N.Z. DRAWS FINAL TEST BUT IT WAS CLOSE

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30393, 18 March 1964, Page 19

N.Z. DRAWS FINAL TEST BUT IT WAS CLOSE

Eight Wickets Lost As TailEnders Grimly Hang On

[From Out Cricket Correspondent]

AUCKLAND, March 17.

After the customary alarms and excursions New Zealand achieved another inglorious draw against South Africa at Eden Park today.

There was never much prospect of New Zealand reaching the target of 309 set by T. L. Goddard’s declaration; but there was batting of good quality 7 for some time and the danger of defeat receded quite steadily until near the end.

Then there was the familiar business of the side staggering and recovering and hanging on to leave the series, on the face of it, drawn, with the New Zealand score at the finish 191 for eight wickets.

Considering the amount of wet weather in Auckland just before the match, the Eden Park pitch was a good one.

But today the earlier minor variations in bounce were more accentuated, and the batsmen would have had to achieve standards of technique well beyond their present capabilities if they were to score 309 runs at a run-a-minute rate.

The further the day went the more help the bowlers received until at the end the

off-spinner, D. Pithey, was making the ball lift and turn very sharply, while at both ends there was the constant danger of the one which shot through wickedly low.

Long And Lucky That New Zealand survived was chiefly to the credit of S. G. Gedye, who played a long but lucky innings, and S. N. McGregor, whose soundness for two hours in difficult conditions was most admirable. But there was nothing in this drawn match and series to suggest New Zealand should challenge the West Indies to a title fight. It was an interesting day’s play, and more than that towards the end, when the South Africans crowded the test newcomer, Cunis, and the other batsmen. Perhaps the South Africans deserved to finish their visit with a test victory, but in the game’s most exciting moments Cunis and Dick kept their heads, and their brave fight deserved the reward it won.

Although at the start of the day the South African batsmen were very eager for runs, they could score no more than 37 in even time, and they lost three wickets in the process. The first of them was to a splendid catch at cover by Sinclair, who held on to a skimming, swift drive from R. G. Pollock most brilliantly.

Run A Minute Goddard’s declaration at 200 for five wickets left New Zealand 310 minutes to score 309—a formidable task for the strongest of teams on the rather uncertain pitch. But it was a reasonable declaration, for no doubt Goddard had to keep in mind the possibility of Reid getting a start and cutting loose as he did in South Africa two years ago. For a while Gedye and Bradburn scored at a run a minute, largely, however, because, for once in a way, all the luck was with New Zealand. The South Africans’ lovely fielding fell away, Gedye when four achieving a boundary from Partridge which might have been caught In the slips, and then being missed by D. Pithey at backward square leg. Dropped Again

At 18 D. Pithey dropped Gedye again, so New Zealand had a fortunate win and quite profitable period. The task called for the scoring of a shade more than three runs an over, and by having the ■core at 46 by lunch the

opening pair had taken a good step forward.

What faint chance New Zealand had of maintaining a reasonable scoring rate without losing more than a wicket or two, and thus being poised for a final offensive, disappeared immediately after lunch, when nine overs yielded only four runs. And a sharp shower which cost 10 minutes’ play countered any thought of miracles.

But the batsmen went on solidly enough until 49, when Bradburn tried to sweep D. Pithey. The ball struck a pad and lobbed up, Lindsay diving across to get under it most athletically. Bradburn had been given not out, but he walked, so that he really should be recorded in the score sheet as retired. It was an action which did Bradburn very great credit. Unlovely Snick Sinclair jabbed out at a scuttier from Barlow only with the swiftest of reactions and it took him 20 minutes to score his first run. Then Gedye, by now on 35, had another life, being dropped, a sharp chance, by Barlow at short backward square off Pithey and Sinclair scored four with an unlovely snick from Barlow.

But from these mists of doubt the batsmen suddenly emerged with a succession of splendid strokes, 10 being taken from an over by Pithey. Gedye swept him for four, drove him loftily but safely for four, square cut him for two. Sinclair’s ondrive off Barlow for four was a lovely stroke. Gedye, at 50 in 2} hours, fell victim to one from Partridge which came in so late that Gedye had lifted his bat to let it go by. And Sinclair, still attacking, pulled Pithey straight to Partridge at midwicket, so New Zealand was in the toils. Stylish Batting But Reid and McGregor pulled things together with some batting of quality and style. Together they scored 50 in even time and both of them produced some grand shots. A hook for a four by Reid off Partridge was one of the hardest hits of the whole series.

Partridge and Goddard managed to move even an old ball late and deceptively, but Reid and McGregor, watchful and solid, but quick to pounce on anything loose, went through to tea with the score 131 for three. All went well for New Zealand until 20 minutes after tea when Reid and Shrimpton were out to successive balls. Reid was unlucky, for after he had played the ball into the ground it spun back from a long way outside his off stump to hit the wicket.

Test Pair Goddard bowled Shrimpton with a quickish one which appeared to pitch about leg and take the middle stump: so Shrimpton had the embarrassment of a test pair. Chapple and McGregor batted very sensibly and well, and their calm application to a trying task was quite heartening, for Goddard was looking very dangerous, with his natural assets supplemented by the shooter. Chapple batted 54 minutes and did extremely well. He and McGregor irritated some of the spectators by looking uninterested in runs, but they had no great wish to

see the score up to 200 and allow Goddard a new ball in a light which fluctuated quite noticeably. When Chapple went, defeated at last by Goddard, six were out and 40 minutes remained. Thirteen minutes

later McGregor was brilliantly taken by Barlow at leg slip off D. Pithey, and Dick was left to control the last line of defence. He was often in trouble, but he batted with courage and skill. Blair Beaten Blair lasted 14 minutes, a period in which he could have removed the ogre of a pair, before Goddard whipped one through his defensive stroke, and Cunis came in with 12 minutes to go. Cunis saw out the five balls of the over with a studiously straight bat and slowly the minutes ticked by. Dick kept Pithey out, but could not get down to Goddard’s end, and Cunis was subjected to another over of torture. Then they ran a single and Pithey bowled to

Cunis with 10 men ranged all around the bat, at a maximum distance of six or seven yards. He played the first two dead at his feet, somehow squashed the third into the turf, and was dropped behind the wicket off the fourth, a very sharp, low chance. The fifth somehow trickled from his bat between his feet but he survived even the shock of hearing Pithey noballed and having an extra one to face. End Of Ordeal But it was the end of bis ordeal, and it was good to see a couple of the South Africans, as they came off the field, congratulating the batsmen.

Goddard again bowled magnificently. His variations of pace and swing and spin were a constant worry for the batsmen, apart from the fact that every now and then he had the ball scuttling through. Partridge also bowled well and Pithey, when he went round the wicket near the end of the innings, was perplexing.

But it was as well for New Zealand that for once the South African fielding faltered. South Africa made a splendid effort, however, for when Chapple went, the team was revitalised, and Goddard drove them hard: the scurrying between overs, the speed the ball was brought back to the bowler, all helped remind the batsmen they were in difficulties. There were some compensating features for New Zealand in this match, but there was never any doubt, throughout the three-match series, that South Africa was much the stronger side.