Wanderers on defeat path

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34126, 12 April 1976, Page 32

Wanderers on defeat path

(By

NEIL DIBBS,

N.Z.P.A. correspondent)

DURBAN.

Greg Chappell’s international Wanderers yesterday plunged towards the first defeat of their South African tour, in the final match in Durban.

The Wanderers, chasing 349 for victory in just over 10 hours, started disastrously, revived and then sagged sadly to be seven for 201 at stumps. With a full day to play today, the tourists have nowhere to go but the road to defeat — thus sharing the three “mini-test” series against South African multiracial sides, with one win each and a draw. The task for the thinlystretched batting strength of the Wanderers was always going to be tough, but it was made even tougher by the failure of the New Zealand opening batsman and vicecaptain, Glenn Turner. He was out for a duck in the first over, and it was two for 23 when England’s Phil Edmonds — a makeshift opener for the match — went for only three. Chappell and Mike Denness looked like turning the tide with test match tension, batting in a partnership of 93 in 130 minutes. But the tourists came unstuck when Chappell was brilliantly caught at cover by Lee Irvine for 43. That started a procession, with Martin Kent (12), Denness (84), Gary Gilmour (0) and John Shepherd (17) coming and going in a steady sequence. The wicket-keeper, Bob Taylor, batted usefully to be unconquered on 28 at stumps, but it was a hopeless task facing the tourists. The third day’s play brought to light a new South African bowiing star — the 30-year-old Indian left-arm spinner. Baboo Ebrahim. He did not get a bowl on a seamer’s track in the first innings and was only called on yesterday when the rest

of the South African attack was listless and tired in Durban’s heat.

But Ebrahim was on the spot from the first ball he bowled, and then settled in to send down 25 successive; overs until stumps. He took three for 54 in an impressive display of spin bowling, and troubled all the! Wanderers batsmen.

His victims were Chappell, Denness and Shepherd — all out playing frustrated lofted shots after being pinned down by Ebrahim’s nagging accuracy.