Bowlers Not Yet Settled

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32018, 19 June 1969, Page 20

Bowlers Not Yet Settled

(From R. T. BRITTZNDZN. N.ZP.A. special correepondenti EASTBOURNE. A match in which 706 runs were scored and bhly 12 wickets lost, some of them thrown away, testifies to the ex* cellence of the pitch on which the New Zealanders opened their tour against D. H. Robins’s XI.

It should have provided the touring team with an excellent workout, but rain on the second and third days confined the New Zealand batting time for the match to only three hours. The century scored by B. E. Congdon and the performance of most of the others gave the batting a satisfactory appearance, but the bowlers will have much to think about Congdon looked thoroughly at home and played some splendid strokes, but be did rather deprive his partners of batting practice on a perfect pitch by the extraordinary regularity with which he retained the strike. Hastings Desperate Congdon is a determined and acquisitive batsman and these are assets New Zealand players have often lacked. But B. F. Hastings was one who threw his wicket away in desperation when he found himself facing the bowling after a long wait R. S. Cunis bowled well on the third morning and R. 0. Collinge looked near his best form, but B. R. Taylor and D. R. Hadlee must have been

rather disappointed with their performances. In the case of Hadlee, overeagerness to get to grips with the tour probably accounted in some measure for his lack of accuracy, which was, however, never desperately bad. Taylor had only 10 overs in the match and will need some hard practice before the county programme begins. H. J. Howarth and M. G. Burgess had some interesting overs, but they too were often loose in length and direction and on so fine a pitch they, gave away runs steadily. G. T. Dowling had some interesting field placings in this match. He himself, so regularly in a close-catching, legside position, was in front of the bat at mid-off or in covers all the time, relinquishing bis normal position to Howarth. Congdon was at first slip for the whole game. This side has a good many players of ability close to the wicket and sorting out the most efficient combinations for the different field settings is going to be an interesting exercise for the team management D. H. BOBINS'S XI first Innings, 277/5 dec. Second Innings B. G. Gele c Milburn b Burgess 43 Sadiq Mohammed lbw b Cunis o B. Knight c Wadsworth b Howarth 5’ M. J. K. Smith c Collinge b Taylor S 3 M. Brearley not out ■■ 29 Zztras Ibyeo S, leg-byes 4. wide 1, no-balls 2) 13 Total for 4 wkts dec. 197 Fall of wickets: One for & two for 110. three tor US, tout for 196. Bowling: CoHinge, 7, 3. 22, 0: Cunis, 12, 6, 34, 1: Hadlee S, 0. 31, S: Howarth, 9. 1. 37, 1; Burgess. 6. 1, 30, 1; Taylor 6.3. 0, 27. 1. NEW ZEALAND First Innings 221/3 dee. Second Innings G. T. Dowling not out .. t B. E. Congdon not out .. 4 Extras (no-balls 2) .. 2 Total for no wicket 12 Bowling: Jackson, 3. 1. 5,0; Jordon, 3, 3. S. 0.