West Indies Collapse After Record Stand

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31856, 7 December 1968, Page 15

West Indies Collapse After Record Stand

f.N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

BRISBANE.

An inspired spell of swing bowling by the Victorian, A. N. Connolly, routed the West Indies between tea and stumps on the opening day of the first test match yesterday.

The tourists, 188 for two after a record sec-ond-wicket stand of 165. finished the day with 267 for nine.

Connolly, a major success on the recent Australian tour of England, where he took 24 wickets in the series, broke through the West Indian batting when W. M.

Lawry took the new hall after 74 overs. At one stage Connolly, whose victims included B. F. Butcher, G. S. Sobers, and C. Lloyd, had taken three wickets for one run in three overs with the new ball. Overshadowed Batsmen Finally, when he dismissed C. C. Griffith with the third last ball of the day, Connolly had taken four for 12 off 5.6 overs. His full analysis for the day was four for 41 off 16.6 overs, five of which were maidens. Connolly bowled magnificently, swinging the ball away late from the batsmen on a

lifeless wicket. His great performance over-shadowed a record second-wicket partnership for the West Indies between J. Carew and R. B. Kanhai. Carew, whose inclusion in the West Indies XI at the expense of W. W. Hall, surprised some critics, and Kan-

hai came together when the tourists lost S. Camacho, who was bowled by J. Gleeson for six, with the total at 23. When they were finally separated 165 runs later the West Indians appeared to be heading for a formidable score, with only two wickets down for 188. Two Runs Better Their stand bettered the previous best for the second wicket by the West Indies in tests against Australia—l 63 by C. C. Hunte and Kanhai in Adelaide on the last tour in 1960-61. Kanhai and Carew were still together at the tea adjournment when the tourists were only wicket down for 187 runs. But a sensational collapse followed, and in the two hours between tea and stumps, the West Indians lost eight wickets for 80 on a pitch tailor-made for high scoring. Lawry began the collapse when he brilliantly threw down the wicket to dismiss Carew in the second over after tea. Carew had scored a sound S 3 (12 boundaries) and looked set to register his first test century. Worse was to follow for the West Indians. Two balls later Kanhai tried to hit A. Mallett out of the ground and was caught deep on the fence at mid-on by Gleeson for 94, which included one magnificent six and 15 fours. Reluctant Lawry S. M. Nurse and Butcher temporarily stopped the rot, and after a somewhat unhappy time against the Australian spinners, seemed to be settling down to restore the position. They were together for just over an hour adding 49 runs before their partnership was ended by the new ball. With his spinners proving economical and menacing, Lawry appeared a little reluctant to call on the new ball and gave his slow men nine more overs before taking it. Touched Outswinger In Connolly’s first over with the new ball Butcher touched a glorious outswinger and was well caught at first slip by 1. Chappell for 22. G S. Sobers was Connolly’s next victim: he touched another out-swinger and the wicket-keeper, B. Jarman, tok a -smart catch. The last six wickets fell for the addition of only 24 runs and Jarman figured in four of the dismissals. Scores:— WEST INDIES First Innings S. Camacho b Gleeson .. 6 J. Carew run out - 83 R. Kanhai c Gleeson b Mallett. 94 S, Nurse c Jarman b McKenzie . 25 B. Butcher c Chappell b Connolly . 22 G. Sobers c Jarman b Connolly 2 C. Lloyd c Jarman b Connolly .. 7 D. Hoiford c Jarman b Gleeson R J. Hendriks not out .. 3 C. Griffith'c Sheahan b Connolly 8 L. Gibbs not out .. 0 Extras 11 Total (for 9 wkts) . 267 Fall of wickets: one for 23, two for 188, three for 192, four for 241, five for 243, six for 247, seven for 250, eight for 258, nine for 267. Bowling- - 18 overs, 5 maidens, 52 runs, 1 wicket: Connolly, 16.6, 5, 41, 4; Gleeson. 24, 7, 65, 2; Mallett, 14, 2, 54, 1; Chappell, 4, 0 10 0: Stackpole, 9,3, 34, 0.