THREE WICKETS FOR 339

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 103, 25 January 1930, Page 12

THREE WICKETS FOR 339

NEW ZEALAND OPENS STRONGLY IN SECOND TEST

DEMPSTER AND MILLS PUT ON 276 FOR FIRST WICKET

BOTH REACH THE CENTURY

By putting oil 276 for the first wicket for New Zealand against the M.C.C. team in the second test match at the Basin Reserve yesterday, C. S. Dempster and J. E. Mills wrote a glorious chapter in the annals of Dominion cricket. The pair soundly flogged the English bowling. Mills played a sterling innings for 117, and Dempster went on to reach 136. Page and Blunt were together, and both were going strongly when stumps were drawn at 6 o’clock, with the score standing at 339 for three wickets. The crowd of. five thousand were delighted with the splendid showing made by the Dominion batsmen, and there should be a record attendance to-day to see tihe continuation of the innings.

NEW ZEALAND’S DAY THE LUCK OF THE TOSS NEARLY THREE HUNDRED FOR FIRST WICKET The weather conditions were ideal, with brilliant sunshine and a light northerly breeze. The wicket looked a picture, and there was joy in the New Zealand camp when Lowry beat Gilligan for the spin of the coin, and had no hesitation in taking first strike. Bowley came into the English team for the first time on the New Zealand tour, Turnbull and Benson standing down and Earle acting as twelfth man. Punctually at 11.30 a.m. Gilligan led the M.C.C. team on to the field, and were promptly followed by the New Zealand opening batsmen, Dempster and Mills. i A Valiant Pair. Nichols bowled with the northerly breeze behind him and was making them fly. The last ball of the opening over reared up and struck Dempster on the head, the bat flying out of his hands and the ball cannoning off the batsman’s cranium for a bye. Allom, the Surrey amateur, who had played such havoc in the first Test, bowled against the breeze. Mills was applauded for turning one from Nichols prettily to the square-leg boundary. After sending down one over Allom was replaced by Barratt, the burly Notts professional. Both batsmen were shaping well and 20 came , up in a quarter of an hour. Dempster was shaping well, and reached 20 with a late cut off Nichols,, the bat again flying out of his hands as he made -the stroke. He then turned the Essex professional neatly to the pickets at long-leg. This brought 30 up in as many minutes. Fifty Up. i ■ ‘ _ With the score at 38, Allom relieved Nichols, whose six overs had cost 21 runs. After having been at the wickets for 55 minutes, Mills ran into double figures by turning Allom prettily to the ■ track at long-leg. The Auckland lefthander hit the next delivery to the ropes at square-leg, bringing 50 in sight. Dempster brought 60 up with a neat leg-glide for four off Allom. Mills warmed up, and hit Allom again to the ropes at square-leg, reaching the twenties, and set the applause going by flashing the next delivery past cover to the pickets. The pair were now going well. Dempster off-drove Barratt for three, reaching the forties. : 'At 75, Nichols took the ball from Al- - lom. After he bad sent down eleven overs for 17 runs, Barratt gave way to Worthington, the Derbyshire professional. - .Mills reached the forties by powerfully ' hooking a short one from Nichols to the ropes at square-leg, and he brought 100 up by getting the next delivery in the same direction for a couple. The hundred had taken 88 minutes, and was greeted with warm applause. Mills i again hooked Nichols to square-leg for four, scoring a dozen off the over. Race for the Haif-Century. At 106, Barratt relieved Nichols. Both batsmen were together with 40 each, and Dempster won the race for the half-cen- . tury by placing Barratt through the slips for a couple. Play had been in progress for 96 minutes. With a single off Worthington’s next over, Mills also reached his half-century, bringing another salvo of applause from the fair-sized crowd of spectators, who were delighted with the splendid start Dempster and Mills were making for New Zealand. r The luncheon adjournment was taken at 1.15, with the score standing at 113 for no wickets, Dempster being 53 and Mills 51. Upon resuming at 2 o’clock Allom and Nichols took up the bowling. A squarecut by Dempster off Nichols travelled fast to the. ropes. The pair went on the even tenor of their run-getting way, and • 1 when 134 appeared Barratt, the 18-stone ' , Notts giant, took the ball from Nichols. The luck was with the batsmen, as both flew some into the slips, but the chances were just without reach of the fieldsmen. Dempster reached 70 with a lucky four I ‘ through the slips off Barratt’s sixteenth over, and Mills slammed one in the same over to the fence at long-leg. At 150 Worthington took the ball from Allom, and when 65 Mills gave a sharp chance to Nichols at third slip off the Derbyshire man. Bowley Has a Try. At 161 Gilligan brought a slow bowler on for the first time in the innings, Bowley relieving Barratt. . Dempster reached the eighties by square-cutting the Sussex professional’s first ball for four. At this stage Woolley retired, Turnbull replacing him in the field. lhe batsmen appreciated Bowley s slows, 14 coming off his first two overs, including a humming hook by Mills to the ropes. Woolley here resumed his place on the field. Both batsmen were now in the eighties, and Dempster ® ran into the nineties at Bowley’s expense. There was a brief adjournment while the batsmen had a drink, which they had well earned. j -At ?92, Allom took the ball from orthington. The crowd had by now swelled to about 5000, and they were all delighted with the valiant stand New Zealand was making. Two Hundred Up. Applause broke out from all round the f round, when the pair brought 200 up in RD minutes. Dempster being 06, and Mills 88. Nichols here came on again in Bowley’s place. Mills ran into the

nineties with ,a crisp square-cut off Allom. Dempster Reaches the Century. There was a great burst of cheering when Dempster reached his hundred by turning Allom to leg for a couple. He had been at the wickets for 203 minutes. This was the signal for Barratt to relieve Nichols. The Englishmen were beginning to tire, and slack ground .fielding gave the batsmen a few singles. They also stole a few short ones. Interest now centred upon Mills getting his century, but Barratt and Allom were keeping a good length, and runs were hard to get. At 223, Woolley had a try for the first time in the innings, taking Allom’s end. Mills reached .99 by hitting a no-ball from Woolley to mid-on for three, and raised a perfect storm of applause by reaching his century with a single past point off Barratt. The graceful Aucklander had been at the wickets 219 minutes. At the tea adjournment, the score stood at 227, made in 224 minutes, Dempster being 106 and Mills 100. Upon resuming at 4.25,' the sun had increased in strength. Woolley and Worthington took up the Englishmen's heavy burden. Dempster set the applause going when he brilliantly drove Woolley past cover to the pickets, bringing 230 up. Mills Has a Life. Gilligan los,t a good chance of running Mills out when he misfielded one at cover, but worse was to come off the next ball, as Mills mistimed a hook off one from Worthington, and spooned the easiest of catches straight to the English captain at mid-on. The bright sun was in Gilligan’s eyes, and he completely lost 'sight of the ball, which fell softly just over his head. It was New Zealand’s day. In Woolley’s next over Mills hooked one to the fence at mid-on. The runs continued to come at a steady rate. The 250 came up after 242 minutes’ play. A no-ball by Worthington went for four. A crisp hook by Mills off Worthington was beautifully timed, and went smoking hot to the ropes at squareleg. This brought 270 in sight, and the crowd began to speculate whether thi pair were going to pass on to the third hundred. v At 5 o’clock, after the partnership had lasted for 258 minutes, the record stand came to an end, Mills lashing out at Woolley to be clean bowled. The Auckland left-hander had given a, sterling display for his 117, which included a dozen tourers. The partnership had realised 276, a record for a. test match in New Zealand. 276—1—117. Lowry, the New Zealand captain, joined Dempster, who was 128, and was nearly bowled by Woolley right away. Dempster drove Worthington to the sight-screen, and placed him down the gully for a couple. Dempster Stumped. With the total at 288, Dempster, who had been at the wickets for 274 minutes, jumped out to one from Woolley, and was smartly stumped by Cornford. The Wellington man had batted very soundly for hig 136, in which only eight fourers figured. The Institute captain did not time his strokes too well, but his defence was of the soundest, and he and Mills, by their magnificent opening stand, wrote a new and glorious page in cricket his-' tory in this country. 288—2—136. M. L. Page, the Canterbury captain, came next, and 290 soon appeared. Lowry got a lucky two for one which he spooned over Duleepsinhji’s, head in the slips. Th Indian" prince recovered the ball and ran back to his place to take a brilliant one-handed catch at slip off the next ball, which disposed of the New Zealand captain. 295—3—6. Blunt arrived to see Barratt take the ball from Worthington, who bad sent down twenty overs for 55 runs. Three Hundred Up. Page opened out and brought 300 up after the innings had been in progress for 288 minutes. Page hooked one from Barratt off his ear to the long-leg boundary, and Blunt swung one from Woolley to the ropes at long-leg. Blunt got a lucky four for a snick through the slips off Barratt, and Page reached the twenties with a late-cut off Barratt, which Worthington should have cut off. . Blunt again swung Woolley to the longleg boundary, running into doubles. Page sparkled up and quickly ran into the thirties with well-placed shots, which had plenty of wood behind them. When stumps were drawn at 6 o’clock the score stood at 339 for three wickets, Page being 33 not out and Blunt 15 not out. Woolley, who came on as fifth change, was the only English bowler to meet with success. In all. the tall Kent left-hander sent down nineteen overs, five of which were maidens, and took three wickets for 48 runs. Barratt. Worthington, Allom, and Nichols had long spells nt the crease and all pegged away with great heart. The English fielding was not as good as on their opening appearance. It was not their day, as no one seemed to. be in the right place when catches were flying, even Cornford, the clever Sussex wicketkeepe.r. being unable to hold the leather with his customary sureness. Duleepsinhji was as smart' nnd active ns ever, and Nichols did some smart work in the gully close in. THE SCORES NEW lnnincs. C. S. Dempster, 21121.312111124411111124 321131211141211211411112141111322111 1112112124111222111112-111, st. Cornford, b. Woolley 130 J. E. Mills. 422441144111131242411111111 111241111112111411214114111311141341 2, b. Woolley ... 117 T. C. Lowry, 11112, c. Duleepsinhji, b. Woolley 0 M. L. Page. 4212314114112411, not out . 33 R. C. Blunt, 144411, not out 15 Extras—Byes 111114; leg-byes, 1111 141141; no balls 1411 32 Total for three wickets 339 Fall of wickets: One for 27(1, two for 288, three for 295. bowling analysis. J

A NOTABLE DAY RECORD OPENING PARTNERSHIP WHY WAS WOOLLEY NOT TRIED BEFORE? It was good to see the looks of satisfaction upon the faces of the 5000 spectators who ranged the Basin Reserve yesterday while Dempster and Mills were piling on their record opening wicket stand of 276 in the second Test match against the M.C.C. team. Amongst those who watched this sterling batting performance were veterans of the game from all parts of the Dominion, who have waited patiently for years for what they had the satisfaction of seeing yesterday—New Zealand batsmen soundly trouncing overseas’ bowlers. Too often in the past have New Zealand batsmen, for no good rhyme or reason, crumpled up before English and Australian bowlers, The success of the New Zealand team in England in 1927 lent the impression that the Dominion had at last kicked off its swaddling clothes and had arrived at man’s estate. The horrible collapse of the New Zealand team at Christchurch in the first Test match a fortnigth ago made followers of the game fear that New Zealand cricket was not strong enough to tackle a strong team from Old England. One can imagine, therefore, what keen pleasure it was for cricket enthusiasts in this country to watch two New Zealand batsmen not only playing English first-class bowlers but severely punishing them.

Amongst those present who keenly enjoyed the sterling display given by Dempster and Mills were Messrs. Donnelly (chairman), Winsor (secretary), Wanklyn and Taylor, of the New Zealand Cricket Council, who had come up from Christchurch specially to attend the match. Another spectator whose countenance betokened that he was thoroughly enjoying himself.was Mr. W. S. Brice, chairman of the New Zealand Selection Committee, who had not hesitated to put Mills in the eleven even though he only notified at the last moment that he was available. New Zealand’s Day. It was New Zealand’s day. Every cricketer can recall matches in which everything went right with their side, and they can recollect games, too, in which everything went decidedly wrong. Well, it was like this yesterday. Everything went right for the New Zealanders, and nothing went right for the -Englishmen. It did not look as if Dempster would survive even a couple of overs when the game started. Nichols, the Essex express, was making the ball fly with the wind behind him, and Dempster appeared to be flinching from the rearers. At least three times Nichols knocked the bat clean out of Dempster’s hands. Several times the ball flew off the bat through the slips, only to go sailing through gaps. It was here that New Zealand’s luck came in. Every one of these snicks might have gone into a fieldsman’s hands, but not a solitary Englishman appeared to be in the right place at the right moment throughout the day. More than once both Dempster and Mills mistimed hook strokes to send soft catches to square-leg, but there was no one there to gather them in. It was New Zealand’s day.

Two Great Batsmen.

|ln watching Demp-i I ter and Mills put up their great performance yesterday, the spectators were watching two great batsmen, who would be worth their- places in the best eleven of any country. . This seems a proud boast, but it has to be remembered that on the New Zealand team’s tour of Eng-

land in 1927 Dempster hit up six centuries, while Mills on that tour played five three-figure innings. Mills yesterday played better cricket than Dempster. He

was sounder against the fast bowlers, and

demonstrated what a

profitable stroke is the' hook shot. It

■was a rare treat to watch the ease and

grace with which the Auckland lefthander picked up fast ones from Nichols, and sent them

skimming over the square-leg boundary. He hooked the Essex express three times to the boundary in one over, and all were gems of strokes.

The crowd were pleased when Dempster and Mills brought up the hundred for the first wicket, but they were simply delighted when the second century was hoisted with both men going on like Tennyson’s brook. . The pair could easily have made it 300 had they not taken the brake off, and attempted to lift that wily slow' bowler, Frank Woolley, out of the ground. The tall Kent left-hander got them both, Mills being clean bowled, and Dempster stumped. Both went for grand slams, but the ball was not there. Woolley also got Lowry, the New Zealand captain, whom he vefv nearly bowled first ball. After scratching half a dozen tojzth'er, Lowry attempted a stroke off Woolley, but flew the leather just oyer Duleepsinhji’s head at slip. The Indian Prince chased the ball, returned it, and ran back to his place just in time to take a brilliant right-handed catch off the very next ball. The first escape should have warned the New Zealand captain that Woolley was bowling to feed the slip specialist. , It was rather surprising that Harold Gilligaq, the English captain, did not bring Woolley on sooner. Both Dempster and Mills had passed the century when Woolley came on as fifth change, bu.t he got them both, and also dismissed another good batsman in T. C. Lowry. Woolley had the distinction of being the only English bowler to take a wicket during the day. and he captured three at small cost, easily carrying off the bowling honours. What of To-day? Th’ splendid start New Zealand has made in the second Test should fill the Basin Reserve to overflowing to-day. Page and Blunt are notable rungetters, and there are able batsmen in McLeod, Weir. Merritt. Dickinson, James, and Bndcock to follow them. If the weather holds, the Englishmen may yet have another day’s leatherhunting before the last New Zealanders’ back is seen. SHEFFIELD SHIELD PLAY PREVENTED BY RAIN. (Rec. January 24, 0.30 p.m.) Sydney, January 24. The Sheffield Shield cricket match New South Wales versus Victoria was not commenced to-day owing to soaking rain.

0. M. R. W. Nichols 15 4 0 20 4 48 0 Barratt 27 3 09 0 Worthington . 20 3 55 0 Howlpy ...>■« 0 32 Woolley . 19 6 48 3