GOOD PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 10

GOOD PROGRESS

N.Z. CRICKET TEAM

FINDING THE BOWLERS

PROMISING BATSMEN

(From "The Post!s" Special Representative.)

LONDON, 29th May,

As the tour progresses a bettor line upon the form and capabilities of the New Zealand cricketers is gained. Although in tlie match against Worcester the' New Zealand team's first innings total was headed, so well did the tourists bowl and field in. the county's second "knock" that there was every prospect of the New Zealand team securing a victory. However, owing to heavy rain during the night, play was impossible on the third day and the match had to be abandoned. The position at that stage of the game was that Worcester, with a lead of 71 runs on the first innings, had lost in the second strike seven wickets for 112 at the end of the second day's play. There would have been ample time for a decision had rain not interrupted play. The Home side had first use of an even-paced wicket. Allcott and Vivian were the opening bowlers. It was the intention of the Now Zealand captain to bowl these two players into form. Vivian at once struck a length, and the way he cleverly flighted his deliveries with well-concealed changes of pace gave every indication that he would be more than a useful change bowler on the tour. The batsmen at all times treated him with respect, as was shown by the number of maidens he sent down. The two wickets he obtained in the second innings were both from clever changes of flight. Allcott, who has been recovering from a very severe cold, bowled with, his usual steadiness, -but owing to lack of practice, together with the fact that there was no life in the wicket, he did not seem to have the same nip off the pitch. Matheson bowled well in securing three wickets in the first innings,, but did not develop nearly the same pace as he did in Southampton. Ho is suffering from a slightly strained muscle in his' leg, and, in fact, could not bowl at all in the second innings. Merritt did not bowl very accurately in the first innings, but certainly made up for it in the second, when he bowled at his best to date. It was a treat to see the way he had the batsmen on the defensive. Prior to this he was getting into the habit of bowling too many wrong .'uns, but this ' time he refrained from employing them and concentrated on the leg breaks. Talbot also bowled very accurately, and, oven if he did not secure any wickets, always looked dangerous. He was decidedly unlucky, as the batsmen were attempting to play his outswingers all the time, and he might easily have secured a few wickets in the slips. ACCEPTABLE ADVICE. Page, in his trial with the ball, separated a prospective partnership. It is very useful to have a bowler of his type in the side, as when there is the least assistance from the wicket ho can be relied on to provide the popular type of bowling here, that is, righthand off-spinners from round the wicket. It might not be out of place to mention here that the umpires, who are usually old Test players or at least first-class county men, are only too pleased after the game to help our players by offering advice. For example, one of them informed Page that he was trying to bowl this particular type of ball too fast and that if he slowed up a trifle the off-spin would obtain more grip from the pitch and so turn more effectively. It was certainly a most valuable piece of information and much to Page's benefit. ' • If the New Zealand team's fieldmg in the first innings fell short of. the high standard produced against the M.C.C. it certainly was raised in the second effort, and the £act of their being behind on the first strike acted like a tonic on the team generally. That the efforts met ■ with success is shown by the difference in Worcester's first and second innings' totals. Batting for Worcester in the first innings Gibbons, who, by the way, is regarded as a likely Test player, scored a century, but, whilst at the crease during his first fifty, appeared to be decidedly uncomfortable when facing Merritt, and was hopelessly beaten on j several occasions. By great determination, however, he gradually gained the upper hand, and by clean, crisp shots, mainly cover drives and strong 'on strokes, completed" 'the hundred. In the second innings, of the seven batsmen who lost their wickets, the only one to offer any resistance was Niehol. His effort of 46 not out was particularly fine, as there "was no one who could stay with Mm. One of the titbits of the day was the dismissal of Perks, coming in No. 8, in the second innings. He had to play the. last over of the day from Merritt, and naturally endeavoured to block every ball. As he was playing a defensive shot on the on side, Lowry at short leg dived forward and brought off a sensational left-handed catch inches only from the bat—an uncanny piece of anticipation. YOUNG BATSMEN. So far as the New Zealand batting was concerned, the most pleasing feature was the form displayed by the two youngest members of the side, J. L. Kerr and H. G. Vivian, and especially that of the latter. Up to the present this player has been inclined to be too impetuous. The result is that on slow wickets he plays forward too quickly (instead of playing back), and the ball is cocked up in the vicinity of inid-on or mid-off. As this wicket was faster than the previous ones, Vivian showed some glimpses of his true form, and it is surprising the power this youngster puts into his shots. He has the same graceful style as J. X Mills, but is particularly partial to the straight drive over the bowler's head, a stroke seldom seen these days in -county cricket. The more one sees Kerr's play the more is one impressed by it. He is the type of player who believes in hitting the ball hard, but with it all he is by no means unduly;reckless, and it is quite apparent that he is improving every game. The Worcester attack was principally in the hands of Root, who iii the previous match against Lancashire had taken all ten wicket's, and Perks, a medium fast, right-hander of great promise. So far Perks has met with quite a. fair amount of success, and is being considered as a Test match candidate. Although each of these bowlers captured three wickets, they did not appear to worry the batsmen to any marked degree, as in most cases it waa entirely through the latters' carelessness that the -wickets were obtained, the one possible exception being the ball from Root which dismissed Dempster. Root bowls the famous leg theory trap, that is, with four short legs he bowls at the leg stump a ball which swings away still further to leg. This he varies with a ball which swings I from leg, and it was from one of these that Dempster was caught behind. ' MOKE CENTURIES. In the match against Glamorgan, at Cardiff, M. L. Page took over the captaincy from Lowry, wig decided to

rest, and carried on the good work by maintaining Lowry's unbrokeu record in winning the toss. Mills was also resting, and AVcir was sent in to open the innings with Dempster. After an hour, with the New Zealand score at 44 for no wickets, rain fell heavily, and further play was impossiblo that day. Continuing on the Monday, New Zealand's Bradman scored another century, although it was a more restrained innings than one is accustomed to see from him. Most of the other batsmen sacrificed their wickets in attempting to force the pace, but Cromb succeeded where the others failed, and hit up a brilliant 52 not out in quick time. His unbroken partnership with Dempster enabled Page to declare with six wickets down for 288 at the tea adjournment.

Glamorgan's reply was not very promising. The side was all out for 200, only a bright 54 by Dyson and a hardhitting partnership'between La vis and Every ' saving the side from a fairly dismal failure. Merritt, with five wickets, was the most successful bowler for New Zealand, but he was more erratic than usual. On the other hand, Allcott gave a glimpse of his, best bowling form in taking three wickets for 23. The wicket did not suit Crotnb, who nevertheless bowled quite well.

New Zealand's second innings saw G. L. Weir regain his best form and score a brilliant undefeated century. He hit the ball with surprising vigour, and, in fact, played probably the best innings of his career. Dempster was dismissed cheaply, but Weir was ably assisted by James, who obtained a good sight of the ball and then attacked the bowling effectively. The pair on a hundred runs in an hour. Runs were needed quickly, and the batting of Weir and James enabled Page to declare for a 'second time, with a lead of 278, giving Glamorgan 110 minutes to bat before stumps. • . ■ ' .

The New Zealanders immediately settled down to the task of winning the game against the clock. Merritt, Blunt, and Cromb all bowled well, and five wickets were down for 54 when a 'sound partnership between Bell and Duckfield saved the game for Glamorgan. It was a game that the New Zealanders should have won, but it was lost principally through rain on the first day. The attendance on the Monday, which was a Bank Holiday, was a record for the tour to date, and there was another large crowd on the following day. Both days : were beautifully fine.