Makeshift test series ended on high note

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32391, 2 September 1970, Page 15

Makeshift test series ended on high note

Specialty written for "The 'THE fifth England-Rest of the World test provided a fitting climax to this makeshift series: the highciass cricket, and the keen struggle, put paid to the sceptics who had forecast a mundane match because the series had been decided. Three basic reasons accounted for the interest this match inspired. First, it was a game between two good teams, each with a captain bent on victory. Second, the England team was having its final game before the selectors and some of the opposing team, notably R. G. Pollock, needed performances to bolster reputations. The Rest of the World won convincingly by four wickets, but to win the match had the difficult task of scoring 284 on a worn wicket. That this target was reached was attributable to the aggressive West India trio, R. B. Kanhai, C. A. Lloyd and G. S. Sobers. Realising that any show of timidity could lead to the bowlers gaining the upper hand, they combined to use their abundant ability, never giving the bowlers ’a chance. Kanhai was in his element He discarded the defensive and largely unsuccessful mantle he had worn earlier in the series and clouted anything even vaguely loose. With Lloyd he added 123 in 125 minutes.

The English performance had encouraging and worrying aspects, if one looks ahead to Australia. On the credit side, G. Boycott confirmed his return to form with his chanceless innings of 157. This was acknowledged to be his best test innings. He brought to his task much resolution in attack and defence. On this performance he need have no fear of missing selection because of slow batting. He drove, off front foot or back, with beautiful timing, and always kept the initiative from the bowlers.

Another to cover himself with glory was the newcomer, P. Lever. Bowling at a lively medium pace, he caused havoc as he cut a score of 260 for four to 338 all out in the Rest’s first innings. In winning his startling figures and a certain return ticket to Australia he became only the second English bowler to take seven wickets in his first test innings. The present chairman of selectors, A. V. Bedser, was the first Another who reached a milestone and equalled a post-war record was the England captain, R. Illingworth. He has shown himself to be a most astute captain, and his batting improved with every match. His sixth 50 in the series put him on equal terms with Denis Compton, before this the only Englishman to achieve this feat —against the South Africans in 1947. Illingworth had only one previous test 50 to his

Press" by M. G. LESTER

credit, and his performance was the more meritorious for the fact that each time he had to retrieve his side from a collapse of some degree or another. Failure in the middle order was the major England weakness. In the first innings only 116 were scored for the last seven wickets and in the second, they could muster only 55. With England’s slowness in the field, much more

strength and solidarity is needed if the Australians are to face large totals. The series has been notable for the domination of Sobers and E. J. Barlow but in this final match, there was a shift of limelight to the previously out of form Pollock. From the start of his innings he hit the ball so well that it was hard to believe that in his six previous innings he had mustered only 108. In his partnership of 165 with Sobers, it was hard to separate the pair, if one was seeking the better performance. Pollock’s grace, timing and placement were immaculate. With a minimum of effort he appeared to achieve the same sort of speed off the bat as Sobers, whose full back swing and strong wrists gave the bowlers no quarter. These two were the major performers in the last act, and it was fitting that the last line should be delivered by Sobers, who did so much to make the series a success. No matter what the final decision might be on the status of these matches the enthusiasm at the end was wonderfully heartening. Several thousand spectators invaded the ground as Sobers played a cut for four for victory, and it is doubtful if he has ever run as fast as he did on the way to the pavilion. It was not a short-lived enthusiasm, either. Two hours and a half afte. the game, there were still well more than a thousand enthusiasts waiting for glimpses of their heroes.