Hadlee Dominated Play Yesterday: 100 In 128 Minutes

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1947, Page 6

Hadlee Dominated Play Yesterday: 100 In 128 Minutes

The first day’s play in the cricket test between England and New Zealand. which began at Lancaster Park today, fell into two distinct sections. In the first section, from the start of play until 2.45 p.m., the New Zealand batsmen were on top and scored quickly. The second part began with the taking of the new ball, and from that stage until the end oi the day the New Zealand batsmen nact to struggle for runs, and at the ciose of play much of the advantage gamed by the opening batsmen —200 runs were scored for the loss of two wickets —had been lost. Yet the home team made a most satisfactory impression against formidable opponents, and the stumps score of 306 lor eight wickets was a sound one. The outstanding contribution to New Zealand’s total was made by trie captain, W. A. Hadlee, who scored a fine 116. His display was m keeping with his reputation, and spectators were delighted by his easy driving and clever placing. Associated witl Hadlee in an excellent nrst-wicket partnership of 133 was the Otago left-hander, B. Sutcliffe, who scoied a century in each innings of M p- - vince’s recent game against the Englishmen. Sutcliffe confirmed the impression that he is in the top flight of left-hand batsmen m ina hj n * attractive 58. A. V. Bedser, me Surrey right-hand meaium-pacc bowler, was the most successfu i the Englishmen.

New Zealand Opens / The opening made by Hadlee and Sutcliffe demonstrated that as far as New Zealand is concerned, cricket is still a game, in spite of test matcnes. Sutcliffe did not disappoint the crowd. He began his scoring with a classic four through tne coveis on R. Pollard, and his batting immediately suggested that he still tnought he was at Carisbrook, making his second-innings century. He aid, however, wave his bat dangeio at an out-swinger from Bedser, vho opened at the south end. When he had scored seven, Sutcliffe had a very lucky escape, being dropped by W. J. Edrich at fine leg off Pollard. Sutcliffe’s leg glance yesterday was the only chink m his 31 Edrich bowled to an imposing array of slips, but gave the batsmen little difficulty. Hadlee, who took most of the bowling, cover-arove Edrich for four with grace and power, and with the score at la Wright relieved him. An hour s batting and 50 runs occurred together, good scoring for so soon in the S especially as Bedser, m a long spell, had lost little of his accuracy. Hadlee Reaches Fifty Hadlee reached his 50 in 83 minutes. and an excellent stroke made 13 minutes later, gave Sutcliffe has half-century- With the total at 111, T P B. Smith bowled lor the hist time, from the no’rth end. Hadlee welcomed him with a glorious straight drive to the boundary, and for the next half-hour took heavy toll of the slow spinner. However, Bedser relieved Pollard at the south end, and Sutcliffe touched his third ball into the exuberant hands oi the wicketkeeper, T. G. Evans. V. J. Scott came in, and Hadlee edged one from Bedser, but the ball

fell in front of the slips. The New Zealand captain showed an almost schoolboy eagerness for runs, and frequently moved into Smith to drive him cleanly on either side of the wicket. He reached 70 with a magnificent off-drive off Smith, but attained 80 in rather less admirable fashion. Hadlee made his score 97 with a. powerful pull for four, ana he reached the century next ball with a huge on-drive off Smith, which hit the fence on the full. Hadlee had taken only 128 minutes to score his 100. Wickets Fall N. W. D. Yardley came on at the north end, and Hadlee, now playing with the utmost freedom, forced him through the covers off his back foot. In 23 minutes his partnership with Scott realised 50 handsome runs, of which Scott contributed a humble five. However, in trying to on-drive the same bowler, he lifted the ball, and Bedser at mid-on took an excellent catch. Two were down for 195 and Hadlee, in his 116, had included 14 boundaries. With Scott, 62 had been made in 82 minutes. Both Scott and W. M. Wallace, the new batsman, were worried, and Wallace, after one characteristic offdrive to the boundary, was caught behind the wicket off Bedser. In Pollard’s next over, Scott edged an out-swinger to the slips, and Hammond made ground quickly to take an exceptionally fine catch. Taylor, who was palpably unhappy; was bowled by a no-ball from Bedser, and his display until tea was not convincing. It was, however, his first international match, and after the adjournment, which was taken with the score at 227 for four, he settled down. At the interval Smith had scored 11, most of them by confident off-side strokes. When play resumed, Smith began in his own exuberant way, pushing Pollard off his toes for two to midwicket and scoring four with a splendid square cut. In Bedser’s first oy ei > however, he played all over a bal, the length of which demanded strict attention, and he was bowled. Four runs later, E. W. Tindill was bowled, nock and crop, by an £ S r? wickets were down for Zud. k. nScott joined Taylor, and a partial recovery was made. Taylor, who) in build and style is rather like Mallacc, began stroking more confidently, and a good square cut for four by Scott off Pollard brought 250 up in 220 minutes. With the total at 258 Taylor was given out leg before wicket ‘to Bedser, and Cowie joined SC preciselv at 5 o’clock, Scott was well and truly bowled by a faster one from Edrich, and eight were down for 281. For the rest of the afternoon Cowie and T-Burtt played with a careful eye on the clock. Ine light was poor, and it was no surprise when at 5.32 p.m. an appeal against it was upheld.