 and O’Neill for a duck. He shared a century partnership with Burge that turned the tide.

Burge batted patiently and with some luck for 91, made in 235 minutes, while Booth produced the most aggressive shots of the day, with six boundaries in his 58 runs. Pollock Successful South Africa’s most successful attack was the pace bowler, P. M. Pollock, who finished the day with three for 71 off 17 overs.

He made a double breakthrough in his fifth over when he dismissed Lawry and O’Neill He struck again with the new ball to dismiss Burge. Booth was dismissed 10

ninutes before stumps and the former Australian captain, R. Benaud, came in as “night-watchman.” At stumps, B. Shepherd was on 25 and Benaud two. Benaud has been on runscoring sprees in recent matches since he stepped down from the captaincy, and he and Shepherd have the ability to add many runs tomorrow. Bumper First Ball Simpson and Lawry began confidently and were making runs in almost even time before Lawry was out. O’Neill faced a bumper from Pollock for his first 'ball, and four balls later was out, without looking like scoring. Burge came in and seemed to catch Simpson’s confidence and the pair steadily brought Australia back into the game. Pollock, endeavouring to get more pace out of the pitch, stepped over the crease twice and was no-balled, but it did not detract from his great attacking performance. J. T. Partridge, who has

been a most prolific test wicket-taker, did not get a wicket today. His captain, T. L. Goddard, took the other two Australian wickets to fall —those of Simpson and Booth—for a cost of 50 runs.

Although the scoring rate was slow on a greenish pitch that favoured pace, the bowlers were responsible to some extent, as they sent down an average of only 12 overs an hour. Scores:—

AUSTRALIA First Innings R. B. Simpson, b Goddard 78 W. M. Lawry, c Partridge, b P. M. Pollock .. 14 N. C. O’Neill, c Goddard, b P. M. Pollock .. 0 P. Burge, c Haise, b P. M. Pollock . 91 B. C. Booth, c Lindsay, b Goddard .. .. 58 B. Shepherd, not out .. 25 R. Benaud, not out ■ ■ 2 Extras (1 bye, 7 legbyes, 5 no-balls) 13 Total for five wickets 281 Fall of wickets: one for 35, tw ofor 37, three for 141, four for 225, five for 279.

Bowling O. M. R. W. P. M. Pollock 17 1 71 3 J. T. Partridge 17 3 61 0 C. G. Haise .. 13 1 54 0 T. L. Goddard 18 2 50 2 M. A. Seymour 8 2 25 0 K. C. Bland .. 1 0 7 0