Australian Youth XI bundled out for 198

Press, 25 February 1987, Page 68

Australian Youth XI bundled out for 198

The New Zealand under 20 team went some way towards erasing the memories of defeats at the hands of the touring Australian Youth XI in the recent one-day internationals by putting up a strong showing in the field on the opening day of the first cricket “test” at Hagley Oval in Christchurch yesterday.

On a seaming pitch, New Zealand bowled out Australia for 198 but the situation was not quite as heartening for it at the end of the day, when it stood rather shakily at 39 for three.

In the morning, Australia’s position had been even worse at 34 for four before the No. 3 batsman, Stewart Law, found his touch to score a highly valuable 88. With early moisture in the pitch and the ball seaming around, Law struggled in the opening stages of his innings but as the conditions improved, so did the Queensland youngster’s /stroke play.

Law featured in telling partnerships of 32 in 17 minutes with Joe Scuderi,

44 in 37 minutes with Alister de Winter and 69 in 83 minutes, with the leg-spinner, Adrian Tucker. Tucker held up his end well, facing 78 deliveries in. making 11 runs. Law’s 88 was scored from 136 balls, with 12 fours and a six, but after he was seventh out with the score at 179, New Zealand wrapped up the tail in short order. Bowling for New Zealand, Jonathan Millmow, Henry Richards and Shane Thomson relished the life in the pitch for seam bowling, each finishing with three wickets at similar cost. Australia’s pace bowlers, Wayne Holdsworth, de Winter and Scuderi were also decidedly lively, with Holdsworth a shade unlucky not to take a wicket while de Winter and Scuderi accounted for New Zealand’s first three batsmen cheaply. The New Zealand captain, John Murtagh, fought tenaciously towards the end of the day, as Australia introduced spip into the attack, and Millnow performed the duties of

night watchman with the desired result. AUSTRALIAN YOUTH XI First innings B. Williams c Germon b Millmow 2 G. Chambers c Millmow b Richards 1 5. Law c Lamont b Thomson 88 G. Parker c Douglas b Millmow 12 K. Healy c sub (O’Rourke) b Richards 2 J. Scuderi c Brown b Thomson 17 A. de Winter lbw b Millmow 31 A. Tucker b Thomson ... 11 P. Sumich c MacKinlay b Somani3 D. Maidment c Germon b Richards 2 W. Holdsworth not out. . . 8 Extras (lb 4 w4, nb13)... 21 Total 198 Bowling.—J. Millmow 12, 2, 36, 3; B. Barrett 12, 1, 64, 0; H. Richards 13.2, 4, 35, 3; S. Thomson 10, 0, 36, 3; A. Somani 6,0, 23, 1. NEW ZEALAND First innings R. MacKinlay c Maidment b de Winter....... 1 M. Lamont b de Winter. . 2 M. Douglas c Sumich b Scuderi 18 J. Murtagh not out 11 J. Millmow not out 0 Extras (lb2, nb2, w3). .. . 7 Total (for 3 wkts) .... 39 Bowling.— W. Holdsworth 11, 9,3, 0; A. de Winter 7,2, 17, 2; J. Scuderi 9,7, 5,1; A. Tucker 8,3, 12, 0; P. Sumich 1,1, 0, 0.