Sensational debut by Bracewell

Press, 29 July 1978, Page 56

Sensational debut by Bracewell

From R.T. Brittenden

NZPA London Brendon Bracewell made a spectacular start to his test career at the Oval last night (N.Z. time) with a wicket from his third ball, and another seven balls later. With his third ball he cut one back and Graham Gooch was caught in front. It was la very lively first over, for ! Clive Radley mis-hit the last lone dangerously close to I Boock at square leg. Radley, never the most i elegant of batsmen, forced Bracewell away firmly to i mid-wicket for three but the young Masterton man struck I again. He defeated Brearley I with a ball he should rememiber all his years. It had ’pace, line, length and away movement. Brearley was almost inevitably caught behind by Jock Edwards. Then the elegant David Gower came to the crease and along with Radley started swinging the game back England’s way. Hadlee was replaced by Cairns, and later Hadlee took over Bracewell’s end. Stephen Boock had an over just before lunch, with no success.

Willis wrapped up New Zealand’s first innings with ease, with the New Zealanders making only 10 more runs.

After the 102nd over Willis took the new ball and it brought immediate success. Hadlee went forward but speared a catch which Botham knocked up at third

slip for Brearley, from first slip, to retrieve. This brought in Brendon Bracewell, who survived a leg before appeal first ball. But moments later he was out, beautifully taken in a dive to !the right by the wicketI keeper, Bob Taylor, and New i Zealand was a sorry 230 for nine.

Stephen Boock took a single from his first ball but was left with the strike as Chris Old came on for his first over. He turned Old for two with a quite professorial air and was left with yet another not out as Cairns, hitting across the line at Willis, was out leg before wicket.

Willis had thus taken the last three wickets to finish with five for 42, his victims coming in the space of nine balls.

England won the first round of the first test with New Zealand at the Oval on the first day, confining the tourists to 224 in six hours of a delightfully sunny day and dismissing seven of the top batsmen. Whatever else the New Zealanders do on this tour, they will continue to regret that they did not make more runs and lose fewer wickets on the first day when everything pointed tb a substantial score once the side had got through to lunch for the 'loss of only one wicket. There was a great innings of 94 from Geoffrey Howarth, who batted for four hours and a half with distinction and charm. There was another conscientious and determined display by John Wright, who made 62, and just as admirable was the fight made by an out-of-form Mark Burgess, who batted for two hours and a half for 34 until he was dismissed in the last over of the day. But there were failures, Bruce Edgar, looking very much a case of first-test nerves, was out only one run after Wright. Then there was a stand

between Howarth and Burgess. Howarth was out, most unexpectedly, at 191. Six runs later Bevan Congdon was responsible for his own run-out and at 207 Jock Edwards played an injudicious shot and was bowled.

There was a little turn, surprisingiv enough, fot England’s spinners, but the pitch generally was good, as it was expected to be. It was certainly a difficult morning, and getting through it after the early loss of Robert Anderson did Wright and Howarth the utmost credit. Having achieved that first goal New Zealand progressed along a very pleasant course, runs coming freely after the interval. Wright, after 190 min of application, was well taken at mid-wicket by Clive Radley when working the ball away in a fashion now familiar. Edgar was in awful trouble when Geoff Millet bowled his off-breaks, but it was Howarth’s dismissal which led to a damaging slide. NEW ZEALAND First innings J. G. Wright c Radley b Willis tt R. W. Anderson b Old . 4 G. P. Howarth c Edmonds b Botham 94 B. A. Edgar c and b Miller 0 M. G. Burgess lbw b Willis 34 B. E. Congdon run out .. 1 G. N. Edwards b Miller 4 R J. Hadlee c Brearley b Willis S B. L. Cairns lbw b Willis 5 B. Bracewell c Taylor b Willi* 0 S. L Boock not out .. 3 Extras (bl, Ib7, nbll) . 19 Total 134

The scoreboard at lunch early this morning (New Zealand time): ENGLAND First innings J. M. Brearley c Edwards b Bracewell 1 G. A. Gooch lbw b Bracewell 0 C. T. Radley not out .. 28 D. I. Gower not out .. 17 Extras 9

Fall: 7, 130, 131, 101, 107. 207, 224, 230, 230. o. M. R. W. R. G. D. Willis 20.2 0 42 5 C. M. Old 20 7 43 1 1. Botham 22 7 50 1 G. Miller 25 10 31 2 P. Edmonds . 17 2 41 0

Total for two wickets .. Si Fall: 2. J. Bowling 0. M. R. W. B. Bracewell 7 4 10 2 R. J. Hadlee S 0 24 0 B. L. Cairns 5 0 ♦ 0 S. L. Boock 1 0 4 0