England side begins badly

Press, 21 June 1977, Page 6

England side begins badly

NZPA London England started its second innings badly after dismissing Australia for 296 in the first cricket test at Lord’s early this morning (New Zealand time). Jeff Thomson clean-bowled (Dennis Amiss with the fourth [ball of the innings. Amiss I played defensively inside the line and the ball hit the top of his off stump. It was a staggering blow for England, but by lunch Mike Brearley and Bob Woolmer had compiled 29 runs without mishap. The England fast bowler Bob Willis took his fifth wicket of the innings in the first half hour of play. In his fourth over of the morning. Willis had Max Walker caught behind by Alan Knott I after bowling a lifting delivery outside the off stump. Australia had added six runs to its overnight total of 278 for eight before Walker was out. At that stage Willis had taken five for 77. In his next over Willis also removed O’Keeffe, the last batsman of any repute. O’Keeffe attempted to hook a short delivery and skied a simple chance to the substitute fieldsman, Alan Ealham, at square leg. It waj the first time Willis had taken six wickets in a test in England.

It then became a contest between Willis and Old to claim the last wicket. Willis was striving for his best test figures and Old for his one-hundredth wicket in test matches. Willis won, clean-bowling Thomson in his thirty-first over to record figures of seven for 78. Australia was all out for 296. a lead of 80 with an hour's batting for England before lunch. The lunch scoreboard.— First innings 214 Second innings D. Amiss b Thomson •. 6 M. Brearley not out it R. Woolmer not out 15 Extras Total (for 1 wicket) 24 Bowling.—J. Thomson, 5, 2 14 1; L. Pascoe, 5,1, 15 0;' m’ Walker, 3,3, 0, 0. AUSTRALIA K. O'Keeffe c sub b Willis 12 M. Walker c Knott b Willis 4 J. Thomson b Willis 4 L. Pascoe not out Extras (71b, Iw, 17nb) . ,~25 Total Fall of wickets: 24, 51 135, 238 256, 264, 265, 284, 2»0.' Bowling.—R. Willis, 30.1, 7, 78 7; J. Lever, 1», 5, 61, 1; D. Underwood, 25, 6 42, 0; C. Old. 35, 10, 70, 2; R, Woolmer, 5,1, 20, 0.