WEST INDIES FACING INEVITABLE DEFEAT

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31881, 8 January 1969, Page 13

WEST INDIES FACING INEVITABLE DEFEAT

A tenacious century by B. F. Butcher yesterday took the third cricket test between the West Indies and Australia into the final day. However, it did no more than delay the inevitable Australian victory.

Australia has been left with the token task of scoring 27 more runs to win, with all their second innings wickets intact.

Butcher, batting with un-i usual restraint, combined in a valuable partnership of 54 with the wicket-keeper, J. Hendriks, to frustrate Australian attempts to clinch victory within four days. Now only the weather can save the West Indians from a

crushing defeat—and there is little prospect of that. The Sydney weather bureau has (forecast a fine hot day and Ino sign of rain. When the West Indies second innings ended at 324, [only 25 minutes of play remained, and with the break [between innings, it was obvi!ous the Australians could not [achieve their target of 42 in I less than 15 minutes.

■ j The Australian captain, W. M. Lawry, sent in K. Stacki pole and P. Sheahan to open 11 the innings, raising Sheahan ‘ from number six in the batting order. They had scored [l5 at the close. The West Indians failed to capitalise on a dogged century stand between the opener, R. Fredericks, and the stylish number three batsman, R. B. Kanhai. They put on 103 lin 134 minutes before Kanhai was out to a juggling catch by I. Chappell at first slip off the bowling of G. D. McKenzie.

Fredericks followed soon afterwards, snapped up at ■short leg by I. R. Redpath in [the next over from A. N. Con[nolly, and it was clear that the tourists would be struggling to survive the day.

S. M. Nurse was out to ani atrocious shot when he was 17, but Butcher and his skipper, G. S. Sobers, raised hopes of a recovery with a sterling partnership that produced 75 runs in 67 minutes. Sobers was dismissed shortly before tea when he snicked the spinner, J. Gleeson, to Chappell at first slip and the tourists were back in the fire, with five down for 243.

C. Lloyd did not last long I after tea, falling to a neat catch at second slip by Stack-

i pole off E. Freeman in the t i second over with the new ( ball. 1

Freeman struck again in the same over, bowling R. Edwards for a duck, and with seven down for 264, the West Indies were crumbling. Then Butcher and Hendriks became associated in

their determined stand which ended more than an hour later when Hendriks spooned

a simple catch to Connolly at deep mid-off from the bowling of Gleeson. He had contributed a gallant 22. Butcher followed almost immediately, caught and bowled by Gleeson for 101 in just over four hours, and W. W. Hall was smartly stumped by B. A. Jarman off Gleeson for five. Gleeson who was not suited Iby the wicket, nevertheless j claimed three wickets in the ! last 13 minutes of the innings land finished with 4 for 91 off [26 overs. Butcher’s fine innings included 14 boundaries and he received a great ovation from the crowd when he returned to the pavilion.