ALL SEAGULLS, SAWDUST AND LOW CLOUD Dowling, Jarvis Give N.Z. Sound Start To Test

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31316, 11 March 1967, Page 15

ALL SEAGULLS, SAWDUST AND LOW CLOUD Dowling, Jarvis Give N.Z. Sound Start To Test

(From

R.T. BRITTENDEN)

DUNEDIN. New Zealand took a firm step forward on the first day of the second test against Australia at Carisbrook yesterday. In uninviting conditions, and with play confined to a little more than three hours, New Zealand scored 111 for one wicket, Dowling and Jarvis repeating their New Plymouth success by scoring 89 for the first wicket.

There had been steadv rain overnight, more showers in the morning, and there seemed about midday very little prospect of play at all yesterday.

When the game did begin, it was in depressing conditions —all seagulls and sawdust and grey cloud swirling low over the ground.

Moreover, it was the sort of situation which can often put a batting team in an unhappy frame of mind.

There was not enough time to make a substantial score, with the outfield very slow, yet there was ample time to lose enough wickets to cripple the innings.

It was therefore much to the credit of Jarvis and Dowling that they put their side in a position of some promise. If the Carisbrook pitch takes increasing turn in the closing stages, first use of the pitch and yesterday’s score are of much consequence.

The summer game in winter garb loses its attractions, but in bitterly cold weather the New Zealand batting was excellent The Australians bowled very steadily and were not unduly handicapped by the ball getting wet Only once or twice was there a request for the ball to be dried. Fortunate Toss Sinclair’s good fortune in winning the toss again brought a rueful shake of the head from Favell, and, for the benefit of spectators by

the gate, a request to see the other side of the coin. His disappointment could be understood, for Sinclair’s success gave his side a pitch which promised the Australian bowlers little reward this side of Heaven. When the ball was very new, Connolly and Freeman were able to seam it mildly, but after a few overs the batsmen simply had to apply themselves to make progress.

The only faintly disturbing circumstances for them was the way a couple of Gleeson’s leg breaks bounced. They came up perceptibly higher than everything which had gone before suggested they should.

But New Zealand’s advance was desperately slow for a considerable time. The Australians applied themselves diligently to a difficult task, and in this they were assisted by shine staying on the ball, because of Carisbrook’s smooth green surface, for a considerable period. Jarvis Dropped In the first half-hour, only seven runs were made, for if the ball came comfortably on to the bat, the forcing stroke was not easy to make. And when the score was 15 New Zealand had another piece of fortune.

Freeman bowled a bad ball, wide and short and Jarvis cut it straight to Burge in the gully, but the catch went down But the same over brought a fine square drive by Jarvis for 4, the first boundary after 45 minutes.

By tea, the New Zealanders had taken their first hurdle. The openers were together, although only 29 had been made from 21 overs. The batsmen’s dividends came in a delightful hour after tea, when they were able to score 59. It was a splendid display while Favell ran almost through his bowling bridge.

There were a few overs from the energetic Connolly and Freeman, some from Gleeson; Davies and his legbreaks were used, and there was a spell of nine overs from the left-hander Bitmead. Bitmead Bewilders

This was the first time Dowling had seen Bitmead bowl, and a first sight of this extraordinary young man could easily upset the most experienced batsman. He delivers off the left or wrong foot and therefore always seems to be taking a pace too many.

In fact, his action rather suggests the stamping of a frustrated child. But he is adult in his methods. '

Apparently he does not

turn from leg in the accepted fashion but drifts the ball in with his arm, and bowls to an onside field of five. He also has an excellent command of flight but anything further removed from the lyrical grace of the classic slow lefthander cannot be imagined. During this period of batting plenty some grand and handsome strokes were made. Jarvis, who, in spite of his early mistake, had batted fluently throughout the innings, cut Bitmead for four; Dowling swept Gleeson through the heavy outfield for four and then picked one up gracefully with superb timing and hit it over the fence at square leg. Slipped And Fell Between the wickets they combined very well, yet it was a run out which ended their partnership. Jarvis, backing up weU, was sent back by Dowling quickly and firmly. But he slipped and fell in turning, but even then he must have failed to regain his ground only by- millimetres.

Their partnership of 89 was their third success in the three international matches in which they have opened together. At Lahore, on the 1965 tour, they made 135 in New Zealand’s only innings. At New Plymouth, their partnerships had been 23 and 80. Two hours and a quarter is a long time for 89 runs, but in the circumstances it was a tremendous contribution. Aggregate Now 698 Dowling, with a boundary from a sweep off Bitmead, reached his 50 in 172 minutes, and added to an extraordinarily consistent run of scores this season. In 14 innings, he has not failed to reach double figures, and he has exceeded 25 no fewer than 12 times.

By close of play yesterday his aggregate for the season had reached 698 and he seems certain to become the second New Zealander to score 750 runs in a home season. The first was B. Sutcliffe. With Dowling for the last 50 minutes was Congdon, who was eager to attack the slow bowling but was seldom able to get the ball through the field.

In the last two hours, 43 overs produced 82 runs, but it was steady progress by New Zealand. Th? Australian bowling seldom looked penetrative but was very steady and the New Zealanders did not find the going easy. But in the last hour there was some sunshine—an omen perhaps.