WEST INDIES RAMPANT

Press, 14 August 1976, Page 4

WEST INDIES RAMPANT

NZPA-Reuter London The West Indies advanced their score to 412 for three wickets in the early stages of the second day’s play in the fifth and final test at the Oval today. The West Indian batsman, Vivian Richards, continued to plunder the rich seam of runs which he un overed in scoring on the opening day his second double century of the series. At the close of the first day, Richards was 200 not out, and the West Indies, holding ah unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, were 373 for three wickets. Richards, who is 24, and from the tiny Caribbean island of Antigua, shared a stand of 154 with Roy Fredericks (71) and a thirdwicket partnership of 191 with Lawrence Rowe (70). It was the seventh time this year that Richards had passed three figures in a test —and when he reached 185, he overtook Sir Gary Sobers’s previous West Indies record aggregate for a series against England, of 722, made in 1966.

England’s wicket - keeper, Alan Knott, also achieved a record when he stumped Rowe off his Kent colleague, Derek Underwood, to set a new world mark of 220 test victims. Godfrey Evans, of Kent, held ftie old record. But even for Knott, the opening day was a day of little satisfaction. He dropped Fredericks in the second over, a wicket that would have given England a great psychological boost.

the gates had been closed on a 17,000 crowd midway through the morning session. Generally the spectators heeded appeals to cut down noise, which has been a feature of the earlier tests, but there was tremendous acclaim from the West

Indian sector each time Richards passed a milestone. When he moved to his double century, there was a delay as policemen cleared the playing area of intruders who had invaded it to pay personal tribute to Richards. England persisted with the old ball at the start of play today. Underwood’s second over was a maiden, but both batsmen had little trouble hitting boundaries against the spinners. Greig waited half an hour before taking the new ball — and the fast bowler, Bob Willis, was immediately in trouble for running across the pitch. The umpire, Mr Harold Bird, issued a final warning to Willis, who was also reprimanded during his brief bowling spells on Friday. Mike Selvey joined Willis at the other end, but there was no end to the West Indian appetite for runs. Richards, in particular, remained in sparkling form, as he and Lloyd swept the West Indies past 400 in the 112th over. Helped by a hard and fast outfield, Richards hit 48 runs in the first hour, most of them in boundaries. WEST INDIES First innings - R. C. Fredericks c Baiderstone b Miller 71 C. G. Greenldge lbw b Willis 0 I. V. A. Richarcs not out 280 L. G. Rowe std Knott b Underwood .. 70 C. H. Lloyd not out . 62 Extras 17 Total for 3 wickets 509 Fall of wickets: 5, 159, 350. Mail bag still missing The police and postal authorities have no new leads on the disappearance of an Ashburton mail bag containing registered mail, after more than two months investigation. Compensation notices have been sent to some of the people with items in the bag. — (P.A.).