HURRICANE HITTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 September 1927, Page 5

HURRICANE HITTING

GOOD SCORE AGAINST NX KENTISH BATSMEN AGGRESSIVE (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association J (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, August 31. The New Zealanders began their last match against a first-class county, which is* also the last match against any county, at Canterbury to-day, when they faced Kent in its full strength, the side including Chapman, Evans and Knott. The weather was glorious, and the Kentish batsmen, revelling in the hard wicket, scored at a great pace. Hardinge and Ashdown, who opened, quickly ran up 34 off McGirr and Bernau. The first .wicket fell after half an hour’s play, Hardinge being stumped off Merritt. With Woolley in, the bowling was fairly mastered, Merritt coming in for severe punishment. The England player was in brilliant form, and readied 50 in 45 minutes. At lunch the score was 1 for 129, but sixteen runs later, the left-hander was easily caught at cover for 68, after one of his brightest innings. Ashdown stayed till 179, when he was caught at the wicket His 84 took him two hours and ten minutes, and included eleven boundaries.

Evans was quickly disposed of, but Ames and Chapman started another profitable partnership which added 64 in three-quarters of an hour. By the tea adjournment Ames and Legge had brought the score to 5 for 309, and in all put on 77 before they were separated. Ames who is Kent’s new wicket keeper, and is rapidly establishing hiinself as a first-class batsman, equalled Ashdown’s total, and eventually was caught off Merritt.

New Zealand’s troubles, however, were not over, for Knott and Hubble also proceeded to knock the bowling about, scoring at a very fast pace, and adding 84 in 45 minutes. The end came at 405, which had only occupied four and a-half hours, and Was a fine example of bright and breezy batting. Merritt got six wickets, but was terribly expensive. This is only the second time that the New Zealanders have had 400 scored off them during the tour.

In reply to Kent’s fine total, the visitors made by no means a bad start, and Dempster was unlucky in getting out just before stumps were drawn, ten minutes early owing to the bad light Scores: —

KENT—lst Innings. Hardinge, st. James, b Merritt .. H z Ashdown, c James, b Merritt .. 84 Woolley, c Lowry, b Allcott .. 68 Evans, lbw-» b Merritt 8 Ames, c Allcott, b Merritt .. . 84 Chapman, c James, b Merritt .. 30 Legge, c Page, b Dempster .. 23 Knott, c James, b Allcott ... .• 32 Hubble, c Legge, b Allcott .. .. 60 Wright, b Merritt 1 Freeman, not out 0 Extras .. ~t .. .. •• I 4 *» ! Total 4 0 5 Bowling: McGirr 0 for 40, Bernau, 0 for 40, Merritt 6 for 185, Allcott 3 for 60, Lowry 0 for 31, Blunt 0 for 19, Dempster 1 for 16. NEW ZEALAND—Ist Innings. Dempster, c! Chapman, b Freeman 26 Mills, not out • • 81 Blunt, not out ■.. .. • • ■ • 1 Extras 1 Total for 1 wicket 59 COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP. LONDON, August 30. Notts is at the top of the table for County cricket, with a percentage of 70.37. Lancashire is next with 68.75. Yorkshire has 62.54, and Kent 62.01.