Match At Sydenham Park Abandoned

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31210, 7 November 1966, Page 20

Match At Sydenham Park Abandoned

A patch of slippery mud around the crease at the northern end of the Sydenham Park pitch caused the abandonment of the match between Sydenham and Lancaster Park soon after 4.30 p.m. The heavy state of the pitch had delayed the start of play until 11.35 a.m. and made batting difficult. In 85 minutes before lunch Lancaster Park lost two wickets in scoring 21 runs. But after lunch A. G. Rose and R. T. Dowker mastered the conditions to the extent that 51 runs were scored in the 65 minutes of play. The lifeless pitch gave the bowlers little assistance but the slippery footing made their task easier and sapped the batsmen’s confidence. Length and accuracy were required and the Sydenham slow bowlers, J. M. Mclntyre and B. A. Salt, proved equal to the occasion. So tight was their control that 19 of the 22 overs Mclntyre bowled were maidens while Salt was only slightly less parsimonious. Rose and Dowker batted well under the conditions. They waited for the few loose balls and then hit hard and their partnership of 56 included nine fours. .

At a quarter to three, however, a heavy shower forced the players to leave the field. Further play on the wet wicket was out of the question. Umpires: Messrs W. R. Hobbs and J. W. Owens.