Runs flow in quiet finale to tempestuous test

Press, 28 February 1980, Page 34

Runs flow in quiet finale to tempestuous test

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

Desmond Haynes, Lawrence Rowe, and Collis King hit centuries on the final day of the second test yesterday, there was fast scoring and some sumptuous stroke-making, but it was all as meaningless as a lolly scramble without anv kids.

So the test, which in retrospect will seem to have consisted as much of rows as of runs, was drawn. {There was very little prospect of it being anything [else, when the final day' [began. There was a faint [flicker of interest when |Clive Lloyd was fourth out, jwith the score 268, the lead I only 36, and a possible 165 [minutes of play remaining. [ However, the pitch, which 'continued to make life very easy for the batsmen, opened the door to some swift scoring against an attack handicapped by injury, the strong southerly wind, and a lack of purpose.

The New Zealanders certainly tried, but they were men on a mission almost impossible. Very early, the sharpest of them. Richard Hadlee — the only one likely to ruffle the fine feathers in which the bats-

men were , appearing — was off a short run, no doubt because of the ankle injury which is plaguing him. He had some good overs, as did all the others, but in

J. j end the figures told the istory. The West Indies’ runs .were made at about 3.7 an lover, although the first hour yielded only 38. Thus interes-t in the proceedings was mainly statistical. Haynes and Gordon Greenidge took the overnight score of 157 to 201, beating the West Indies first-wicket record of 197 made almost 30 years ago at Auckland by Alan Rae and Jeffrey Stollmeyer. Strangely, they made an appeal against the light 45 minutes before lunch, when it really was not too bad. It was a little confusing, for rhe batsmen were in thorough command.

. They came back 15 minutes later and Greenidge was out in the 90s for the second time in the game. The stand was worth 225, only 14 short of the West indies first-wicket record against all countries — also the property of Stollmeyer and Rae.

Haynes went on to an inevitable century, his second of the series. He made it briskly, from 144 balls and one run later Alvin Kallicharran was beautifully

I taken by Warren Lees, wide [on the leg side. The bowler was Gary Troup, who deserves every wicket he[ itakes. He bowls with tre-( mendous heart, and even on I this most amiable of pitches! produced a really awkward) one now and then. The drives and cuts and' hooks were lost for a while,! as Lawrence Rowe and Clive' Lloyd struggled to find form. Lloyd was the best part of an hour over his seven runs, and he was particularly troubled by Stephen Boock. The left-arm) spinner rather unexpectedly) bowled down-wind, and he pushed the ball through briskly, with a rather low bounce worrying Lloyd before the West Indies captain was bowled. I

Then Rowe, finding a beautiful touch, began to get the runs flowing and King, a natural and gifted hitter, swung into action. He was dropped at 4 off Lance Cairns, at 51. off JeremyConey, both sharp slip catches. But he belted huge sixes, as Rowe raced to his hundred. King reached three figures too — his first cen-

itury in tests —with another [six off an obliging Geoff Howarth, and that was {enough for .everyone, the game ending at 5.25 p.m. ) Rowe and King had made ■l6B together in 127 minutes lof frivolous, but rather [pointless, cricket. ' Only Howarth might have ihad much pleasure from the (surge of scoring. He took [his . test bowling aggregate from two wickets to three. WEST INDIES First innings 128 Second innings !G. C. Greenidge c Lees b Troup ..97 D. L. Haynes c Cairns b Coney 122 L. G. Rowe c Boock b Howarth .. 100 A. I. Kallicharran c Lees b T roup 0 C. H. Lloyd b Boeck 7 C. L. King not out . . 100 D. L. Murray not out 1 . Extras (bS, IbB, nb6, wl) 20 [ Total for 5 wickets 447 Fall of wickets: 225 (Greenidge), 233 (Haynes), 234 (Kallicharran), 268 (Lloyd), 436 (Rowe). BOWLING

O M R W R. J. Hadlee 22 7 64 0 G. B. Troup 27 7 84 2 B. L. Cairns 28 8 107 0 J. V. Coney 19 2 71 1 S. L. Boock 18 3 69 1 G. P. Howarth 5 0 32 1 NEW ZEALAND First innings 460