SPRINGBOKS LEFT 176 FOR VICTORY

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31307, 1 March 1967, Page 19

SPRINGBOKS LEFT 176 FOR VICTORY

(N.Z. P.A. -Reuter—Copyright) PORT ELIZABETH. South Africa was striding purposefully towards victory in the fifth and final cricket test against Australia at Port Elizabeth yesterday morning.

It was left with a target of 176 runs to win after dismissing Australia for 278.

At lunch. South Africa was 18 without loss, and 10 hours’ play remained.

Australia’s slim hopes of beating South Africa and saving the series virtually disappeared in the opening overs of the morning when R. M. Cowper and his overnight partner, J. T. Martin, were both dismissed without addition to the overnight total of 207 for five. G. D. McKenzie and B. Taber resisted manfully, but Australia could add only 71 runs for the five wickets which fell yesterday morning.

Cowper was out to the fifth ball of the day, bowled between bat and pad by E. J. Barlow, and Martin got a fine edge to an outswinger from T. L. Goddard and was held behind the wicket. Birthday “Present”

Boosted by a birthday century from the 23-year-old lefthander, R. G. Pollock, South Africa on Monday carried its first innings -core to 276 in reply to Australia’s 173. But his 105 made in 168 minutes was not without incident

When he was 93 he played at a sharply-rising ball from the pace bowler, D. Renneberg, and the Australians roared an appeal for a catch behind the wicket

Pollock appeared to take several steps towards the pavilion, then stopped when the umpire, Mr G. Raper, turned down the appeal. He duly completed his century, his second of the series and sixth in his test career, to celebrate his twenty-third birthday. R. B. Simpson and W. M. Lawry gave the Australians a fine start of 50 in their chase to wipe out the Springboks’ 103-run first innings lead. Lawry was out to a freakish diving catch by I. Bacher at mid-wicket, and then T. L. Goddard dealt the tourists two body blows with his dismissals of L Chappell and Simpson.

L R. Redpath hung on for 88 minutes to help Cowper push the Australian score to 144 and K. Stackpole contributed 19 in rather desperate fashion. But at five down for 166, and only 63 runs in front, the Australian cause looked bleak.

Cowper, who is vyeing with G. D. McKenzie as the Australian man of the match, topscored with 60 in the first innings, then took three quick wickets.

On Monday, he coolly piloted the Australians through a stormy passage against Goddard, who, at one stage, had bowled 19 overs for 20 runs. Martin proved a