Motz Five Wickets

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30764, 31 May 1965, Page 3

Motz Five Wickets

Yesterday’s dis- ! tresses came after New Zealand had fought its way through a bleak and bitter second day on Friday with admirable purpose and considerable success. Barrington and Cowdrey added 68 to the overnight score of three for 232 before they were separated and the last pair scored 41, but New Zealand captured England’s last seven wickets for 203 more runs and when gloomy light ended play half-an-hour early had scored 59 for one in reply to England’s 435. For England, Barrington achieved a century it will be an embarrassment for him to remember because of his painful and strokeless progress; and for New Zealand. Motz with extraordinary stamina and resolution, took five wickets in a test innings for the first time. Reluctant Batsman After the dismissal of Cowdrey, for 85, and Smith, for a duck, a reluctant Barrington was persuaded to become absolutely paralytic. For 63 minutes or 20 overs, he did not score a run although at the other end Parks attacked merrily with some fine, free-swinging shots which brought him 34 runs in 28 minutes. Barrington did his team no | great service by crawling to i his century in six hours and I a quarter—39 in three hours ion Friday. It was his thirteenth century and perhaps that had something to do with it. Once in three figures Barrington thrashed away happily and in Rumsey he had a willing and surprisingly able partner in a stand of 41 which set a new English tenth-wicket record against New Zealand. Motz Ovation It was right and proper that when polite applause for the departing Barrington had been offered, Motz should he given a warm ovation as he led the New Zealanders from the field. He had bowled superbly on the first day, and again on Friday he never allowed the batsmen any freedom.

He had only five overs before , lunch but bowled for two long ' hours from lunch to the end of the innings. It was a magntfi- , cent display of courage and . stamina After he had put Cart- . wright’s stumps tn disarray he was exhausted, and it was left to Cameron and Colllnge ’o finish oft the innings. Cameron had only one wicket, which was poor reward for a stout-hearted and intelligent effort, but Collinge came through with much credit—three for 32 on Friday from 13.4 overs. New Zealand had nearly two hours to bat. Dowling went to i 20 with five fours and Congdon i looked safe until Titmus went | round the wicket and had him | caught off the bat and pad at short leg. Dowling Bowled But on Saturday it did not take long for the shape of New Zealand’s first innings to be discovered. Dowling's decision to challenge Titmus was admirable but made his effort to hit the bowler straight over the top with a ball flighted and dropping, and he was bowled. After that it was a dreary procession. Trueman bowled one to Reid just short of a length and cutting back a shade, but Reid played forward with his bat too much on the diagonal and left a fatal gap, although the ball seemed to come off his body on 1 to the stumps. Sutcliffe was given a bouncer by Trueman s second ball and he was struck by one pitched further up which rose a little but which Sutcliffe assumed was going to lift. It was a sad error from a batsman who these days perhaps is a little too conscious of the lifting ball. Morgan tried to cut a short one from Barber and did not get over the ball. Dick and Motz were both caught because they made only half-hearted attacking strokes. Pollard also tried to attack Titmus. but by crossing the line, and he was out l.b w Cameron was once more undefeated and so in six innings in England he has an aggregate of 53 not out. His successful methods are based on playing straight and regarding everything, including full tosses, with the gravest suspicion. Only Slow- Spin Sinclair's footwork deserted him. He was noshed on to his back foot by Titmus repeatedly and finally bowled by one which was flighted outside the off stumn and turned back quite sharply. Tn general England's spinners wrung only slow spin from this

reluctant turf, although Barber’s leg breaks sometimes went a long way. Trueman looked anything byt menacing once the ball was on the way down the pitch but as a character actor he iis still without peer. A perfectly sound shot from the middle of the bat can produce from Trueman denunciation of all the cricketing gods and any others who might be listening-in. And it is sad to think this may be his last test, for, unless he gets among Neu’ Zealand’s batsmen on Monday morning, it is hard to imagine him retaining his place. Titmus gave a fine display of accurate slow-medium bowling. He has a gentle outswing and the ability to straighten the ball or bring it back, and he has an excellent command of length and direction, particularly when he can get the batsmen on to the back foot.

Titmus 4 For 18 It was the reluctance of the New Zealanders to attack him intelligently which brought him such astonishing figures—four for 18 from 26 overs. Cartwright is an Interesting bowler in an academic sort of way. He also is a master of length and direction. He bowls inswingers at medium pace but every now and then one goes the other way quite sharply. So far he has played only a minor part in proceedings. Barber, like all but the best of legbreak bowlers, sent down some rough ones but there were some beautifully flighted and well directed spinners among them. But it was a different story in the second innings which began some 13 minutes after lunch. It had been proposed that Sutcliffe should bat on. but the decision to rest him came at the end of the lunch interval, so there was the business of rolling and sweeping before New Zealand went in again. The second Innings was highly encouraging, yet sharply disappointing. It was encouraging because the bat was put to the ball with much more purpose and effect. It was disappointing because three batsmen got out when they were in their forties —having built the innings to the point where considerable profits might have been expect* ed from their investments. Sharp Chance It was good to see Congdon and Dowling make another good start. They were at 66 when Congdon’s injury occurred. Dowling gave a sharp chance off Trueman at six but otherwise played soundly and attractively. More impressive, however, was Congdon’s attack on Titmus. There was nothing unsound i about it. He chose the ball to attack and hit it violently. A six over long on carried far over the fence, a beautiful stroke, and in the same over there was a violent pull for four They then took nine off Trueman to increase the score by 19 in two overs. 'They were at 50 in little over an hour. But Sinclair, after Congdon, had retired, was lured forward by the insidious flight of Barber, did not go far enough and was stumped. , Reid, who has been in such difficulties In England, found himself at last. It was his highest innings of the tour so far and if it was only 44 it was

Reid at something like his best. As soon as he came in he hit Barber magnificently for 6 over square leg and pulled the next one for four. They were clean, well-timed blows. After tea he continued to bat aggressively but thoughtfully until quite unexpectedly he lifted an on-drive straight to Barrington deep towards the fence. Dowling had gone at 105. bowled by a good one front Barber while on the forward stroke, and Reid left at 131. Congdon did dot bat much longer but Morgan and Dick in 56 minutes added 70 with highly attractive batting. Each had a life but Dick, in particular, thrashed Barrington during a five-over spell, making a succession of fierce pulls and forcing shots off the back foot. New Zealand may yet set England some sort of target—but not if the remaining batsmen revert to the timid outlook of the first innings.