A FINE EFFOET

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 125, 31 May 1927, Page 9

A FINE EFFOET

SUSSEX HARD PRESSED

(By "Not Out")

Anticipations of a good reply by the New Zealand cricketers to Sussex's first effort with the bat have been More than realised, the cabled news today, giving details of a remarkably fine performance by the tourists. A lead of 100 runs on the first innings places New f ealand m a very strong position, and the true quality of the tourists will now be made even better known than it was by the manner in which Middlesex . were • hard pressed to win. The performance of the New Zealanders is the ■ mo?e-impressive when it is considered .tnajMji'tnis, season's matches to date Sussex have beaten Hampshire'by an innings ana Somerset by eight wickets a"t> £"£? P lay«d a drawn game, in w,n»c^.t#ere was heavy scoring, with Cambridge University. Sussex have n big hurdle for the final day, and they IP'! h*vet° do almost as well as in tfceir first innings to avert defeat. If there it time left for the New Zealanders to have a second strike, the best Use will be made of it, the tourists ' having given another Illustration in eapawfities. °f Bpeedy BCOli^ In this match the New Zealand representatives have had their first experience of a good, slow left-hand bowler,, ana it is evident that the veteran George Cox has not caused them to faulter. Wensley, who has been troublesome, to the opposition in recent county • matches, has presented no danger to the' New Zealanders. It comes as a surprise, however, to find that ArthuV Gilligan did not take a hand in the attack.

" With Mills standing down from the New Zealand team, Dempster has assumed the role of opening batsman, and he has done so with distinction. The good start given by Dempster and Blunt was taken up by the others, and right to the end solid scoring was tho •rder. The batting strength of this particular team looks to be exceedingly strong from New Zealand's viewpoint when Bernau figures in last place on the; batting order.

It is possible that M. W. Tate's absence ;from the Sussex team is duo to Wie fact that this county is engaged with Surrey in its next match, commencing immediately after the conclusion of the match with New Zealand. Whenever Sussex were engaged on the three days immediately preceding a representative encounter last season, Tate was rested.

■ Blunt is the first member of the New Zealand team to pass the 500 mark.

His scores in the Navy match and against Sussex give him an aggregate of 589 runs.

liowry is now levekwith Dacre in the matter of centuries for the tour. These players have each made two threefigure scores.

The match with Sussex is being concluded to-day, and before meetine a representative team from the London clubs on Thursday the New Zealanders will have an opportunity of witnessing a notable sporting event, having been invited to be present at Epsom tomorrow for the Derby.