N.Z. Makes Great Start To Cricket Tour

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31530, 18 November 1967, Page 15

N.Z. Makes Great Start To Cricket Tour

(From D. J. CAMERON, N.Z.P.A. special correspondent) ADELAIDE. Although dropped catches cost it dearly during a hectic counterattack after tea, the New Zealand cricket team made a highly successful start to its Australian tour when it dismissed South Australia for 211 on the first day of the four-day game yesterday.

In 23 minutes batting until stumps, New Zealand scored 10 for the loss of B. A. G. Murray’s wicket. At tea, when South Australia was 124 for eight, it seemed as though the New Zealanders would cause a sensation by dismissing the strong state side for a paltry score on a superb batting pitch.

However, the bighitting E. Freeman (50), and T. Jenner (26) helped to add 87 for the last two wickets—aided by three dropped catches.

The day was a triumph for the left-hand fast-medium bowler, R. O. Collinge, who was added to the team only last Sunday when R. S. Ctinis was hurt. Bowling with unusual speed and accuracy, Collinge took four wickets for 54 runs and, backed up superbly by R. C. Motz and B. R. Taylor, had all the State batsmen—except Freeman —worried. Until tea, these three and V. Pollard were aided by accurate New Zealand fielding. Beaten By Pace The top South Australian batsmen seemed unhappy against the faster bowlers and three of the first four wickets fell as the batsmen foolishly tried to hook rising deliveries. Even allowing for the fielding lapses after tea, and the loss of Murray’s wicket, it was still a singular achievement for New Zealand to dismiss South Australia on such a pitch for under 300. The first hint that Collinge could get some life out of the pitch came in his first over when K. G. Cunningham jabbed at a rising ball and Pollard, at short leg, made a valiant effort to get the high catch—the ball flicking to the ground from his finger tips. The the hooking habit cost South Australia dear. At nine, J. Causby, a centurymaker last week-end, tried to

hook Collinge, but the ball only went in a gentle arc from his gloves to Pollard at short leg. At 16, Cunningham misjudged Collinge’s speed and bounce as he hooked and R. I Harford jubilantly held the catch.

The brothers, I. and G. Chappell, while pegged down by the hostile bowling and crisp fielding, looked rather more circumspect, with quickly-taken singles and- two lovely fours to I. Chappell. Tempted Again But a few minutes before lunch Motz dropped a little short, G. Chappell could not resist the temptation to hook, and, like Causby, he gave Pollard a comfortable catch at short leg. After lunch, New Zealand was faced by the obdurate Chappell and its old foe, L. E Favell. Within minutes Favell, very much the lord of the manor in his home town, had hit one masterly four. Collinge, with seven overs before lunch and three after, seemed to be losing his sting However, Favell was just as fallible as the rest Collinge pitched wide of the off stump and Favell tried to hit him through mid-wicket. He sliced the shot so badly that the ball lobbed easily to B. W. Sinclair at cover.

Collinge now had three wickets for 22 and South Australia was four for 60. Within 10 minutes the New Zealanders were even more jubilant.

Harford’s Low Catch

R. Gilboume, a left-hander, did not have time to try to hook for Motz got the edge of his bat and Harford, keeping impeccably, took the catch by his left foot

I. Chappell, growing in confidence with every minute, and B. A. Jarman began to break up the field with quick singles. Also, after three hours of sustained speed and success, Sinclair had to rest his shock troops, and he caused a surprise by bringing on Pollard and Congdon in a double change

Congdon’s amiable bowling did not trouble the South Australians, but Pollard did. In his second over, he persuaded Chappell to rush out for the drive. He missed, Harford quickly had the stumping, and after almoQ three hours hard labour Chappell was gore for 50. Hawke Bowled Fourteen runs later Pollard somehow extracted an incn or two of turn from the hard pitch and this was just enough to get the ball past N.

J. Hawke’s bat and hit his stumps. A few minutes before afternoon tea Jarman sliced at Taylor and Congdon, at gully, swooped on the catch—South Australia was 124 for eight. After tea, some of the New Zealand smiles turned to frowns as Freeman and Jenner made their impudent and expensive assault For the first time in the match the New Zealanders seemed bustled. Congdon put down a hard gully chance from Freeman when the batsman was four and the total 135, and Congdon also dropped Jenner when he was 20. Freeman, with meaty cuts and hooks, hit three consecutive fours from Pollard. Motz was off the field with a bruised heel, so Sinclair brought back Collinge and he soon had Jenner leg before. Luck Runs Out There were more big hits by Freeman, including a huge drive for four to long on, and more luck, too, as T. W. Jarvis dropped him at 45. However, no sooner had Freeman reached his 50 in 66 minutes than Pollard safely caught him in the deep.

As if he had not learned from the South Australians’ mistakes, Murray tried to hook a rising ball from Freeman, got an edge and Jarman held the catch.

Jarvis edged the ball perilously close to Freeman at leg slip, but he and Congdon lived to fight today.