Last Wicket Falls As Rain Starts

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30802, 14 July 1965, Page 17

Last Wicket Falls As Rain Starts

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

HEADINGLEY, July 13.

England won the third test by an innings and 187 runs at Headingley today, for a sweeping three-nil victory in the series with New Zealand.

New Zealand scored only five more runs beIfore V. Pollard’s wicket fell with a fine drizzle falling after the day had started in sunshine.

Ward had to face Larter and in the first over the ball jumped very awkwardly but Ward saw it out safely. Pollard took a single in Titmus’s over, obviously with the intention of staying at Larter’s end and insuring Ward against further damage. When Titmus bowled eight fieldsmen were round Ward’s bat within five yards range and when he swung vigorously and sent the ball flying deep to square leg it was as if a flock of birds had been disturbed.

But it took England just 15 minutes to end the match. The last ball of Larter’s third over was edged by Pollard to Cowdrey in the slips. Shattering Over

There were periods yesterday when it seemed that the resistance would be real; but one over—his twenty-first—by the Middlesex off-spinner, F. G. Titmus, undid everything which went before. Titmus took wickets from the first, third, fourth and sixth balls of the over and Collinge was the only one who threw his wicket away When rain finally ended the day, New Zealand, 353 behind on the first innings, had lost nine wickets for 161. Final Collapse Yuile. was the first victim. He had helped Pollard score 47 for the sixth wicket, when a beautiful z slip catch by

Cowdrey began the final collapse. Then Taylor, playing back, mistimed badly and was easily caught and bowled. Motz, playing what seemed a sound defensive shot, was magnificently caught near the ground by Barrington, who dived far to the left from his post at short leg, and Collinge, throwing head in air, was bowled.

But if Titmus and England won the day there was deep delight in the New Zealand camp ,in the further success of Pollard who finished a day of irritating interruptions with 50 not out. One Major Figure There is no doubt that the one major figure to appear in the New Zealand ranks in this tour is Pollard.

Regard his record—at Edgbaston, in the first test, four and 81 not out; in the second test 55 (out caught and bowled when the lack of runs obviously worried him) and 55 run out; in the third test, 33 (run out again) and so far, 50 not out. So in three tests England’s bowlers have dismissed him only twice and he has scored in 14hr 40min of batting a total of 278 runs. Pollard is bound to finish a long way ahead in New Zealand test batting averages in England, and no-one could have earned such distinction more thoroughly. Apart from Pollard, the best of the day’s batting came

from Dowling, Sinclair and Morgan.

Sinclair discovered the fluent confidence which has marked his best batting in England. His swift footwork, driving forward against the slow bowlers or back off the fast ones, was utterly de lightful. Dowling batted in his best style. There was pace and venom in Larter’s bowling yesterday but Dowling countered the best of it coolly and competently. He had a life off Rumsey at nine but otherwise was all rectitude.

Morgan was a perky and aggressive batsman yesterday and he scored 21 of the 25 added with Pollard for the fifth wicket. But a break for rain ended his innings. He

was out as soon as the game was resumed, bowled by one from Titmus which hurried through off the freshly damped turf.

REID OUT FOR 5

Sad Finale To Career (From R T. BRITTENDEN, NZ P A Special Correspondent.) HEADINGLY, July 13 New Zealand’s cricket captain, J. R. Reid, made a regrettably brief appearance for his last innings in test cricket. He batted for 13 minutes, he scored five, and then attempting to drive, was caught in the slips. But there was gladness with sadness in watching him leave his test career behind. Sadness that in his last innings he could not repeat the grandeur of his first innings batting, and gladness in the very fact that he was Reid, who had done so much for bis country’s cricket. He walked away briskly, there was no hint of a bent head from Reid, who finished a career embracing 58 consecutive test appearances in the sturdy, forthright manner which has made him one of the game’s great players. Reid scored 3431 runs in tests and took 85 wickets, both New Zealand records. But he left behind him far more than runs and wickets for Reid has always been the vigorous aggressive sort of player who ' keeps cricket alive.