A DREAM OF A BALL

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31319, 15 March 1967, Page 15

A DREAM OF A BALL

New Zealand’s startling successes in the morning began when Pollard bowled Burge with the sort of ball bowlers dream of on winter nights.

There was a fresh breeze blowing, and with it the ball drifted away from the bat quite sharply. Burge moved across in automatic protection of his stumps, but on pitching the ball turned back very sharply, defeated Burge’s

hasty jab and took the off stump. While Davies pondered deep on the problem of Pollard, the minutes ticked away, but after half an hour’s play Congdon took a superb catch to dismiss Jarman. The batsman had swung very vigorously at a ball from Pollard, but edged it on to a boot and Congdon’s dive to get under it took him to the edge of the pitch. Davies at 17 was missed byJarvis at slip and Gleeson, celebrating his twenty-seventh birthday, survived the most confident of appeals after appearing to have been caught by Jarvis at slip off Pollard.

But Gleeson went soon afterwards, brilliantly picked up by Pollard at short gully. Freeman batted well, hitting the ball firmly and straight, and Davies, the sole survivor of the middle batting, also played some pleasing strokes. BRILLIANTLY HELD But still the wickets fell: Freeman well held by Pollard off his own bowling, Bitmead caught behind off Yuile, and finally Davies brilliantly taken by Congdon at short cover, diving forward. So the Australians trailed by 93, having scored 191 in 319 minutes from 114 overs. Pollard and Yuile again worried the batsmen haggard, the one with his quick flat line and sharp turn, the other with a nice hint of flight and the ball leaving the bat. In capturing all 11 wickets, they brought their tally in three Australian innings to 28 out of 30—Pollard 17 at under 10 runs apiece, Yuille 11 at 15.6.

They were unrelenting in their domination of the batsmen, and in this they were supported by some of the best catching New Zealand teams have achieved. It is strange to reflect that Pollard took 14 wickets in the Plunket Shield series, and is already three in advance of that tally in the unofficial tests. HANDSOME DRIVING

So swift was the fall of Australian wickets that New Zealand was batting for an over before lunch. The afternoon began on excellent lines for New Zealand. With a lead of 93, brisk scoring was demanded, and a confident Jarvis drove Freeman handsomely and often, 20 coming from Freeman’s five overs. Dowling was much more subdued, and when Freeman was replaced by the lefthander Bitmead and Connolly started to bowl from his short run, the scoring rate fell away markedly. If New Zealand was interested in making an effort to win the match, it was obvious risks would have to be taken, and perhaps some wickets lost. The batsmen had great difficulty with Connolly, who bowled his cutters splendidly. However, the attack on Bit-

mead was not mounted for quite a long period. It came eventually, and it was carried out particularly well by Dowling, who moved down the pitch to make some grand lifted shots. Jarvis made one lovely straight drive for 4 and for the third time in succession the pair reached 80. ESTABLISHED OPENER

They both batted very safely and well. Jarvis has established himself now in the New Zealand side, and he is growing slowly but steadily in stature. Dowling was as correct and attractive as usual, and some of his driving had a fine flow about it. When Jarvis was caught at the wicket, they had made 89 in 107 minutes, but Congdon seemed reluctant to play a forcing stroke. Yet by tea New Zealand was 102 for one, and if there had been a declaration the Australians would have needed 196 in two hours. It was a task they would almost certainly have declined. But Sinclair had his side bat on after tea and while the hitters, Taylor and Motz, sat padded up as an announcement of hostile intent, out in the middle Congdon batted as if he was last man in and had a match to save.

He did not score a run for the first 18 minutes after tea, and when Sinclair finally did declare, he had made eight in 45 minutes. So in the end, there was the absurd business of the Australians having to score 215 in 80 minutes, and New Zealand having only 80 minutes to bowl out its opponents. Obviously, both were impossible—and so was the situation. LEG-SIDE CATCH

In the final phase of the game, there was another magnificent catch, this time by little Harford. Favell, trying to hook, achieved a leg-side deflection and Harford scooped up the ball after diving well to his left There were a few hammer blows by Cunningham off noballs, and a classic little innings by O’Neill, who was in 48 minutes for his 34. He gave Taylor a very bad time, hitting him off the back foot with tremendous power and perfect timing. Occasionally, he went forward to cover drive and leant into the ball like a Hammond. There was another memorable blow, a hook for four off Taylor, and there was also the diverting sight of Dowling bowling off-breaks, and turning the ball. But it was not an afternoon to remember, on the whole, with particular pleasure.