BATTING ROUTED

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 199, 20 May 1931, Page 9

BATTING ROUTED

New Zealanders in F orm

M.C.C.’s POOR OPENING

7 Wickets for 73 Runs

CROMB’S DEADLY BOWLING

By taking seven wickets for 73 runs the New Zealand cricketers routed the English batsmen in the match with M.C.C. at Lord’s yesterday. In the first innings the visitors declared with the score at 302 for nine wickets.

Special—Press Association

(Rec. May 20, 1 a.m.)

London, May 19.

The continuation of the M.C.C.-New Zealand match at Lord’s was delayed on account of rain, which had fallen throughout Sunday. When the rain ceased yesterday it was decided that an inspection of the wicket be made after lunch.

Play was resumed at 3.30 p.m. in ■cold weather. The dead wicket was of no assistance to the bowlers, and the outfield was heavy when New Zealand’s first innings was continued. On Saturday New Zealand had made 114 for the loss of four wickets, the not out batsmen being Page (6) and Talbot (29). The score was carried to 302 for nine wickets.

Talbot a Forcing Bat.

Talbot again lived up to his reputation as a forcing batsman. He drove powerfully and scored 66 in fifty minutes. His efforts included six 4’s and a grand 6 to the pavilion. Page ran several audacious singles and was dismissed by a fine lefthanded catch by White, who also took the third catch in the slips in dismissing Cromb. A fine partnership followed between Lowry and Weir. The former started carefully, but afterward attacked the bowling confidently, making forceful shots all round the wicket.

. Against Jupp’s leg theory Lowry stepped to leg and hit past point. He was never seriously troubled by file attack, and reached his century in two and a quarter hours.

Weir steadily assisted Lowry before he overbalanced and was stumped off

Jupp. Merritt attacked the bowling and hit a ball from White into "the stand —a great “sixer.”

Wicket Assists Bowlers.

This morning the New Zealand bowlers routed the strong English batting. Lowry declared, and the M.C.C. eleven batted on a wicket assisting the bowlers.

Cromb struck his best form, and had all the batsmen troubled. At one stage his figures were five wickets for 15 runs.

Page took two brilliant catches in :he slips. Details: —

NEW ZEALAND. First Innings. Dempster, e. and b. White 45 James, 1.b.w., b. Allom 1 Blunt, b. Bobins •> Kerr, c. Dawson, b. Jupp -j Page, c. White, b. Jupp Talbot, c. Crawley, b. White 66 Lowry, not out Cromb. c. White, b. Robins t> Weir, st.-Franklin, 1 b. Jupp ... JMerritt, c. Franklin, b. White Matheson, not out ” Extras u

Total tor nine wickets 30 - Bowling analysis:— Allom took one wicket for Hearne none for 17: Robbins, two for oil Jupp, three for 106; White, three for 06.

M.C.C. First Innings. Dawson, c. Lowry, b. Cromb J Hearne, b. Cromb Crawley, c. Page, b. Matheson « Jardine, not out Turnbull, 1.b.w.. b. Cromb ••• « Jupp. c. and b. Cromb Chapman, c. Page, b. Cromb Robins, c. Blunt, b. Matheson White, not out < .7 Extras "

Total for seven wickets 73

A GREAT BATSMAN

Capable Display at Lord’s

(By “Burwood.”)

Tom Lowry, the New Zealand captain, is certainly at home on the historic Lord s ground, the headquarters of cricket in England. , t , In 1927 the New Zealand captain banged up 106 against the M-C.C. at Lord s in the first innings, and followed tins with 63 not out in the second knock. Now he has come to light with another fine performance. This only goes -O show what a truly great batsman Lowry is. No man in the game has sounder defence, and few batsmen can punish the bowling so severely when he elects to take the brak? off. It is a delight to walch the ball rattling the fences from the New Zealand captain’s full-blooded drives. Tom Lowry is in iorm this season, and it will not be at. all surprising to find him finish well up toward the head of the batting averages. So far oil the present tour he has scored 33, li. 6, 36. and his century against the M.C.C, on Monday. What with his magical penny, which wins all the tosses, and his resolute batting, the New Zealanu captain is giving his men an inspiring lead on the present tour. Ron. Talbot also has proved himselt a first-class batsman on his first appearance at Lord's, The Canterbury hitter scored 53 not out against the Maori Club. 21 against Essex. 35 not out and 11 against Leicestershire, and 66 against the M.C.C.. which gives him an aggregate of 186 and an average of 62 per innings. Our boys had » bit of luck in staking

a dead-easy wicket on Monday, a# it is impossible for bowlers (o do anything on a wicket immediately after heavy rain.

It is pleasing to see that the New Zealanders are not afraid to open their shoulders and lift the ball out of the ground occasionally, as Talbot and Merritt did. This is the style of play which will appeal to the English public and help to swell attendances. TOUR OF AUSTRALIA South African Visit Question (Rec. May 19. 10 p.m.) Melbourne, May 19. The Australian Board of Cricket Control will meet next month to decide whether the South Africans will come to Australia.