England Loses One For 56 At Lunch

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30762, 28 May 1965, Page 13

England Loses One For 56 At Lunch

(From R. T. BRITTENDEN, N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.)

EDGBASTON, May 27.

It was a morning of modest achievement for New Zealand when the first test against England began at Edgbaston this morning.

England scored 56 for one wicket in 75 minutes play allowed by rain showers and bad light.

Before the game began a shower swept the ground and New Zealand’s bowlers were handicapped by a ball which swiftly lost its shine on the wet grass.

In that period R. W. Barber and G. Boycott scored at a merry pace. But for nearly half an hour before lunch the

effect of another shower on the now uncovered pitch helped the New Zealand bowlers, and they had both batsmen in trouble with a ball moving quite sharply from the pitch. Five minutes before the interval Motz went through Barber’s defence to put the game back almost on an even keel. Teams:— New Zealand: G. T. Dowling, B. E. Congdon, B. Sinclair, J. R. Reid, B. Sutcliffe, R. W. Morgan, A. E. Dick, V. Pollard, R. C. Motz, R. O. Collinge, F. J. Cameron. England: R. W. Barber, G. Boycott, E. R. Dexter, K. F. Barrington, M. C. Cowdrey, M. J. K. Smith, J. M. Parks, F. J. Titmus, T. W. Cartwright, F. S. Trueman, F. E. Rumsey. Brief Shower

England’s fair-haired captain, Smith, struck the first blow for his side when he won the toss from Reid and gave his side first use of a green-looking pitch which local experts said would give the seam bowlers some help before lunch. Half-an-hour before play was due to start there was a brief shower, but the game began on time under scudding grey clouds with the threat of more rain.

The off-spinner, D. A. Allen, was omitted from the twelve named by England’s selectors. The bespectacled Boycott raised New Zealand’s hopes by flashing at the first two bails of the opening over from Collinge, who bowled with a fresh breeze from about mid-on. Defensive Field

Cameron bowled into the wind with a third man and a fine leg posted from the first ball which was strangely unlike the normal Reid opening move.

The left-hander, Barber, opened the scoring with a fine off-drive for four from the last bail of Cameron’s first over.

New Zealand’s bowlers moved the damp ball through the air very little and Cameron, when keeping the ball to a full length, was driven by Barber several times, one over costing nine runs. But Collinge made the ball move in off the pitch to Barber and had the left-hander in trouble three times in the course of one particularly good over. Rapid Scoring

But otherwise runs continued to come at a rapid rate, with neither batsman very often in doubt or difficulty. At 33 Motz replaced Collinge, but Cameron made the next positive move. He beat Boycott badly, the ball just missing the off and middle stumps, and the batsmen immediately appealed against the light. But play continued.

In 45 minutes England had scored 35, a remarkable rate for the start of a test. Within two or three minutes, however, the umpires suspended play because of bad light and the first round had definitely gone to England. There had been little movement off the pitch for the New Zealand bowlers, and a shower before play began had left the grass wet and the shine went from the ball very quickly.

Another Delay

The game was resumed after a delay of 20 minutes and Barber off-drove the first ball from Motz with perfect timing for four. Two balls later Barber tried to hook a short one and Dick made an extremely confident appeal for a catch but it was rejected. Then rain began to add to New Zealand’s difficulties, for the fieldsmen all looked as if they were about to perish with cold. Play was again stopped, this time for rain, after only another five minutes play, with England 42 for no wicket. Boycott was 17, Barber 23. The delay this time was again 20 minutes and when the game went on Cameron twice beat Boycott, the second time making an unsuccessful appeal for leg before.

It was perhaps a hint of life in the pitch after the shower which made both batsmen extraordinarily suspicious and their fears were partly confirmed when Motz made one lift from a length and the ball popped apparently from Barber’s bat handle dangerously close to Morgan at short backward square.

In the same over it was an edged four, wide of slips, which took England to 53 in 63 minutes. One run later New Zealand claimed its first success. Motz made one move in to Barber, and the ball took the top of the off stump. ENGLAND First Innings C. Boycott, not out .. 19 R. W. Barber, b Motz .. 31 E. R. Dexter, not out .. 0 Extras *

Total (for 1 wkt.) .. St Fall of wicket: One for 54.

Bowling 0. M. R. W Colllnge ..5 2 11 0 Cameron .. 10 2 24 0 Mota . 5 2 15 1