Patient Lawry Bats All Day

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31767, 26 August 1968, Page 22

Patient Lawry Bats All Day

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON.

W. M. Lawry, in the most gallant innings of his career, batted throughout a tense third day of the fifth cricket test against England at the Oval on Saturday to score 135 not out. He fought tenaciously for six hours to keep alive Australia’s hopes of averting the follow-on.

At the end of a day of high tension, Australia was 264 for seven in reply to England’s first innings total of 494, and need 31 runs to save the follow-on.

The pitch is showing its first signs of wear and the odds are all in favour of England in the test it must win to level the series. But Lawry, in a display of skill, endurance and discipline, made England sweat for every success. He has batted for more than seven hours, has hit 22 boundaries, and his only blemish came at 58 when A. Knott missed a sharp, low chance behind the wicket off J. S. Snow. In contrast to Lawry’s de-

fiance, most of the other Australian batsmen meekly surrendered under the pressure of England’s bowling. 1. R. Redpath stayed to make 67 and share a stand of 125, but when he left with the score 136 for two, the rot set in. I. M. Chappell (10), K. D. Walter (5), P. A. Sheahan (14), and B. A. Jarman (0), were out to irresponsible, panicky strokes. They were put to shame in the final session when G. D. McKenzie and A. Mallett hung on gamely with Lawry. Chappell risked all in an Indiscreet attempt to drive Brown and was caught behind the wicket Walter pulled off one off-drive but was caught behind when attempting another; and Sheahan was bowled all ends up when he jumped forward to drive Illingworth, head in the air. Jarman tried to hit Illingworth out of the ground before he had scored and was stumped. England mounted a steady, persistent attack, M. C. Cowdrey skilfully alternating between the speed rf Snow and D. H. Brown and the nagging spin of R. Illingworth and D. Underwood. The left-handed Underwood took no wickets from 38 overs but it was the young Sussex spinner who caused

the first note of panic in the Australian batting; Underwood, in mid-afternoon, caused a handful of deliveries to jump treacherously from a good length put of the footmarks caused by Snow. On Friday, B. F. D’Oliveira

dominated the batting after England had resumed at 272 for four. He batted for 315 minutes and hit 21 boundaries in his 158. J. H. Edrich, 130 overnight, made 164 before he was bowled by Chappell.