SOUND BATTING

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 189, 8 May 1931, Page 9

SOUND BATTING

New Zealand Opens Well

MATCH WITH ESSEX

Dempster’s Brilliant Play

343 FOR SIX WICKETS

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.

London, May 6.

The New Zealand cricketers opened their tour most auspiciously, tlie first day’s play of the match with Essex at Leyton being a triumph for Dempster, who is the first batsman of the Dominion to make a score of 200 in a single innings in first-class cricket. To the day’s total of 343 runs for six wickets, Dempster contributed 201 and was unbeaten at stumps. The weather was fine, but there was a small attendance. The teams were:— New Zealand: Dempster, Mills, Kerr, Blunt, Page, Lowry, Weir, Talbot, Allcott, James, and Merritt. Essex: Morris, Bray, Daer, O’Connor, Nichols, Cutmore, Hipkin, Pope, Sheffield, Eastman, and Smith. New Zealand won the toss, and Mills and Dempster opened confidently. The first hour’s play yielded 71 runs, Dempster making 40 and Mills 29. Mills lost his wicket shortly before

lunch to.a brilliant catch by the wicketkeeper. Blunt batted stylishly until ’ beaten by a leg spinner. Weir was dismissed in the same way. Kerr and Lowry each helped Dempster, to carry on, both partnerships realising over seventy runs. Dempster was brilliant, scoring all around the wicket, and giving one of the finest displays of his career. He was at the wickets for 320 miutes, and gave only’one chance—a difficult one in the slips when his score was 46. The New Zealand batsmen gave an excellent display against steady bowling and fine fielding. Details: — NEW ZEALAND. First Innings. Dempster, not out 201 Mills, C. Sheffield, b. Nichols 33 Page, 1.b.w., b. Nichols J Blunt, b. Daer -o Weir, b. Daer " Kerr, b. Daer Lowry, st. Sheffield, b. Eastman 33 Talbot, not out Extras Total for six wickets 343 SPLENDID OPENING Praise for Wellingtonian (By “Burwood.”) Cricketers and followers of the game throughout the Dominion will be delighted at the spirited stand made by the New Zealand team in its first innings of the English tour. The hero of the innings was the-Wel-lington batsman, C. S. Dempster, who carried his bat throughout the day for the sterling score of 201 not out, the first double-century to be scored by a New Zealand batsman in first-class - matches against an English side. True. C. C. Dacre hit up 223 for Gloucestershire against Worcestershire last season, but Dacre was then and is no longer a New Zealander, more’s the pity. A correspondent waxed sarcastic when I ventured to assert last season that New Zealand had batsmen fit to compare with the best in England and Australia. Let us hope that Dempster will maintain the brilliant form he exhibited in his first innings of the tour and prove to the world that New Zealand also has Bradmans and Hammonds. Dempster headed the New Zealand batting averages on the English tour in 1927. and it would appear as if he was after the honour again.

In 1927 the New Zealanders met with the first defeat of the tour at the hands of Essex, being dismissed for 289 and 208. while the county scored 373 and 125 for five wickets. The wearers, of the silver fern have done better this time and should avenge the 1927 defeat. If the bowling comes up to the batting, the New Zealanders should have a successful tour. Let us hope the weather will prove kinder than it did four years ago. TOUR OF AUSTRALIA South Africans Preparing (Rec. May 7, 9 p.m.) Adelaide, May 7. Any doubt as to whether the South African cricketers are coming to Australia is settled by the announcement to-day that the team will leave Cape Town on October 2 by the liner Anchises and will remain in Australia until March 1, 1932. ALTERATION IN LAWS Larger Wicket is Compulsory London, May 6. The M.C.C. annual meeting approved of an alteration in the laws. With the object of helping bowlers the larger wicket is made compulsory for firstclass matches. The pitch may be rolled for seven minutes at the beginning of play and at the end of an innings, instead of ten minutes. Sir Kynaston Studd, the retiring president. after saying that he was looking forward with pleasure to the New Zealand matches, nominated Lord Bridgeman as the new president. The new committee men are Sir Kynaston Studd. Mr. P. F. Warner, Mr. R. Mallett, and Lord Aberdare.