Burgess (101), Wadsworth save N.Z. from defeat

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32848, 23 February 1972, Page 28

Burgess (101), Wadsworth save N.Z. from defeat

(From D. J. CAMERON. N.Z.P.A. special correspondent)

KINGSTON. Drawing out the last drops of drama and anxiety, and producing a boundarystudded 101 by M. G. Burgess and another rearguard action by the indomitable K. J. Wadsworth (36 in 124 minutes), New Zealand fought its way to a draw in the first test against West Indies at Sabina Park yesterday.

In their exasperating way, the New Zealanders wavered bedespair, safety and tween poise and danger, before they finished the day at 236 for six wickets, with Wadsworth and R. S. Cunis holding out for the last 45 minutes.

The background to the tense last four hours of this remarkable test was that once L. Rowe had scored his second century in his test debut, G. S. Sobers declared at 218 for three, 35 minutes after plav had resumed. Illis gave New Zealand 310 minutes in which to, score 341 for victory, or more realistically, gave West Indies

that amount of time in which to try to bowl New Zealand out again.

Saved their side

And but for the flashing bat of Burgess, and the stout hearts of Wadsworth and Cunis, the West Indians would have done just that and thus taken a tight grip on the series. The preliminaries to the nervous moments of the last three hours were sedate enough. After a patchy start in which he nearly played on to the sixth ball of file innings, G. T. Dowling helped G. M. Turner take the score to 49 without loss at lunch after 70 minutes of hard work.

By now, if not before, it was obvious that New Zealand was not inclined to a death-or-glory chase after Sobers’s target, which was as fair as the circumstances allowed. A victory bid would have demanded between three and four runs an over, and against spin bowling of the quality provided by L. R. Gibbs and D. A. Holford, this would have been close to suicide for the tourists. Change of fortune At lunch the New Zealanders were happy; five minutes afterward they were shaken. In the first over, Dowling misread Holford’s googly and was bowled. In his next over, Turner tried to cut Holford’s wrong-un and was bowled. Two for 51, almost four hours to go. and the tremors were only stifled, not stilled, by a useful stand between B. E. Congdon and Burgess. Slowly, they righted the in-

nings again, but at 96 Congdon was run out when Burgess, who had the call, sent him back.

B. F. Hastings, as usual, rather tentative against spin early in his innings, settled down, Burgess began to strike fours with wondrous ease through the attacking field, and as tea approached New Zealand seemed to have the game saved.

Two more blows Suddenly, Holford struck again, with two more blows that almost finished the New Zealanders. Hastings was beaten through the air and off the pitch, and lost his off stump. A few minutes later T. W. Jarvis played back to a shortish ball which had him legbefore.

Burgess was still there, moving briskly into his 50s, but it seemed too much to expect from Wadsw'orth another of those rear-guard actions he had provided so marvellously in the first innings.

At tea, New Zealand was 144 for five. Holford was in dynamic form, having taken four for 35 from 17 overs between lunch and tea, and the West Indians pressed in for the kill. But Wadsworth, every inch the fighter, would not be shifted, and Burgess became stronger and more confident of stroke each minute.

Cover drives riddled the field, impudent cuts and glances brought more runs, and one mighty pull by Burgess to mid-wicket gave New Zealand its first six of the match.

Quickly to 100

Slowly Burgess moved through the 70s and 80s, but then progressed swiftly. A dazzling cover drive off U. Dowe with the second new ball made him 93. Dowe reacted with a sharpish bouncer which Burgess hit first bounce for four. The next ball was short and wide and Burgess nudged it over the slips for a four and his century. It took him the amazingly short time of 183 minutes, and had a six, 15 fours, and a five which included four overthrows.

The applause, a mere ripple compared with the riotous noise that greeted Rowe’s 100 before lunch, had barely died down before Burgess was gone. He went to drive at Dowe’s next ball, mistimed sufficiently to lift it in the air, and Dowe picked up the catch neatly as he ran through. Burgess was mightily displeased and it was not perhaps the right shot for the occasion, but he had served

New Zealand well and with* out his three-tour innings the match would very likeljl have been lost.

Showed his ability

He had his awkward moments against the spinners and took painful blows on the fingers and right leg, but he gave the Wsst Indies a glimpse of his real ability. With 18 of the required 20 overs remaining, Cunis joined Wadsworth and might hava left swiftly if M. C. CareW had reacted quickly enough to dive for a ba 1 that Cunis jabbed down on ihe leg-side. That was the last chance the West Indies had. Nd matter how Soliers shuffled his bowlers, Wadsworth and Cunis stood firn, although Wadsworth also tried in vain to persuade the empires that the light was bad.

Before lunch, F'.owe became the first player io score two centuries in a test debut. He had made 214 in the first innings and 100 not out in the second.

Rowe's double and single century performance has been achieved only orce before in a test, by the Australian, K. D. Walters, whe scored 242 and 103 against the West Indies in Sydney in 1968-69.