Wallace And Reid— Record Fourth-wicket Partnership Of 324

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 May 1949, Page 5

Wallace And Reid— Record Fourth-wicket Partnership Of 324

[From

A. W. MITCHELL,

N.Z.P.A. London

Correspondent.]

CAMBRIDGE, May 19 (Rec. 11 a.m.). —A fourth-wicket /partnership of 324 by Wallace and Reid —a record for New Zealand cricket, eclipsing that established by Wallace and Donnelly at Leicester last Saturday—allowed Hadlee to declare New Zealand’s first innings against Cambridge University closed at 441 for five wickets.

This gave the Dominion team a real lead over Cambridge on the first innings of 334. In nearly two hours’ play remaining on the second day, University scored 78 for one, leaving it to get another 257 to avoid an innings defeat.

Wallace’s Average 91.

Wallace made 197 and Reid 188 not out. Wallace has now scored 727 in eight innings—an average of nearly 91 —and placed himself in an excellent position to join the ranks of the illustrious by scoring 1000 in May. Wallace batted for four hours 50 minutes, which was the period of his partnership with Reid. The New Zealand innings lasted six hours 25 minutes; Reid was at the crease for six hours ten minutes. It was a batsman’s wicket, hard and true, allowing slow spin. The weather was warm and inclined to be muggy, and the forecast is for rain tomorrow. The wicket suited both Wallace and Reid, who brought the number of centuries scored by the team in its five matches to eight of which the Aucklander has contributed four.

Wallace went for the bowling with a will when play was resumed this morning and in the first hour 73 runs were added to the score, of which he contributed 47. Reid was content with 21. Wallace was at 100 in two hours 10 minutes and 150 in four hours.

One Hard Chance Given

Wallace gave only one chance and that was a hard return off a full toss from Morris, when he was 181. He hit the ball with the middle of the bat straight back at the Cambridge bowler, who made a vain second attempt as it bounced off the palm of his hand.

Apart from that one incident, Wallace played every shot with firmness and precision. His cover driving was particularly good and Cambridge could counter it only by setting a deep defensive field. The New Zealander frequently hit the ball hard and fast straight to coverpoint standing 30 or 40 yards out

from the wicket; the Cambridge fielding was good and quick, clean returns prevented singles from being taken from these strokes. Wallace consequently ran 17 threes and 16 fours. This tended to tire him and he scored more sedately in the last hour. The Cambridge bowlers often sent a ball down well off the stumps and Wallace, playing forward to such a ball a yard wide of the off-stump, snicked it and was caught behind by Popplewell. Ranks With Giants Of Game

Wallace’s innings was worthy of comparison with any of the contemporary giants of the game, and to particularise further about any aspect of it or dig for superlatives would be monotonous.

Reid played an entirely different type of knock. The Wellington boy was first of all batting to establish