TWO GOOD BATTING PERFORMANCES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 261, 31 July 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

TWO GOOD BATTING PERFORMANCES

New Zealand Cricketers MATCHES AT TAUNTON z\ND BRISTOL (From “The Dominion” Special Correspondent with the Team.) Taunton, July 2. Although there was no rest after the Test in London, the New Zealand cricketers played well in the match with Somerset at Taunton. Somerset, by no means a bad batting side, fell on n fine wicket for 254. J. A. Dunning bowled outstandingly well taking four wickets for 98 runs in 35 overs, rising to the occasion when the team needed him. for A. W. Roberts was resting and hardly his top form was reached by J. Cowie, perhaps not surprisingly after his heavy work in the Test. Dunning deserves great credit for his bowl-

ing throughout t' e tour. He has always been inexpensive, aud more often than not very effective. He has bowled, too, under the heavy handicap of occasional bouts of hay fever. These arise from the dust of trains and dressing rooms, and the sufferer becomes prone to extended and bothersome bouts of sneezing. Considering the frequency of the_ attacks it is wonderful that such consistency has been shown by Dunning. Ofter he has gone ou the field and bowled well when less determined players would have asked to be stood down from the team. N. Gallichan had the impressive analysis of 14-8-15-1. Mr. J. G. Coates, a leading XVest County critic, wrote that Cowie did not bowl with the same "devil” as in the Test, but it was impossible not to be impressed by the accurate length of Gallichan. He thought New Zealand did very well to dismiss Somerset for 254. He wrote: “The most impressive thing about the visitors was their businesslike methods. They are a team in the best sense of the word. If they are not brilliant like the Australians, they are dependable triers.” 11. Gimblett. a brilliant young cricketer who makes hurricane hundreds, was caught in the first innings without scoring. but lie made a fine half-century in the second. He is not an exceptionally

big man, but he hits the ball with great force. It is said that his uncertain catching kept him out of the last, team for Australia. A. XV. Wellard is another six specialist, with a record of five in one over in one county match, and over three score in one season. He is tall and loose, and a very good fastmedium bowler, as is XX r . H. Andrews. Wallace Aggressive. Although Somerset’s attack was stronger than that of many of the counties met earlier, New Zealand scored 404. M. XV. XVallace followed his Test double with a brilliant innings of 115. Nineteen fours indicate his forcefulness. He played to perfection, his leg hit in which he takes the ball off the middle stump and dispatches it to the squareleg boundary. He has a particular liking for left-hand bowlers, who deliver the , ball fi'om round the wicket. He indicated this by severe hitting of'H. Verity in the Test, and confirmed it at Somerset by taking four fours in one over from H. Hazell. x In the second innings he raced to il I not out in well under an hour, hitting ; eight fours and three sixes.. This was a faultless innings, there, being not even the suggestion of a mistake. Nineteen came from one over by the slow left-

hander in this innings, another example I of the batsman's liking for that form of attack. The three sixes were all great hits, one being out of the ground, the ball lauding in the nearby river. Wallace thus joined a distinguished company of “into-the-river” six hitters dating back to the halycon days of the famous S. M. J. Woods. Five members of the New Zealand side made their h.ghest scores of the tour m the first innings at Taunton. They were Wallace 115, Lamasou 71, Gallichan 50, Duuniug 30, aud Cowie 23. These five turned the game into a favourable position for their side after three wickets had gone down for 59. Lamasou Finds Form. ; XV. A. Hadlee was again steady in the first innings, and aga.n 1.b.w., while he was run out in the second. E. XV. Tindill, tried once more as an opening batsman, was dismissed after a patient 13. and then a steady 21. Lamasou, however, at last found form. XVith strong driving and neat gliding he reached a crisp half-century in just over an hour. Then he played carefully through the dangerous, and, to him, on this tour, usually fatal period of the second new ball, scoring a fine 71. In the second innings, when runs were wanted iu a hurry, he scored a quick 38 not out. N Gallichan swung his heavy bat with heavy force in the first inning for 50. He is not an artistic batsman, but he has strong strokes and a good defence, and is very useful against bowling that has lost a little of its sting. Dunning and Cowie both made their highest totals of the tour, 30 and 23 not out. Dunning, of course, has more batting skill than his usual place in the order suggests. Cowie, who has usually had to play carefully. ’> this match had the chance to indulge his fondness for hitting, and enjoyed it, scoring five fours in a short but banpy innings. F. S. Lee,' an experienced and sound left-hand opening batsman, made a steady century in the second innings of the county, and the score was 316. Four catches behind the wickets made a great day for Tindill. His keeping has improved on the tour, although he is not yet a Ken James. New Zealand’s fielding was at times brilliant at Taunton. Wallace ran a man out in each innings from cover. Tindill made five catches in the match and good ones were taken by Cowie. Lamason. Dunning and Carson. Especially.

on the ground, the present team is much better than those of 1927 and 1931. New Zealand won by. seven wickets. Dunning achieved one of the most successful pieces of the gentle art of "knocking” of the tour in the dressing-room after this match. He reminded Lowry that the only first-class teams New Zealand had beaten were Cambridge University and Somerset, the sides for which the manager played when he was in

England. Gloucestershire Match. The team showed good batting form iu the XX’est Country, following up the good scores against Somerset with consistent batting against Gloucester. In the first innings no fewer than five batsmen passed the half-century. The New Zealanders found champions in 15. A. R. Moloney and J. R. Lamason, who batted with much confidence. M. P. Donnelly, G. L. XX r eir and A. XV. Roberts followed with displays of sound batting, and the New Zealanders ran up a total of 362. H. G. Vivian opened brightly, getting three fine fours, but was soon leg-before. J. L. Kerr, having taken an hour over 16, was bowled, and XV. M. Wallace was beaten in attempting a big_ hit. These were serious losses for the New Zealanders. but Lamason, following his good work in the previous match with Somerset, did not allow the situation to perturb him. I He punished T. XV. Goddard for three fine fours almost as soon as he went in, and. while Moloney contented himself merely with defence, Lamason ran to 50, including seven boundaries, in just over j half an hour. At lunch the score stood

at 141, the unbroken stand having pre duced 70 valuable runs. Lamason s brigh display came to an end with the total a 153. His 59, including seven boundaries, occupied no more than 50 minutes.

By comparison. Moloney proceeded at a funereal rate, taking nearly two hours over his half-century, but no one could deny the value of this splendid defence to the New Zealanders. Donnelly followed Lamason’s example aud hit vigorously, whether driving to the on or steering the ball skilfully past the leg-eude fieldsmen. He opened with three capital fours and altogether sent the ball 10 times to the boundary in making 54 in half an hour Moionev’s patient effort ended soon afterward. He defied the county for two hours 40 minutes while scoring 65. XVeir quickly settled down to his best form, and the longer he was there the better he batted. He was particularly severe on Goddard, whom he punished for two fours and a six, all big on-drives. While Weir hit out iu a manner which kept up the bright cricket early in the innings, Roberts defended soundly. XVeir ran to 50 in a trifle over an hour, and when the tea interval arrived the New Zealanders had scored 305 for seven wickets—a splendid performance. In all. the eiglith-wicket partnership produced 91 runs in a trifle over an hour before Weir was smartly taken at shortleg. In scoring 60 in an hour and ten minutes. XX'eir obtained a six as well as eight fours, and did not offer the semblance of a chance..

Roberts* remained unbeaten for 50 wben the innings closed for n total of 362. over which the New Zealanders spent no longer than four hours 50 minutes. This was a very good total against a countv then standing fifth in the championship. Gloucester has by no means a bad bowling side. Goddard and Sinfield being among the best medium-paced bowlers in England. The former is tall and uses his height well, dropping the ball to a very accurate length and spinning it from the off from either over or round the wicket. The latter is short in build and relies rather more on flight than spin for his wickets. They are old campaigners who know every trick of the trade, and it is fatal to take risks with them. They know, too, how to get the most out of the wicket. The Bristol wicket is unusual in colour, looking at first glance like a strip of matting. The XVest Country has areas of red soil and perhaps this accounts for the browness of the pitch at Bristol. The ground, a fine playing area, is surrounded by orphanages. These institutions are famous because they have never asked anyone for a penny. It is said that the buildings are maintained, the staff paid and the inmates clothed, fed and educated by prayer, and when the homes are short of food or money or anything else for that matter prayers are said and the need is met. The orphanages are often referred to as "the eighth wonder of the world.” Moreover, they are noted for training the finest domestics in England.