WHEN TO DECLARE... Simpson Has To Decide

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30745, 8 May 1965, Page 13

WHEN TO DECLARE... Simpson Has To Decide

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

BRIDGETOWN, May 7.

The Australian captain, R. B. Simpson, has a vital decision to make today —the timing of his declaration which might determine the fate of the fourth test against the West Indies.

Australia, 583 for two, is superbly placed to win this test and break back into the series which the West Indies lead, 2-0.

R. M. Cowper (102) and N. C. O’Neill (29) resume today with only the double century-makers, Simpson and W. M. Lawry back in the pavilion. The orders of the day will be a chase after runs from the first West Indian delivery. Cowper and O’Neill are just the men to pull it off and send Australia surging past the 600 mark. Strain On Batsmen Simpson has several alternatives. With the knowledge that only victory can keep Australia in the series he could declare immediately, putting the strain on the West Indies batsmen. But the pitch still contains plenty of runs. More likely he will force the West Indies to bat at least for an hour before lunch, enabling his bowlers to make a fresh start after the interval. But Simpson might be convinced the pitch is certain to break up in which case he could feel justified in delaying a closure until midway through the second session by which time the West Indies batsmen, after some 12 hours in the field, will be very weary.

Pitch Holds Key

The pitch is now the key to the whole games. There were several deliveries that went through a shade low late yesterday, confirming local opinion that the ball would “squat” later in the match. There is also a small hole in the pitch at one end where the rolled soil has broken away, probably under the boots of the leg-spinner, J.

S. Solomon, who bowled round the wicket.

Four days remain and the West Indies, for the first time in this series, will have to fight to save a match. The Australians’ run-mak-ing power in these first two days has rocked West Indies supporters already prematurely celebrating the home side as new world cricketing champions. Unrecognisable

It was astonishing on Wednesday, and again yesterday, to associate the resolute batting of Simpson, Cowper and O’Neill with the dismal failures in the third test at Georgetown. Lawry and Simpson were unrecognisable from the two batsmen who had accumulated 166 runs between them in 10 previous innings this series. They played with the same grim resolution that distiguished their recordbreaking stand of 201 against England at Old Trafford last year.

They pushed that record far behind them yesterday, lifting their partnership to 382 before they were separated.

When Simpson finally pulled a delivery from Hall into his stumps their stand was only 31 runs short of the highest test opening partnership, established by the Indians, Mankad and Roy, against New Zealand in Madras. AUSTRALIA

First Innings W. M. Lawry, c Sobers, b Solomon .. 210 R. B. Simpson, b Hall .. 201 R. M. Cowper, not out .. 102 N. C. O'Neill, not out .. 20 Extras (byes 10, leg byes 12, wides 2, no-balls 17) 4X

Total (for 2 wckts.) 583 Bowling R. W. 0. M Hall .. 24 3 104 1 Griffith .. 34 3 123 0 Sobers .. 29 6 112 0 Gibbs . . 64 15 154 0 Solomon .. 14 1 42 1 Hunte 3 1 7 0