N.Z. likely to face hefty run chase

Press, 26 February 1987, Page 48

N.Z. likely to face hefty run chase

A defiant last-wicket stand of 47 in an hour between Canterbury’s Lee Germon and Henry Richards carried the New Zealand Youth XI past the first innings total of its Australian counterpart on the second day of the first cricket test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch yesterday. New Zealand scored 210 in reply to Australia’s first innings 198 but in the last 80 minutes, the Australian openers, Brett Williams and Greg Chambers, had their side quickly in credit as they rattled on 86 in a freeflowing display. Earlier, Germon, the New Zealand wicketkeeper, had featured in a stand of 30 with the No. 10 batsman, Brian Barrett, but when Barrett was out, New Zealand was still 35 runs in arrears. Then Richards made light of the testing Australian attack and belied his lowly position in the batting order, hitting 33 from 57 balls, with six fours. The gritty Germon contributed 14 to the partnership, finishing not out on 37, having faced 110 balls

in a stay of just over two hours. Earlier in the day, the New Zealand captain, John Murtagh, had held a shaky innings together in admirable fashion, fighting for 205 minutes and facing 198 balls in scoring 54. Murtagh helped put on 35 with Rodney Brown in a partnership bettered only by the last wicket effort. Australia’s most successful bowlers were Joe Scuderi and Alister de Winter, although the other paceman, Wayne Holdsworth, was again equally testing, conceding only 32 runs from 31 overs. All the New Zealand batsmen, apart from Mark Douglas (caught at short leg) and Richards (bowled), were caught either by the Australian wicket-keeper, David Maidment, or in the slips, testimony to the life still available in the pitch for the seamers. In the last session, Williams and Chambers looked to be running into the commanding form they showed' in the first one-day international. If they, and the other Aus-

tralian batsmen, can continue the momentum, New Zealand will be facing a hefty total in its second innings. AUSTRALIA!; YOUTH XI First innings 198 Second innings G. Chambers not out. .. . 40 B. Williams not out. . . 42 Extras (lb2, nbl, wl). ... 4 Total (for no wkt) 86 Bowling.— J. Millmow 4,0, 21, 0; H. Richards 4,1, 21, 0; B. Barrett 6,2, 12, 0; J. Murtagh 2, 0,8, 0; S. Thomson 3,0, 16, 0; A. Somani 1,0, 6, 0. NEW ZEALAND YOUTH XI First innings R. MacKinlay c Maidment b de Winter. .... . . 1 M. Lament b de Winter. . 2 M. Douglas c Sunich b Scuderi. ; . 18 J. Murtagh c Parker b Scuderi 54 J. Millmow c Law b Scuderi 1 S. Thomson c Law b de Winter r ... . 9 R. Brown c Maidment b Scuderi 25 A. Somani c Maidment b Holdsworth , 9 L. Germon not out ' 37 B. Barrett c Maidment b Parker 11 H. Richards b Scuderi... 33 Extras (lb 3 nb4, w3). ... 10 Total 210 Bowling.— W. Holdsworth 31, 17, 32, 1; A. de Winter 21, 4, 56, 3; J. Scuderi 28.3, 13, 44, 5; A. Tucker 21, 8, 44, 0; P. Sumich 12, 7, 11, 0; G. Parker 6,1, 20, I.