GREAT CENTURY BY LLOYD West Indies Gain Strong Position

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31857, 9 December 1968, Page 26

GREAT CENTURY BY LLOYD West Indies Gain Strong Position

(New Zealand Press Association)

BRISBANE.

A magnificent century by C. Lloyd has put the West Indies into a strong position in the first test against Australia.

After the third day’s play yesterday, the tourists were 298 for seven in their second innings and held a lead of 312 runs.

Lloyd, who has been struggling to find form, took the initiative when his team desperately needed a stoic effort to swing the match its way.

He responded enthusiastically and thrilled the crowd with aggressive batting that included some of the finest strokes seen in Australia this summer.

He hit 18 fours and a six in his innings of 129 which ended in the final over of the day when he made no attempt to play a ball from the Australian fast bowrer, G. D. McKenzie, and was given out l.b.w.

Lloyd came to the wicket when the tourists were three wickets down for 92 in their second innings. B. F. Butcher was dismissed only one run later and two more wickets fell, at 165 and 178. Lloyd and the West Indies captain, G. S. Sobers, had

carried the score from four for 93 to 165 before Sobers was caught behind by B. A. Jarman off the bowling of J. Gleeson for 36. When D. Holford followed Sobers to the pavilion 13 runs later, the tide appeared to be swinging Australia's way. l£o-Run Stand But Lloyd and J. Carew, batting at number eight because of a bruised shoulder, became associated in a partnership of 120 that may well prove the deciding factor in: this fluctuating game. Carew was there merely to. hold up one end and contributed only 29 runs to the partnership. Nevertheless, he played a vital role in the West Indian recovery which Lloyd so gloriously dominated.

Lloyd’s century was the highlight of the day, but not I far behind that was the great bowling performance of I Gleeson, who took four i wickets for 109 off 28 overs.

I At one stage. Gleeson i bowled 23 overs unchanged, beginning his marathon spell half an hour before lunch [and ending it nearly an hour after the interval. Even then [he was rested for only 25 minutes before the Australian skipper, W. M. Lawry, brought him back into t*-e attack. Gleeson’s victims yesterday were S. M. Nurse, who deputised as opener for Carew, [Butcher, R. B Kanhai and I Sobers. Tail Had Failed ! Earlier in the day the West Indians had quickly dismissed the tail-enders in Australia’s first innings, claiming the last five wickets for only 29 runs. The West Indian spinners. L. S. Gibbs and Holford, did [the damage and Gibbs, de[spite a calloused spinning finger, finished with the excellent figures of five for 88i [off 39.4 overs.

I Australia’s innings was [dominated on Saturday by [Lawry and I. Chappell, who [came together after I. R. Redpath was out for a duck and were not parted until 217 runs had been scored.

Their partnership fell only 12 short of the record secondwicket stand of 229 for Australia against the West Indies established by W. Ponsford and Sir Donald Bradman in Brisbane 38 years ago. Great Record I Chappell’s magnificent innlings of 117 continued his in-

credible record against the i tourists which began when he [played for a Commonwealth [XI in Perth in the West Indies second first-class match in Australia.

Chappell has played only four first-class innings this season—all against the tourists—and his average is an astonishing 150.3. He made 23 and 188 not out for the Combined XI and 123 for South Australia.

With last use of a pitch responding to spin, the Australians will have to produce a sterling batting performance to win this test. On present indications they will be set a task of at least 330 runs for victory.