AN UPHILL FIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 3, 5 January 1926, Page 10

AN UPHILL FIGHT

NEW ZEALAND SECURES A DRAW

MATCH AGAINST NEW SOUTH WALESA

(nsrrip Mess association—coptmoht.) SYDNEY, 4th January.

The .weather was hot and the sky cloudless when Patrick, with 71, iind Allcott, with' 51, '. resumed New Zealand's second innings on the last day of the match against New South Wales, which eventually resulted in a draw. The wicket was excellent and the outfield good.

Play for the first half-hour wag verylively. Allcott, who was particularly aggressive, cut Nicholls and Tweeddale delightfully, and drove with great power and precision. Patrick waa more cautious and batted patiently, but missed no opportunities of getting the ball away. Campbell, the slow .bowler, was the only one to cause them trouble, and he had to be watched carefully. Patrick made his strokes all round the wicket, but both batsmen were very slow between the sticks, and lost many runs. Their backing up also could have been improved. Play hung fire just before Patrick reached his century, both batsmen taking no risks. Patrick's century took 179 minutes, and he was warmly applauded. Eleven runs later he hit a ball into the hands of Bardsley at square-leg, but the fieldsman dropped it. This was Patrick's only chance. When the total was 225, Allcott survived 'a confident appeal for leg-before. Allcott passed his century just before lunch, having occupied 212 minutes in getting it. A quarter of an hour after lunch, just before the fourth century, Morgan clean-bowled Allcott, with the first bowl of a new ball. Allcott hit fifteen 4'a, and contributed a most useful innings, which was chanceless. The partnership had yielded 244 at a time when runs were most necessary. Morgan was making the new ball swing in dangerously, and runs came slowly. Patrick carried on carefully, but occasionaly made,a big hit. When the total waa 440 runs for eight wickets he hit a boundary, and next ball stepped out to Campbell, hit over it, and his wicket fell. He had occupied the crease 294 minutes, and hit twenty-four 4's. It was entirely due to his fine display, and that of Allcott, that saved New Zealand from an innings defeat, and made a draw possible. M'Beath hit powerfully all round, and kept the out-fieldsmen running, until, caught on the boundary by Vaughan. The New South Wales team opened their second strike with a little over two hours to play. Scanes gave a bright display, scoring rapidly by means of Dig hits till he skied one off M'Beath to Allcott. Cunningham again started unluckily, a catch off him from Scanes being muddled by Blunt. Cunningham and M'Beath were entrusted with moat of the attack, as Blunts slows had no terrors for the batsmen. Phillips scored slowly and steadily, and took no risks, the New Zealand fielding being generally good. Phillips showed considerable ■skill in piloting the ball through the slips. M'Beath waa getting up more pace than in the first innings, and Lowry behind the stumps let a few past. Punch played cautiously, and both batsmen allowed many easy balls to pass, though the New Zealand bowling did not appear to be as good as in the previous innings. Punch, who was driving well, sent Cunningham several times to the boundary. Phillips was displaying nice foot-work and turning the ball to leg. Phillips brought up the century with a nice 6 off Patrick's first ball, just on time. ' The following are the scores:— NEW ZEALAND. . First Innings. Worker, c and b Campbell 30 Alloo, b Nicholls 13 Blunt, c Campbell, b Morgan 73 Oliver, c Vaughan, b Campbell ... 23 Lowry, c Ratcliffe, b Morgan 6 Dacre, b Campbell 6 Patrick, b Campbell 143 Allcott, b Morgan 116 James, lbw, b Morgan 10 M'Beath, c Vaughan, b Campbell .. 16 Cunningham, not out 5 Extras „\ 14 Total "455 Bowling Analysis.—Nicholls took one wicket for 80 runs, Tweeddale none for 98, Phillips none for 46, Campbell five for 132, Morgan four for 60, and Punch r.one for 25. NEW SOUTH WALES. First innings , 531 Second Innings. Phillips, not out 102 Scanes, c Allcott, b M'Beath 34 Vaughan, b Alloo 15 Punch, b Cunningham 44 Nicholls, not out 6 Extras 4 Total for three wickeU 205 Bowling Analysis.—Olliver took no wickets for 9 runs, Cunningham one for 52, M'Beath one for 28, Dacre none {or 4, Blunt none for 31, Alloo one for 38, Allcott none for 31, and Patrick none for 8.