Slow Batting By Lancaster Park

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31275, 23 January 1967, Page 16

Slow Batting By Lancaster Park

First Day: High School Old Bovs 280, Lancaster Park 37/2. Not until 5.45 p.m. did Lancaster Park reach High School Old Boys' first Innings score of 2SO. and It was then in the second innings and seven wickets had been lost. Forced to follow on, 112 runs behind, Lancaster Park hardly did justice to the excellent pitch at the Lancaster Park oval and the batsmen struggled all day against bowling which was accurate but seldom dangerous. In the first 45 minutes of the morning’s play only 10 runs were scored and the pre-lunch period of 135 minutes produced a bare 65 runs. This rather negative approach allowed High School Old Boys to seize and hold the initiative. A. G. Rose batted soundly If slowly in Lancaster Park's first innings but when he was partnered by R. T. Dowker the scoring rate quickened and 54 runs were scored in as many minutes. Dowker was the only batsman to challenge the

bowler’s supremacy and he showed that with well placed shots and intelligent running a reasonable scoring rate could be maintained. D. R. Hadlee looked the best of the Old Boys’ bowlers. He directed his attack on the off stump and occasionally moved the ball away sharply. He had all the batsmen groping but the fieldsmen behind the wicket gave him little support. The Lancaster Park second innings began well and A. Harrison and M. D. Randle together scored 53 before Randle was dismissed. This was the brightest batting of the day, Randle in particular being in good form. A spell of accurate bowling from D. R. Hadlee and W. R. Barberel then broke through the batting and Lancaster Park was again in trouble. When the seventh wicket fell at 23 minutes to six, two runs were needed to avoid an innings defeat but Rose and B. C. Irving proved equal to the task. Umpires: Messrs S. Browne and B. Dennison.