Indians Played For Draw After Tragic Run Out

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31598, 8 February 1968, Page 13

Indians Played For Draw After Tragic Run Out

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON.

After promising so much for most of the three days play, the opening game of the New Zealand tour between the visiting Indians and a President’s XI petered out to a tame draw yesterday. Blessed with gloriously fine weather throughout, the game deserved a better ending than it received, but the tragic loss of R. Surti’s wicket in the last over before tea, when he was run out for 88, probably ruined any hopes of an outright decision, one way or the other.

After tea, as far as India was concerned, the shutters went up.

Starting the final day needing 330 runs in 360 minutes for victory, India was 264 for seven at the finish.

Surti’s dismissal came with the score at 207 and India managed only another 57 runs in the final session of play at the cost of three more wickets. Sound Start F. M. Engineer and D. N. Sardesai started the day in good fashion and 38 runs were scored in less than even time. By then J. M. Mclntyre had already come on for R. S. Sutton, who bowled only three overs.

N. A. Huxford continued for five overs and then was replaced by Sutton. His first ball Engineer swept for four but with the second the batsman attempted to drive, got a thick edge and R. I. Harford dived low to his right to take a fine catch. Engineer made 33 and the total was 46. The second wicket fell soon after when Sardesai flashed at Sutton and B. A. G. Murray took the catch. India was now two down for 54 and the fight was really on. However, the Nawab of Pataudi, who promoted himself in the batting order, and Surti came together and started to consolidate the innings. Pataudi began in typical fashion, cracking two glorious cover drives to race into double figures. Skill And Guile M. J. Horton then joined Mclntyre and they stemmed the flow of runs. Mclntyre, in particular, bowled with skill and guile and his first 11 overs produced only 17 runs —against a Pataudi in full flight. Surti, after a slow start, also began to chase the runs. G. E. Vivian was brought into the attack but he was driven to the fence and the hundred came up in 120 minutes. India went to lunch two down for 101, and the morning session belonged entirely to the tourists.

Horton and Sutton resumed the attack but Pataudi and Surti were not easily contained. The 50 partnership came in 55 minutes and the Indians were now well up with the clock. However, after another 20 minutes, and with Pataudi on 45, he attempted to square

drive Horton, lofted the ball, and Mclntyre, racing in from . the deep, snapped up a low i diving catch. 1 The innings of Pataudi was i short but sweet. He hit eight :

fours in effortless fashion and at most times appeared in complete command.

Surti Dominant

M. L. Jaisimha joined Surti, and this was to be the most substantial, and most delightful stand of the innings, if not of the game. With the dismissal of Pataudi, Surti began to play the dominant role and he raced into his thirties while Jaisimha had scored only two. Horton, sifter lunch had given nothing away and in six overs had taken one wicket for seven runs. Surti, however, soon remedied that and his 50 was reached in 101 minutes.

Jaisimha, who for an hour had been strangely subdued, scoring only three runs, decided it was time for him to lend a hand. He raced to 17 with three boundaries and Surti kept pace with him. The total reached 200 in 227 minutes, the last 50 taking 51 minutes.

Horton was constantly switching his bowlers, looking for a way to break this partnership, and shortly his efforts paid dividends. Surti scored two spanking cover drives off Vivian in an over and Sutton came on for the last over before tea. All went well for India until the fifth delivery. Left Stranded Then, Jaisimha pushed the ball into the covers and Surti called for the run. M. G. Burgess, who had fielded all day without a blemish, was on to it like a hawk and in one swift, deft movement threw the wickets down, to leave Surti stranded. It was a most unfortunate dismissal and the turning point of the game. Surti had done so much for India and had scored 10 magnificent boundaries. After the tea adjournment it was soon evident that as far as India was concerned a draw was all it now expected. The final session of play

was the slowest of the match. Jaisimha, who did not offer a shot to a well-flighted delivery from Horton, was l.b.w. for 21, with the score five for 212.

India now really tightened up and no amount of coaxing from Horton could tempt either C. G. Borde or R. Saxena to chase the runs. Horton bowled five consecutive maidens, was replaced by Vivian, and then himself took over from Mclntyre. But the batsmen stuck fast to their task. Borde had. a life when he was on 12, edging a ball from Vivian to the slips where Murray got both hands to it but failed to hold on. Borde was finally out for 21, R. G. Nadkarni made only three, but Saxena and E. A. S. Prasanna comfortably played out time.