N.Z. batsmen battle to gain test lead

Press, 29 December 1980, Page 26

N.Z. batsmen battle to gain test lead

NZPA special correspondent Don Cameron Melbourne

Torrents of rain, huge jagged sheets of lightning and thunder like cannon fire stopped the New ZealandAustralia third cricket test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday just as New Zealand was in danger of losing the ground it had won so patiently in the morning sunshine.

When the tremendous storm hit the ground at 3 p.m. New Zealand, after looking like challenging the Australian first innings of 321, had dropped to 251 for six wickets, with only Jeremy Coney (29 not out), remaining of the recognised batsmen.

Play actually stopped because of bad light but the downpour soon had the ground awash to end any hope of play re-starting. Earlier in the day New Zealand, 139 for two wickets overnight, had lost John Parker (56) and Geoff Howarth (65), the architects of the 125-run stand for the third wicket.

Then a solid partnership by Mark Burgess and Coney lifted New Zealand past 200 and there was the prospect of New Zealand going on to a useful first innings lead. However, just as the light wa" fading the second new ball broke the partnership after it was worth 84 runs and New Zealand immediately lost another wicket at the same score, 247. Coney and Warren Lees were under fire but this was soon washed away by the rain.

With only two days play remaining, weather permitting, ■ t'-ere may not be enough time for either side to take a dominant position on this slow and heartless pitch. The controversial decision against their medium pace bowler, Lance Cairns threw the New Zealand cricketers out of their stride as they battled to dismiss Australia for 321 at the end of their first innings on Saturday. Before the decision against Cairns it seemed certain Australia would be held to a total under 300.. After a sluggish start from 222 for 6 wickets, the New Zealanders burst into

life with three wickets in one Cairns over just before mid-day. Cairns bowled Dennis Lillee with a swinging yorker with the first ball of an over. Rodney Hogg was run out from the fifth ball and Cairns sent the sixth ball curling into Len Pascoe’s stumps. These three wickets fell at 361 and Jim Higgs would have gone at 279 had not the umpire, Mr Robin Bailhache, ruled that Cairns’s bouncer, which had Higgs caught, came under “unfair play” and was ruled a noball.

The New Zealander’s were obviously upset at the decision but were tight-lipped when asked at lunch to com* ment on the incident.

So instead of having Australia out for the modest score of 279, the New Zealanders had to labour for another 77 minutes before Walters was bowled.

During that 91-minute stand Walters had time to reach his 50th test century and Higgs was able to contribute six runs to a 60-run stand, which is a record for the tenth wicket against New Zealand.

Jeremy Coney again became New Zealand’s hero, bowling Walters in his second over and finishing with three wickets for 28 runs.

New. Zealand immediatley had some batting luck when Bruce Edgar (11), put on edge' from Hogg between Walters and Allen Border in the slips without either touching it. A century partnership between Geoff Howarth and John Parker had restored New Zealand’s fortunes on the second day of the third test on Saturday. At close of play New Zealand was 139 for two in its first innings with Howarth not out 54 and Parker not out 47.

The New Zealanders dominated the final session of play with their century part* nership scored in only 115 minutes.

The spin bowler, Jim Higgs, had earlier taken the wickets of the openers, John Wright, for four, and Bruce Edgar, for 21. The Australian fast attack was all bristling menance as Howarth and Parker resumed their third wicket partnership at 139 for 2 under sunny skies yesterday morning.

Dennis Lillee, Rodney Hogg and Len Pascoe were able to make the ball lift awkwardly and neither New Zealander could regain the dashing form of Saturday afternoon when they came together at 32 for two wickets. Parker took half-an-hour to pick up three runs for his 50 from 118 balls and departed six minutes later, caught by Rod Marsh off Pascoe. The 125-run partnership had taken 157 minutes and lifted New Zealand to 157 for three.

Twenty minutes later Howarth was gone, beaten and bowled by a very good ball from Hogg which took the off stump. Howarth had batted 185 minutes for his 65. Burgess and Coney worked steadily and lifted New Zealand to 200 for four at lunch.

Higgs, who took the only two wickets to fall on Saturday, has so far conceded 57 runs from 19 overs. The New Zealanders were much brisker after lunch, moving to their 50 partnership in 79 minutes, against Lillee bowling from his short run and Higgs spinning well, but unable to force a false stroke. As the time for the new ball came closer Allan Border bowled his left-arm slows and Greg Chappell even tried an over of legspinners. Then, as the clouds gathered and a faint haze swept over the ground, Pascoe and Hogg came back with the new ball.

Hogg looked especially dangerous but Pascoe struck twice in the first over after drinks.

Burgess got a nasty skidder and was lbw to the first ball. For some reason John Bracewell was promoted to number seven but sent the second ball he faced straight into Chappell’s hands , at first slip. A few minutes later the light became so bad the players left the field with New Zealand 251 for six. AUSTRALIA > First Innings J. Dyson b Troup .. 13 G. Wood e Lees b Hadlee . 0 G. Chapoell cConey b Hadlee 42 K. Hughes c Parker b Hadlee 51 A Border c Cairns b Coney 45 D.’ Walters b Coney .. 107 R. Marsh c Parker b Coney 1 D. Lillee b Cairns .. 27 R. Hogg run out .. 0 L. Pascoe b Cairns .. 0 J. Higgs not out .. -• » Extras (3w, 131 b, 7b, 6nb) 29 Total 321 Fall of wickets: 0, 32, 75, 159, 190, 192, 241, 261, 261, 321. Bowling: R. Hadlee 39, 8, 89, 3; G. Troup 26, 5, 54, 1; L. Cairns 35, 6, 83, 2; J. Bracewell 9,0, 38, 0; J. Coney 12.3, 6, 28, 3. NEW ZEALAND First Innings J. Wright e G. Chappell b Higgs 4 B. Edgar lbw Higgs 21 G. Howarth b Hogg .. •• 65 J. Parker c Marsh b Pascoe 56 M. Burgess lbw Pascoe .. 49 J. Coney not out 29 J. Bracewell c G. Chappell b Pascoe 0 W. Lees not out .. 2 Extras (71b, 9b, Jnb) . Total (for 6 wickets) .. 251 Fall of wlckts: 27, 32, 157, 163, 247, 247. Bowling: D. Lillee 21, 4, 49, 0; R. Hogg 18, 6, 47, I; J. Higgs 25, 6, 68, 2; L. Pascoe 21.4, 5, 51, 3; A. Border 4,1, 6,0; G. Chappell 2,0, 5, 0.