NEW-ZEALAND AT LORD'S

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 9

NEW-ZEALAND AT LORD'S

MODERATE SHOWING

ENGLAND LITTLE BETTER

INTERESTING CRICKET

lUnited rresa Association—By Electric Tolo.

graii &—Copyrlßllt.) (Special to Press Association.)

LONDON, 271h June.

The first day of the Test between New Zealand and England accounted for some highly interesting cricket at Lord's. New Zealand batted first, but, after a good beginning, only _ a moderate showing was made, the side being dismissed for 221 runs. England's reply, in which some of the early wickets fell cheaply, was 190 for seven wickets, the New Zealand bowlers, Cromb and Merritt in particular, backed by excellent fielding, accounting for this satisfactory position from New Zealand's point of view. Glorious summer weather prevailed, and the attendance reached 25,000 during die afternoon's play. Matheson, Vivian, and TaTbot wore dropped from the New Zealand team, Vivian acting as twelfth man. It was decided not to play Matheson owing to the risk of a rocurronce of his leg jnrvThe teams are:— Now Zealand: T. C. Lowry (Kangi-tikei-Wellingtou), captain, C. S. Dempster (Wellington), J. E. Mills (Auckland), G. L. Woir (Auckland.), J. L. Kerr (Canterbury), B. C. Blunt (Otago), I. B. Cromb (Canterbury), M. L. Pago (Canterbury), C F. W. AHcott (Auckland), K. C. James (Wellington), W. E. Merritt (Canterbury), and H. Q. Vivian (Auckland), twelfth man. England: D. B. Jardine (Surrey), captain, J. Arnold (Hampshire), A. H. Bakewell (Northamptonshire), W. E. Hammond (Gloucestershire), K. S. Buleapsinhjl (Sussex), F. B. Woolley (Kent), R. W. V. Robins (Middlesex), L. Amos (Kent), G. 0. Allen (Middlesex), W. Voce (Nottinghamshire), I. A. E. Peebles (Middlesex), and M. Nichol (Worcestershire), twelfth man. DEMPSTEB AND MILLS. Lowry won the toss, and Dempster and Mills opened New Zealand's innings. The first hour's cricket was brimful of interest. Neither Voco nor Allen appeared dangerous, and Mills instantly fell into scoring mood, hitting six fours in the first Mlf-hour. Ho batted with confidence and artistry until he was bowled .off his pads by a ball from Peebles which turned in to him sharply. Dempster, who was more workmanlike, gave a fine exhibition of ehanceless batting until he was dismissed just before lunch to a googly from Peebles. Whereas Mills had opened aggressively, Dempster was most careful in the early stages of his innings, but battod more freely later. It was in using his pads in defence that Dempster fell to an appeal for Ibw. He had frequently kicked the ball from the wicket. Weir batted solidly, his partnership with Dempster realising 73 runs. After lunch Weir, Kerr, Blunt, and Lowry were dismissed in rapid succession. Bobins was pitching log-spinners well up, Blunt and Lowry snicking the ball into the slips. Pago batted confidently until he was well beaten by Allen, and Cromb scored qnickly' before skying the ball, tho wicket-keoper running to mid-on and taking tho catch from Jardinc Allcotfc and Merritt were both caught in tho slips. - Peebles and Eobins bowled steadily. Peebles particularly. The wicket was oaay, but occasionally a ball was apt to do more than the batsmen expected. The batsmen's neglect to use their feet flattered Peebles. ENGLAND'S START. England's first innings opened disastrously, the new opening batsmen both being out when the total was only 14. Arnold was %yell caught in the slips, in Cromb's second over, and Bakewell fell Ibw to the same bowler. Hammond was badly beaton by a ball which whipped in from the off, and three wickets were down for 31 runs.

Duleopsinhji and Jardine doubled the score before the former was caught in the deep field in Merritt's first over. Jardine and Woolley added 67 for the fourth wicket. Both had momenta of anxiety while facing Merritt and Blunt, and finally Jardine was caught at short leg.

Woolloy and Amos added 59, the lefthander being out lbw to Merritt. Ho batted for 80 minutes, and hit 11 fours. Although hja was a fine innings, he was never over-confident in facing the slow bowlers. He succeeded in knocking Cromb off his length, but the lattor bowled excellently at tho start. Woolley was faultless and resourceful.

Cromb waa deadly for a period. Merritt, for some unaccountable reason, was not used in the eai'ly stages* of the game. He was always troublesome, and deserved Woolloy's wicket earlier. Blunt commanded universal respect, and deserved more success. Tho New Zoaland fielding was firstelass. Details:— '■ NEW ZEALAND. First Innings. Dempster, lbw, b Pecblos 53 Mills, b Peebles 34 Weir, lbw, b Peebles : 37 Kerr, st Ames, b Robins . .<. 2 Blunt, c Hammond, b Robins ..... 7 Lowry, c Hammond, b Bobins ... 1 Cromb, c Ames, b Peebles 20 Pago, b Allen 23 Allcott, c Hammond, b Peebles ... 13 Merritt, c Jardinc, b Hammond ... 17 James, not out 1 Extras 16 Total 224 Bowling analysis: Voee took no ■wiekots for 40 runs; Allen, one for 45; Hammond, one for 8; Peebles, live for 77; Rabins, three for 38. Byes, 2; log byes, 12, Robins bowled one wide and one no-ball. ENGLAND. First Innings. Arnold, c Pago, b Cromb ~. 0 Bakewell, lbw, b Cromb 9 Hammond, b Cromb 7 Duloepsinhji, c Kerr, b Merritt ~. 25 Jardine, c Blunt, b Merritt 38 Woolloy, lbw, b Merritt 80 Ames, not out ~ > • . 15 Peebles, st James, b Merritt 0 Extras 10 Total for seven wickets ..... 190