Smith-Donnelly Stand Saves N.Z. In Test : Tourists 60 Behind

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22971, 14 June 1949, Page 7

Smith-Donnelly Stand Saves N . Z . In Test : Tourists 60 Behind

(N.Z.P. A.—Reuter—Copjrfffht*) (10 a.m.) LEEDS, June 13. A great fifth wicket partnership of 120 in 86 minutes by Donnelly and Smith saved New Zealand from the possibility of defeat by England in the first test and has almost certainly forced a draw.

The partnership—a record for New Zealand in test matches in England—came after New Zealand

had lost four wickets for

10 on a wicket affected by

early-morning rain.

A heavy shower changed the character of the pitch and of tire game.

general feeling that if both he and Sutcliffe could be there at lunch they would have done New Zealand excellent service.

It prevented Mann getting another 150 or so quickly before being ail out or declaring, and aided New Zealand, with an ageing ball, to collect the last live wickets in 50 minutes for 65 runs.

However. Young was bowling well and turning the ball as much as lie could- Sutcliffe played correctly but then Young sent him one- that went straight through. It nudged the lefthander’s bat and Evans was in good voice.

This gave England 372. Then, on a drying wicket and against a new ball, New Zealand was quickly in trouble but, thanks to Donnelly (64). Smith (96) and Mooney (43, not out), they finished with a respectable total of 312 for nine, only 60 behind England. It was a good day’s work full of interesting cricket. Smith batted two and a quarter hours and hit eight fours. ' . When Compton and Bailey resumed the first innings for England, it was apparent that Compton was ready to take chances with the wicket. He drove Cowic to cover cleanly and neatly and then square drove Burtt with a beautiful stroke. Burtt, however, was making the ball turn much more today than on Saturday and getting a lift. Mooney Gave No Chance

Sutcliffe had batted very well and throughout this difficult period never appeared uncomfortable. Wallace had the ordeal of five balls before his meal. At lunch New Zealand were 64 for two and Hadlee batted one and a quarter hours for 27. The break seemed to unsettle him and. apart from driving Hollies, the slow right arm leg-breaker through the covers with a beautiful shot, was never at ease. Bailey Bowls Well Bailey, however, was the better for his victuals. He made Wallace miss badly when playing forward and then beat Hadlee. It was the best bowling seen during the day and it brought its reward. He had Wallace, who was unusually tentative, caught by Evans and though Donnelly took a single from him, he got Hadlee in the same over. New Zealand’s captain, who appeared eager to hit himself back into form, snicked and Edrich made no mistake this time. He took a lovely catch low down on the one knee and Bailey was so pleased that he hopped up and down happily. With four wickets down for 80, odds -were offered in the press box of the possibility of a follow-on. They were'taken confidently for, with Smith’s arrival, we had some of the brightest batting of this match. With Donnelly, he set about the bowling with cheerfulness and gusto. Donnelly began by pulling Bailey to the boundary and ondriving him for three. Next over he pulled him again, and the 100 had taken two hours five minutes. Then in 35 minutes Donnelly and Smith put on another 50. They cut, pulled and drove to the on and oft with ease and grace that made the care and precautions of Hutton and Compton on Saturday but dull memories. Bailey was roundly applauded when Bedser relieved him—and he deserved it. . \ •/"• Donnelly’s Powerful Hitting Bedser, however, did not bowl long for Donnelly on-drove him twice with such power and grace that on the second occasion the Englishmen just stood and watched the ball slide to the packed boundary line. When he pulled Bedser. Mann reproduced Young. Donnelly had his 50 in 65 minutes. Smith was cutting and pulling easily and the partnership reached 100 in 65 minutes and the great Headingly crowd was rapturous.

When Compton went out to meet him the ball dropped over his bat and Mooney, who has had a good match, gave no second chance. With Compton out, England's hopes for two or three quick fifties were gone, but Evans looked immediately for runs and found them. He began by straight driving Cowie and took 14 in one over from Burtt, driving him through the covers three times and then cutting him for two. Bailey went when he tried to pull Cowie. The ball cocked up sharply and bailey succeeded only in skying it to Scott at square leg. Evans, after 12 minutes’ hilarity, attempted to hit Burtt into the crowd. The ball turned and he snicked it. Mooney whipped off the bails but the umpire at square leg was unmoved by his appeal. Cowie turned insistently to the umpire at the wicket who raised his . finger obligingly. Mooney might have had Bedser off Cowie before the England bowleg scored but the ball came through so swiftly that it missed his gloves and struck his ribs. Young Too Venturesome Young was much too venturesome facing Burtt and wandered away down the pitch to miss the ball and was so far away from the crease that he made no attempt to return. Bedser enjoyed some driving until he holed out to Donnelly on the boundary at deep cover. England had partly achieved their intention of quick runs—6s in 50 minutes—but they had got New Zealand in on a tricky wicket with a new ball. Both Bailey and Bedser immediately made it fly so that Mann decided on a ring of five slips instead of four. In Bailey’s second over, Scott played forward, instincts overcoming caution, and Washbrook took a grand catch at fourth slip, steadying himself by going down on one knee. Hadlee was given a great reception as he walked out and, perhaps, sympathy had something to do with it for one wicket for four runs on this pitch were not the best circumstances for the New Zealand captain to begin his first test innings of the tour. He needed a little luck—and he got It. His first hall from Bailey was wide of the off stump. Hadlee drew back his bat, but the ball turned in and touched it. Edrich just missed at first slip.

Smith had his 50 in 70 minutes when he took two from Young. VKII ! "* Donnelly stayed until the score was 200, when Bailey returned and made the ball pop. It flew to Young in the gully who fell to his left and took a fine catch. Donnelly’s partnership with Smith of 120 had taken only 86 minutes and it had been glorious to watch. The remainder of the New Zealand innings was interesting, chiefly for the hope that New Zealand would save a follow-on, and Smith reached his century. Smith Unlucky There was little doubt _ about the former, and Rabone aided its achievement before he snicked Edrich to Evans. Smith entered the nineties by hooking Bailey, who took a new ball at 220, three times for two, two and ¥four, and then leg glancing him for another boundary. Then he tried to glance Edrich and Compton who, unusually for him, was wearing a cap, caught him at short leg. Mooney again proved his value as a batsman. He put New Zealand safely past 300 with two on-drives off Compton and had the satisfaction as he did so of knowing that New Zealand had scored more runs in a day after a disastrous start than England did on Saturday. Cow'ie pulled a muscle in his left leg while fielding, and is unlikely to bowl tomorrow. The attendance was 25,000 and the gross gate £2980. Scores:—

Dangerous Pitch and Shiny Bali The wicket was now at its most dangerous. The shine was still on the new ball and it was leaving a long green mark each time it bounced—and it bounced-shoulder high sometimes. Yet Hadlee was composed and confident and used a straight bat and Sutcliffe was shaping nicely, He pulled Bedser to leg for the first boundary and dealt with a full toss from Bailey in the same manner. When Edrich changed with Bailey and also offered a full toss, Sutcliffe drove him straight and true. As the shine came off the ball, the two New Zealanders dug themseves in and 41 went on for the first hour.

Young, the slow left-hander, came on. replacing Bedser, and Hadlee sent him straight past Compton at silly mid-off for four. He then drew himself through the twenties with two’s and three’s and there was a

ENGLAND First Innings

Hutton, c Sutcliffe, b Cowie .. .. 101 Washbrook, c Sutcliffe, b Cowie .. 10 Edrich, c Donnelly, b Cowie .. .. 36 Wharton, 1.b.w., b Cowie .. .. 7 Mann, c Scott, b Burtt i. 38 Compton, st. Mooney, If Burtt .... 114 Bailey, c Scott, b Cowie 12 Evans, c Mooney, b Burtt 27 Bedser, c Donnelly, b Burtt 20 Young, st, Mooney, b Burtt .... 0 Hollies, not out 0 Extras 7 Total 372 —Bowling—

Scott, c Washßrook, b Bailey .... 1 Sutcliffe, c Evans, b Young 32 Hadlee, c Edrich, b Bailey 34 Wallace, c Evans, b Bailey 3 Donnelly, c Young, b Bailey .... 64 Smith, c Compton, b, Edrich .... 96 Rabone, c Evans, b Edrich 33 Mooney, not out 41 Burtt, c Bedser, b Compton 7 Cave, c Edrich, b Bailey 2 Cowie, not out 6 Extras 13

Total for nine wickets 312 Fall of Wickets: 1-4. 2-64. 3-69, 4-80, 5-200, 6-251, 7-254, 8-273, 9-203. —Bowling—

. 0. M. R. W. Cowie 43 6 127 5 Cave 27 a 85 0 Rabone 18 7 56 0 Burt 33.3 16 NEW ZEALAND First Innings 97 5

O. M. R. W. Bailey .... 27 6 103 5 Becilser .... 17 5 46 0 Edrich .... 9 2 ia 2 Young .... 22 6 52 1 Hollies .... 25 6 57 0 Compton .... .... a 2 23 1