Bowling Again Looks Thin

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30794, 5 July 1965, Page 3

Bowling Again Looks Thin

(From R. T. BRITTENDEN, VZP.I. Special Correspondent.) NORTHAMPTON, July 4.

The New Zealand bowlers had another rather unrewarding day at Northampton on Saturday when the county scored 282 for seven wickets in better than even time. Play ended two hours before stumps because of rain. It was a very interesting contest, however, for there was some help for New Zealand's seam bowlers and the batsmen responded to the threat with a red-blooded assault. Once more New Zealand’s bowling resources looked dreadfully thin once the pace men had lost their sharp edge which they did soon after lunch with rather depressing speed. Aggressive Cricket There was very aggressive cricket from both sides in the morning for while Motz, Taylor and, in his second spell, Collinge made the ball move off the pitch quite sharply, the Northamptonshire batsmen attacked at every opportunity. In these two hours were many glorious strokes and almost as many inglorious edges. Runs came at a merry pace so that although New

Zealand had four wickets by lunch—and probably deserved several more—Northants had made 131 runs. Between lunch and tea the batsmen were much more comfortable and in this period of 140 minutes the only three wickets which fell were obtained with really fine catches and Northants scored 140 runs.

In the last hour before tea the New Zealand bowling lost all its sting and initiative, and with Motz and Taylor both off at the same time, Reid was reduced to a rather anaemic Congdon and an expensive Morgan. Fruitful Partnership

It was a minor bowling collapse which allowed P. D. Watts and Scott to score 71 within the hour and without much difficulty. Milburn, a young man of very ample proportions and much enterprise, hit some tremendous drives. He had a life at 18 when Dick jumped high to his right and succeeded only in deflecting a catch which should probably have been taken by Jarvis at first slip. But he made his 35 runs in 45 minutes.

Before lunch Mushtaq Mohammed commanded most attention. He looked ludicrously like his famous brother, Hanif, and .the New Zealanders might well have wondered if a switch had not been made somehow. But he is quicker on his feet and more eager to take charge than Hanif. Mushtaq played first-class

cricket when he was 13 and test cricket at 15; now, at 21, he must be classed a veteran. He is a young man of extraordinarily swift reactions and ingenuity in changing a stroke late to meet the needs of the moment.

Before lunch he scored 42 tn 37 minutes of brilliant, attacking strokes, runs coming principally from drives, cuts and leg-side deflections. Steele, who peered uncertainly down the pitch from behind his steel-rimmed glasses, batted before lunch with diffidence, but he looked entirely different after the interval, hitting firmly off the front foot and making one quite memorable hook for four off Taylor. P. J. Watts was resourceful, and so was his brother, so that Scott, 1 who has no great reputation as a batsman, was able to take his part comfortably in an enterprising partnership. By tea. Northants had scored 271 for seven from 74 overs in 260 minutes, and there was only one over after tea—from which P. D. Watts took 11 off Collinge. Dowling and Congdon held very fine catches, but the best was Reid’s effort in the gully to dismiss P. J. Watts off Motz. The ball came very fast and low well to his left, but Reid picked it up quite nonchalantly. Motz Was Best Taylor looked highly impressive in his opening spell with the new ball, but later his length and direction went badly awry. Motz was again the best of the bowlers, for although he

suffered from expensive mishits he kept good control from first to last, and he seems certain to be the first man in the team to have 50 wickets in England. Collinge began badly, but had good spells just before and just after lunch. Yuile, who tore a muscle in his back at Birmingham, was bowled little.