England increases lead in first test

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32941, 13 June 1972, Page 18

England increases lead in first test

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright; MANCHESTER. England added another 72 before lunch to give it an over-all lead of 315 over Australia in its bid for victory in the first cricket test at Old Trafford, Manchester, yesterday, but it lost three more wickets in the process.

The Australian speedster, D. Lillee, claimed all three English wickets to fall, and it was obvious that the wicket was still suiting the seam bowlers. At lunch, England was 208 for six wickets, with A. Greig, the best of the English batsmen, still at the wicket with 46 not out.

B. L. D’Oliveira made 37, M. J. K. Smith 34, and the England captain, R. Illingworth, was with Greig, on six. Play got under way on time at 136 for three, with the weather the best of the test so far. Many of the crowd were in shirt sleeves. But the crowd was less than 2000 on this sunniest day the Australians had encountered since arriving in England. FINE CATCH D’Oliveira was out when he tried to drive Lillee’s fifth ball of the morning. He was not quite to the pitch of the delivery, and from an outside edge it went like a bullet to G. Watson in the gully; who held a fine catch at knee height. England was 140 for four —a lead of 247 with six wickets in hand.

Lillee changed ends and immediately claimed Smith, who had frustrated the Australians for 152 minutes for a scratchy 34 with two boundaries. He was beaten with the first ball of Lillee’s second spell, and then trying to slash the next through the covers gave R. Marsh his third catch of the innings. Lillee had two for 12 from 32 deliveries this morning. I. Chappell continued quick-fire bowling changes bringing D. Colley back into the attack in place of his brother, Greg. FOURTH CATCH A. P. Knott scored just one run and the total advanced

by 10 to 192 when he pushed forward at Lillee and gave Marsh his fourth catch. D’Oliveira batted 74 minutes and hit seven fours, and Smith batted 142 minutes and hit two fours. England First Innings 247 Second Innings G. Boycott lbw b Gleeson .. 47 J. H. Edrlch c Marsh b Watson 24 B. W. Luckhurst C Marsh b Colley 0 M. J. K. Smith c Mersh b Lillee 34 B. L. D'Ollvelra c Watson b Lille* 37 A. P. Knott c Mersh b Lillee 1 A. Greig not out ..44 R. Illingworth not out 4 Extras 11 Total for six wkts 20*