AGAINST DURHAM

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 142, 20 June 1927, Page 10

AGAINST DURHAM

DEMPSTER IN FORM

A BIG SCORE

(United Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, 18th June. The New Zealand cricketers commenced their northern tour with a match against Durham, which county last year won the second-class championship. The match early attracted three thousand spectators, and the attendance soon afterwards grew to six thousand.

New Zealand batted first, and Dempster and Blunt, the opening batsmen, delighted the spectators with sparkling play, the first 64 runs coming in half an honr. The- pair scored evenly, and when Blunt was dismissed, Page and Dempster carried on brightly, the total reaching 148 by lunch-time. Dempster was then 74 and Page 31. On resuming, Dempster reached the century, which took 139 minutes, and outlasted Page and the next four batsman, being joined by Daere, who also gave a fine display. Dempster was finally dismissed by a catch at mid-on after being at the wickets fo*r 3 hours 12 minutes. He hit four sixers and twenty-one 4's. Cleverly timed leg strokes were a feature of his innings, though his cutting and driving were also excellent. Daere and Bernau continued to add runs freely, but the partnership was broken and the last wicket taken by the time the tea adjournment was reached.

Cook and Carr, who headed Durham j bowling averages last season, were each fairly successful, but the other professionals failed to take a wicket, whereas the amateur, Brooks, who is not a regular bowler, secured three wickets for 4G. Durham's batting opened miserably, and when eight wickets had fallen the team seemed unlikely to reach the century for the innings. Then Brooks and Cook became associated, and held the home team's end up till the end of the day, when the total had reached 111 without further loss. Henderson and Blunt #ere the tourists' most formidable bowlers, the former taking four for 33 and Blunt two for 22. Merritt is not playing. The detailed scores are as follow:— NEW ZEALAND. First Innings. i Dempster, c Howell, b Brooks .... 178 Blunt, c Brooks, b Carr 42 Page, Ibw, b Cook 57 Mills, Ibw, b Cook i 0 .Oliver, b Cook 1 Allcott, c Wright, b Carr 1 -M' Girr, c Keleill, b Carr 6 jDacre, b Cook .....; 43 fcernau, c Gibbon, b Brooks 24 •Cunningham, c Nichol, b Brooks .. 4 not out .',... .9 f.. , Extras .... s Total '. ..~373 Bowling Analysis.—Howell took no wickets for 79 runs, Cook four for 96, Carr three for 56, Nichol none for 41, Brooks three for 46, Weight none for 48. ■ ■ ' , DURHAM. First Innings. Kelsall, c Oliver, b Henderson .... 1 Weight, b-M'Girr g M. Nichol, c Dempster, b Bluat .. I 19 Adamson, c Dacre, b Henderson 0 Carr, c Mills, b Blunt 0 Gibbon, run out io R. Nichol, b Henderson .......... 2 Howelli c Dacre, b Henderson'.. 0 Brooks, not out ..V............;.. 22 Cook, not out .'..........'!!!.'.".' 34 Extras ."..'.'!] 9 ■ Total for eight wiekete ...... 11l