Gatting, Gower boost English hopes

Press, 25 August 1986, Page 22

Gatting, Gower boost English hopes

BY

KEVIN HART

NZPA staff correspondent London

A superb 219-run partnership between Mike Gatting and David Gower turned the table on New Zealand on the third day of the third cricket test at The Oval, London, yesterday. The pair’s unbeaten fourthwicket stand breathed new life into England’s hopes of winning the test, and thereby denying the tourists a first test-series victory on English soil.

At stumps after the first rain-free day of the match, Gower (129 not out) and Gatting (86 not out) had carried England to 281 for three, on the brink of passing New Zealand’s first innings total of 287.

' England’s hopes of victory after the rest day will rest on Gower, Gatting, lan Botham and the English tail establishing a big enough first-innings advantage to put New Zealand’s batting line-up under pressure on the final day. “It’s very even now and looking like a good match,” said the New Zealand captain, Jeremy Coney, whose side will have to come from behind for the first time in the three-test series.

The tourists enjoyed the best batting conditions during their second test triumph at Trent Bridge, and yesterday it was England’s turn to cash in.

Cooler, less humid condi-

tions meant there was no swing for the New Zealand bowlers, and there was also little seam or spin in what had become a fine batting wicket The outfield also played faster than on the first two days when more than four hours were lost to rain and bad light The first task for Gatting, the English captain, and Gower, his predecessor, was to remove the embarrassing possibility of defeat as England slumped to 62 for three half an hour after lunch.

In spite of the position, Gower played with his usual freedom from the start, pulling and driving with aplomb.

He offered the only chance of his innings at three, driving the left-arm spin of Evan Gray to midwicket A diving Martin Crowe grasped the ball in both hands but could not hold it.

Gatting was far more circumspect at the beginning of his innings, as befitted a player whose previous best score in the series was 26.

He was contained by Gray and Ewen Chatfield but grew in confidence after tea in using his feet well to the offspin of John Bracewell.

In the final two hours, Gower and Gatting disregarded murky conditions to accelerate the run rate until their stand became one of run-a-minute proportions.

Gower went to his thirteenth test century, and fourth against New Zealand,

in 213 minutes, striking 12 boundaries in the process.

An indication of the tone of the day was given in the first hour as New Zealand added 30 runs to its overnight total of 257 for eight in losing the wickets of Tony Blain for a stylish 37 and Ewen Chatfield for five.

Both fell to the.paceman, Graham Dilley, with the innings, dominated by John Wright’s 119, terminating after 500 minutes.

The English openers, Bill Athey and Graham Gooch, began effectively, mixing caution against Richard Hadlee with aggression against a more wayward Derek Stirling. At 38, however, Athey (17) was l.b.w. on the back foot to Hadlee in the eleventh over.

New Zealand’s hopes rose further at 62 when an attempted Gooch hook off Hadlee was caught by Stirling running in from backward square leg. Gooch, who had scored 32, was joined back in the pavilion five balls later by another of England's danger men, Allan Lamb. His recall was wrecked by the fifth ball, of Chatfield’s third over back in test cricket. The delivery seamed back and Lamb, also guilty of being caught on the back foot, was bowled through the gate. Chatfield’s figures at that point were one for one off 3.5 overs.

But the possibility of such

economy being maintained was ruined by the free-strok-ing Gower and Gatting’s burgeoning confidence. Hadlee returned late in the day to defeat both batsmen outside their off stump, and he remains New Zealand’s best hope. Hadlee’s discontent at the situation led him to direct three successive bouncers at Gower — and prompted an animated three-way conversation with Coney and the

umpire, Dickie Bird.

Coney said Hadlee had not received an official warning for excessive use of the bouncer.

NEW ZEALAND First innings J. G. Wright-b Edmonds . 119 B. A. Edgar c Gooch b Botham. 1 J. J. Crowe l.b.w. b Botham 8 M. D. Crowe l.b.w. b Dilley 13 J. V. Coney c Gooch b Botham 38 E. J. Gray b Dilley .... 30

R. J. Hadlee c French b Edmonds 6 J. G. Bracewell c Athey b Emburey. 3 T. E. Blain c Gooch b Dilley 37 D. A. Stirling not out .. . 18 E. J. Chatfield c French b Dilley 5 Extras (bl, wl, nb7).... 9 Total 287 Fall: 17, 31, 59, 106, 175, 192, 197 2Si van Bowling: Dilley 28.2, 4, 92. 4; Small 18, 5, 36, 0; Botham 25, 4, 75, 3; Emburey 31, 15, 39, 1; Edmonds 22, 10, 29, 2; Gooch 4, 1, 15, 0.

ENGLAND First innings G. A. Gooch c Stirling b Hadiee32 C. W. J. Athey l.b.w. b Hadlee 17 D. 1. Gower not out .... 129 A. J. Lamb b Chatfield . . 0 M. W. Gatting not out .. . 86 Extras (lb 7 w5, nbs). ... 17 Total (for 3 wkts) 281 Fall: 38, 62, 62. Bowling: Hadlee 21, 6, 66, 2; Stirling 6,0, 35, 0; Chatfield 16, 6, 61, 1; Gray 18, 4, 47, 0; Bracewell 11, 1, 51, 1; Coney 4, 0, 14, 0.