FINE BOWLING BY BURTT— Slow Batting By M.C.C.: 311 For Six Wickets

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1949, Page 7

FINE BOWLING BY BURTT— Slow Batting By M.C.C.: 311 For Six Wickets

[From A. W. MITCHELL, N.Z.P.A. London Correspondent.] LONDON, ■ May 21—Londoners packed Lord’s when the New Zealanders played their first game on that ground against the M.C.C., a team notable for its batting strength. M.C.C. made 311 for six wickets in five hours 40 minutes of play, against bowling of excellent lengths on a slow paced wicket. T B Burtt was outstanding, andby the end of the day had established himself as both a bowler and a personality. He bowled over after over, keeping down the runs, his cheerful, square-built figure apparently tireless and it was not until the last 40 minutes that he was treated with anything approaching familiarity. Until then the only batsman who was m any wav confident against him was D. C. S? Compton, who played the brightest / innings for the M.C.C. Burtt’s figures at the end of the day were 55 overs, 26 maidens, 73 runs, four wickets. New Zealand’s fielding was again of a high standard, and with a little luck they would have had more wickets. It was a day, however, when catches were bouncing a foot or two in. front of the fieldsmen. The New Zealand bowling was handicapped by the absence of J. A. Hayes, who strained a stomacn muscle at Cambridge, and rested on medical advice. The remarkable total of 149 overs was bowled during the day, an average of 25 an hour, which is about five more than normal. G. F. Cresswell, who bowled 44 overs, was decidedly unlucky in not securing a wicket, but the chances given were difficult. H. B. Cave’s contribution was also noteworthy, for he delivered 30 overs for 50 runs. G. O. Rabone also bowled well, although J,ess fortunately than at Cambridge.

‘‘Big Cricket” Atmosphere 1 It was the first taste for the New Zealanders of a “big cricket” atmosphere. The other grounds on which they have played so far have been pleasant, and the crowds have been comparatively big but at Lord’s some 28,000 persons were present. The record for Lord’s is 33,000. The spectators overflowed from the stands and sat around the boundary line—the first occasion on which this has occurred for any New Zealand team at Lord’s. It was a generous crowd, which did not miss a point and applauded the batsmen and fielders at every opportunity. , From the top of the members pavilion, 8.8. C. television cameras looked down, recording every movement of the play for the unseen onlookers who probably numbered hundreds of thousands. Long-range cameras also filmed the match. The New Zealanders were in no way unnerved by the crowd and in the two hours before lunch their bowlers performed all that could be asked of them on a rather slow wicket. Burtt and Cresswell in particular did well. Cresswell being unchanged for an hour and 4'o minutes.

W. J. Edrich and J. D. Robertson put on 50 in 52 minutes and then Robertson played forward to Burtt. He was out of his crease for a fraction of a second and in that time F. H. L. Mooney stumped him. It was a fine piece of work by Mooney.

Slow Scoring R. T. Simpson respected the bowling so much that he was at the wicket for a quarter of an hour before scoring, and both Cresswell and Burtt made Edrich play every ball, so that only 14 runs came in the next half hour. At lunch, after two hours, the score was 83 for one wicket.

Cave got all the life obtainable out of the pitch, bowling a good length also, and eventually he had Edrich caught at second slip by Rabone. Compton arrived, and the game brightened up. A roar from the crowd welcomed him, with a shrill overtone supplied by his hundreds of schoolboy admirers. He set about Cressweli with the greatest good will, scything him round to leg with ease. He hit Cresswell hard through his leg trap of Reid, Rabone, and Cave. Rabone was struck on a forearm by one of his sweeps. Compton also on-drove Cresswell with gusto, but he was respectful to Burtt, who kept him fully occupied. Burtt’s Duel With Compton

Quick, lithe, and full of personality, Compton scored his 50 in 70 minutes of bright and aggressive batting. Compton had given perhaps one chance—off Cress well to W. M. Wallace at first slip, but it was a very difficult catch. The 200 came up in just over four hours, but more interesting than the score was the duel between Burtt and Compton. Compton was using his feet to go two to

three feet down the pitch, but he could rarely select a bail to hit. Burtt decided to change ends, and when he put on his sweater the crowd, thinking he was being taken off, gave him a great burst of applause. They clapped happily again when he went on at the other end. He richly deserved this recognition. Before lunch he bowled 20 overs, 12 maidens and took on wicket for 16 runs. Between lunch and tea his figures were 17 overs, 10 maidens, 18 runs and one wicket. It. was Cave who eventually got Compton, when he played forward to a half volley and gave the simplest of catches to W. A. Hadlee at mid-off. The crowd was sorry to see him go. Burtt bowled Simpson immediately after he had scored his 50 in two hours and three-quarters. , A. Watkins and D. B. Carr put on ■ 59 in the next hour, and then Burtt ; reaped some reward for his long day’s work. He caught and bowled Carr and clean bowled F. G. Mann, the M.C.C. captain, three balls later. Scores: — M.C.C. First Innings W. J. Edrich, c Rabone, b Cave 57 J. D. Robertson, st Mooney, b Burtt 29 R. T. Simpson, b Burtt .. .. <5l D. C. S. Compton, c Hadlee, b Cave 63 D. B. Carr, c and b Burtt .. 36 A, Watkins, not out .. .. 48 F. G. Mann, b Burtt 0 V. Broderick, not out .. .. 22 Extras 5 Total for six wickets .. 311 Fall of wickets: One for 51, two for 112, three for 175, four for 214, five for 273, six for 273. COUNTY MATCHES

LONDON, May 20.—County cricket matches resulted: —

Worcestershire. —First innings, 126 (Woolier seven for 61): second innings, nine for 132 declared. Glamorganshire: First innings, 108 (Perks six for 47); second innings, seven for 154. Glamorganshire won by three wickets. Hampshire.—First innings, 311 (McCorkell 102); second innings, eight for 148 declared (Woodhead five for 33), Nottinghamshire: First innings, 197 (Knott six for 99); second innings, 226 (Keeton 88; Knott six for 69). Hampshire won by 36 runs. Surrey.—First innings, 292 (Whittaker not out 148); second innings, nine for 208 declared. Northants: First innings, 190 (Locke four for 27); second innings, eight for 248. The match was drawn.

Essex. —First innings, 202 (Avery 90; Ridgway foui' for 47); second innings, five for 410 declared (Vigar 136, Pearce not out 111). Kent: First innings, , 289 (Fagg 129; Bailey six for 65); second innings, one for 122. The match was drawn.

Somersetshire. —First innings, 146 (Aspinall five for 19); second innings, 132 (Aspinall four for 21). Yorkshire: First innings, 83 (Hazel! five for 13, Tremlett five for 19). Second innings, seven for 196. Yorkshire won by three wickets.

Middlesex. —First 273 (Sperry six for 45). Leicestershire: First innings, 70 (Gray six for 38, Young four for 12) and followed on 159 (Young five for 42). Middlesex won by an innings and 44 runs. Lancashire. —First innings, seven for 370 declared (Wharton 139, Grieves not out 102). Oxford: First innings, 115 and followed on 147 (Roberts eight .for 50). Lancashire won by an innings and 103 runs.