England collapses in test

Press, 15 July 1985, Page 26

England collapses in test

NZPA-Reuter Nottingham Australia stunningly restored its ailing fortunes when it caused a collapse in which England’s last six wickets crashed for 40 on the second day of the third cricket test on Saturday. England, seemingly on course for a monumental first innings total at 416 runs for four wickets, was jolted by the fast bowlers, Geoff Lawson and Craig McDermott, and slumped to 456 all out.

The Australian openers, Graeme Wood and Andrew Hilditch, sustained the revival by putting on 87, their best start of the six-match series in which the teams are level 1-1. Australia, 94 for one at the close, needed a further 163 to avoid the follow-on.

The touring team transformed the shape of the game in the second session after England, inspired by its captain David Gower’s masterly 166, initially continued to take advantage of a mild Trent

Bridge pitch. Lawson, who was rewarded for a stout-hearted effort with five for 103, and McDermott triggered the slump by sharing four wickets in 11 deliveries.

England’s decline — the last eight wickets went for 98 — was completed by the leg spinner, Bob Holland, and Lawson, who had five wickets in a test innings for the tenth time. It was his thirty-first test.

There was scarcely a hint of such a turnaround as England, 279 for two overnight, continued to make Australia’s four-man attack toil. Gower, who resumed on 107, and Gatting, with 53, emerged from a watchful start to treat the second new ball with disdain as they extended their third wicket partnership to 187.

The left-handed Gower played with even greater authority than on Friday. He drove and cut handsomely and played fluently off his legs to

pass his previous highest test score against Australia of 114. Gower’s stand with Gatting, who played a subdued role, ended when England’s captain drove Holland and the bowler deflected the ball into the stumps with the non-striker out of his ground. Gatting made 74.

England First innings (overnight 279 for two) G. A. Gooch c Wessels b Lawson 70 R. T. Robinson c Border b Lawson 38 D. I. Gower c Phillips b O’Donne!ll66

M. W. Gatting run out . . 74 A. J. Lamb lbw b Lawson . 17 I. T. Botham c O’Donnell b McDermott 38 P. R. Downton c Ritchie b McDermott 0 A. Sidebottom c O’Donnell b Lawson 2 J. E. Emburey not out . . 16 P. H. Edmonds b Holland 12 P. J. W. Allott c Border b Lawson 7

Extras (12b, Iw, 3nb) ... 16 Total 456 Fall: 55, 171, 358, 365, 416, 416 419, 419, 443. Bowling: Lawson 39.4, 10, 103, 5; McDermott 35, 3, 147, 2O’Donnell 29, 4, 104, 1; Holland 26, 3, 90, 1. AUSTRALIA First innings G. Wood not out 152 A. Hilditch lbw b Allott . 47 R. Holland lbw b Sidebottom io K. Wessels c Downton b Emburey 33 A. Border c Botham b Edmonds 23 D. Boon c and b Emburey. 15 G. Ritchie not out 65 Extras (3b, 51b, Iw, 12nb) 21 Total (for 5 wkts) 366 Fall: 87, 128, 205, 234, 263. Bowling: I. Botham 20, 3, 64, 0; A. Sidebottom 18, 3, 65, 1; P. Allott 9,2, 23,1; P. Edmonds 43, 12, 114, 1; J. Emburey 32, 7, 79, 2; G. Gpoch 8,2, 13, 0. w