Dyson, Hughes deliver ultimate insult

Press, 9 March 1982, Page 36

Dyson, Hughes deliver ultimate insult

By

JOHN COFFEY

The Australian spinners, Bruce Yardley and Ray Bright, might have contemplated a dual suicide pact — or, at very least, an approach to a sympathetic guru — in the late afternoon sun at Lancaster Park yesterday.

They had toiled for much of the day, and for a combined total of 52 overs, after being given the assignment of bowling Australia to victory over the President’s XI. They could wring only a meagre response from the pitch, ; and the opposing middle-order batsmen were even less compassionate. But the ultimate insult came in the closing minutes, the match by then inevitably a draw and Yardley and Bright smarting from having an aggregate of 210 runs taken from them. Two willing part-timers, John Dyson and Kim Hughes, had the ball, and both had the audacity to claim a wicket: Yardley actually threw himself on the ground, rather than a ceremonial suicide sword, when Hughes, only moments after Dyson had John Bracewell caught, successfully appealed for leg before wicket against Gary Robertson. An act of despair — or incredulity? But the light-hearted completion of the game contrasted to the events which preceded it. The President’s XI, 107 runs behind on the first, innings, had no easy passage to its eventual total of 338 for eight wickets. Australia was considered to have an even chance of bowling the President’s men out at the start of play, and no doubt a victory would have been welcomed as a lead-up to the second test. When Terry Aiderman again made the initial break-

through — this time causing Trevor Franklin to misjudge his stroke — that prospect was kept alive. . Peter Webb and John Morrison survived the assault by Aiderman and Jeff Thomson in comparative comfort, and the inevitable confrontation between Yardley, in particular, and the batsmen began. Bowling flatter and faster than Bright preferred when he later joined him, Yardley persuaded Webb to provide Hughes with the first of his three catches. There was confidence in the Australian camp that Bruce Blair had been caught behind by Greg Chappell — who by then had replaced Dyson, Rod Marsh’s original deputy — from Yardley’s next over. Blair responded by taking 11 runs from the next four balls, including a six to midwicket. Then, facing Bright for the first time, he had his off-stump knocked out of the ground. The only consolation for the President’s XI was the assurance displayed by Morrison at the other end. A little earlier, Morrison had thoroughly enjoyed himself at Len Pascoe’s expense. He twice cut Pascoe’s deliveries for fours, turned another off his hip to the boundary, and then capped it all by clipping a six to backward square leg. Because Morrison had also swept and twice cover driven Yardley immaculately just before the break, it was all the more surprising that on

the third ball after the resumption he should give Allan Border a simple catch at silly mid-off. At 95 for four with almost four hours left it was all too ominous. That, for the second time in the game, was where Australia’s advance was halted. Evan Gray was in before Vaughan Brown, but was soon content to become the junior partner in a stand that quickly blossomed and was worth 118 runs. PRESIDENT'S XI First innings 250 Second innings P N. Webb c Hughes b Yardley. 25 T. J. Franklin lbw b Aiderman 3 J. F. M. Morrison c Border b Yardley 48 B. R. Blair b Bright 11 E. J. Grav c Wood b Pascoe. 45 V. R. Brown not out 121 W. K. Lees c Hughes b Yardley 25 J. G. Bracewell c Hughes b Dyson 29 G. J. . Robertson lbw b Hughes 4 B. P. Bracewell not out . . 13 Extras (b 5 lbB. nbl) . . 14 Total (for 8 wkts).... 338 Fall: 11, 66. 79. 95. 213. 252. 318. 323. Bowling.—J. R. Thomson 5. 3, 2.0; T. M. Alderman 7. 2. 16. 1; L. S. Pascoe 16. 2. 57, 1: B. Yardley 30. 7. 120. 3; R. J. Bright 22, 5. 90. 1; A. R. Border 5. 0, 18. 0; J. Dyson 3. 0, 18. 1; K. J. Hughes 2. 1. 3. 1. AUSTRALIA First innings 357