N.Z. DECLARES AT 551/9 England set task of 298

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33261, 26 June 1973, Page 16

N.Z. DECLARES AT 551/9 England set task of 298

(.V.Z. Press Association—Copyright

LONDON.

New Zealand set England a task of 298 runs to avoid defeat on the fourth day of the second cricket test at Lord’s. Amassing its highest total in a test, New Zealand declared at 551 for nine wickets, with three New Zealand batsmen scoring centuries.

V. Pollard, who was 77 not out on Saturday, continued to thrash England’s attack in the morning, and, when B. E. Congdon declared, was 105 not out. Both Congdon and Pollard had made successive centuries.

England, setting about its task carefully, was 26 without loss in the half-hour to lunch, the opening overs being enlivened by a glorious six by G. R. Boycott off B< R. Taylor. New Zealand resumed at 492 for six wickets—and within 15 minutes, V. Pollard and K. Wardsworth had brought up the 500, the) fourth time New Zealand had reached that total in a test,; and the first time against 1 England. J. Snow and G. Arnold,' fresh after the rest day, made things difficult for New Zealand batsmen. Snow bowled tightly in his opening overs, and Arnold surprised both batsmen by getting a few deliveries to lift sharply. The batsmen were anxious

to push the scoring along, and after nine overs began to score runs as they took nine off C. Old’s second over from the Nursery end. HALF-CHANCE Pollard gave a half-chance to Fletcher when he swung Old high over deep extracover. Fletcher, fielding deep, just failed to grasp the ball as it flew over his head to the boundary. That took Pollard to 91. Old took his third wicket in the next over. Wadsworth tried to force him through the off-side field, got an outside edge, and Knott made a lot of ground to take the ball in front of first slip. Wadsworth had made 27, and New Zealand was 523 for seven. B. R. Taylor came in, and immediately clipped Old to mid-wicket for four, and had moved to six before the end of the over. Old dropped one short to

[Taylor, who hooked it powerfully, level with his chin, for four. Old realised the folly of [dropping them short to Tayllor. The next ball was a [yorker which Taylor could not get down to — and his

01.-stump was knocked back. He had made 11, and gave iOld his fourth victim. New Zealand was then eight for 535. HISTORIC STROKE By this time, the New Zealanders were clocking up records almost every over. Pollard reached his second successive test century with a thick outside edge which went for four. This stroke also brought up New Zealand’s highest test score against any country. It also was the first time that three New Zealand batsmen had made centuries in a single innings of a test against England. D. R. Hadlee reached six before lofting Old to Fletcher at deep mid-off — and Congdon declared the New Zealand innings closed at 551 for nine. Pollard remained 105 not out — and New Zealand had a lead of 298 over England. The three wickets to fall in the morning’s session all went to C. Old, who finished with five for 113. J. Snow took three wickets for 109. and G. Arnold one for 108. Both spinners, R. Illingworth and N. Gifford, failed to take a wicket.