England 80 Ahead With 6 Wickets in Hand: Hutton's Grand Double Century

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23025, 16 August 1949, Page 5

England 80 Ahead With 6 Wickets in Hand : Hutton's Grand Double Century

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter — Copyright.) (9.30 a.m. ) LONDON, Aug. 15. On a pitch that steadily improved as a perfect summer day wore on, England today scored an excellent total of 432 for four wickets in live and threequarter hours in reply to New Zealand’s 345 in the fourth and final test.

The chief architect was Hutton, who made 206 in just on live hours (25 lours) and took part in two good stands with Simpson (147) and Edrieh (218). Packed With Delightful Cricket His second century was hit in only 85 minutes and was packed with delightful cricket, Simpson proved a good opening partner and Edrieh, who made an exact century (14 fours) was nearly as attractive though not so flawless.' It was a good day for Cresswell, making his first test appearance for, in addition to a neat innings, he took all four wickets for 146. With Cave, he bore the brunt of the bowling and neither Cowie nor Burtt were so dangerous as in the previous tests.

Simpson again more energetically scored on the off, yet though he. hit the first England boundary by driving Cresswell past mid-off he was more than a trifle suspicious of Cresswell’s swingers and once was content to pat him for three maidens-

Cresswell frequently rapped both Simpson and Hutton on their left pad but the batmen’s legs were well wide of the stumps and there was no appeal. Cowie. who was bowling a trifle short, gave way to Cave after 40 minutes; Hutton on-drove him immediately for three but once Cave got into his stride he bowled really well and aided Cresswell to check the scoring rate. The first hour saw 47 scored. After Cresswell bowled for an hour, he was replaced by Burtt; he had made a fine test debut. llutton-Burtt Duel Hutton and Burtt, now old antagonists, eyed each other thoughtfully "and Hutton had the better of the exchanges. Twice he punched Burtt past noint to the boundary, hitting off his back-foot, his wrists steel springs. They were perfect shots and it was a case of diamond cut diamond.

England is now 87 ahead with six wickets in hand; if they can score quickly again tomorrow morning, New Zealand may have to work hard for a draw. About 28,000 people attended. The New Zealand innings ended with a useful stand by Burtt and Cresswell. Cowie lasted only three balls before he was caught, off Bedser, by Hutton at leg slip and then we had an interesting duel between two New Zealand and two England bowlers. Burtt and Cresswell in Gleeful Mood

Simpson, though he once swept Burtt to the mid-wicket boundary, had his doubts about the left-armer and once was trapped into advancing too far and missing the ball; unfortunately Reid, who was deputising well for Mooney, did not gather the ball cleanly and a chance was missed with Simpson 38. At lunch England u r as 95 after 105 minutes and both Hutton and Simpson were 46.

Bedser and Bailey -worked with energy and precision and if Burtt and Cresswell were grateful for two edges to their bats they were no less gratified at the runs they snicked to leg and through the slips. Yet, as their confidence grew, they discovered the middle and first Burtt square drove Bedser to the boundary and then Cresswell treated Bailey with similar familiarity. He was so gleeful that he dashed down the centre of the pitch and was reproved by the umpire: whereupon he patted down the sprig marks with a professional air and plopped Bailey through the slips for two and one and so achieved his highest score of the tour. It was all over when Burtt snicked Bailey and Evans roared with delight; Burtt batted well for one hour and 35 minutes for his 36 and proved that the New Zealand tail could wag.

As soon as they returned they set about catching up with the clock and Cowie, who had changed ends and Burtt. were both hit with firmness and power.

Simpson turned Cowie’s to leg to bring up 100 in 110 minutes and, in the same over, the batsmen reached their 50’s off Burtt, Hutton in 114 minutes and Simpson in 115, Hutton Approaches Century Cresswell returned for Cowie and fittingly took the first wicket. Simpson swept into the untightened leg trap and Donnelly took a good catch at backward square leg. Simpson batted well for two hours and twenty minutes for his 68 and England were now ahead of the clock. In 37 minutes since lunch, 52 runs had been added. Now Hutton was approaching his century and his appetite for three figures was greater than his desire to compete with the clock. With Edrieh who was nearly stumped by Reid when he strayed from the crease after playing Cave, he became so cautious that only five were scored in 20 minutes and the crowd showed a tendency to become impolite.

So England began with Hutton and Simpson, the latter having been promoted to open instead of Washbrook and obviously Brown’s instructions were that the New Zealand example of a run a minute should be emulated. Cowie and Cresswell opened the bowling and, of the two, Cresswell was treated with more respect. No Chinks in Armour

Both had an eye to trapping Hutton on the leg side where, on previous occasions, the New Zealanders found him a trifle weak; but neither, he nor Simpson had a chink in their armour in this direction and the trap did not spring but had to be unloosed and the men used in other directions.

Edrieh relented by square-driving Burtt off the back foot, punching him past mid-off and turning him to leg; and when Cresswell took a new ball at 191 hooked a bad length so viciously that it bounced into the crowd.

Hutton’s rather painful progress through the 90’s nearly ended at 99 when Cowie made the ball rise sharply but it bounced two yards in front of Rabone.

The next over he glanced Cowie to leg for four and had thus taken 45 minutes to move from 90 to 103. His century had taken 34 hours. He celebrated by off driving Cowie for another four. This gave England 200 so the second hundred had taken 100 minutes.

Hutton now began hitting freely again and scored so rapidly that it was difficult to commend him for his extreme determination to get his century. Edrich made some good shots off the back foot and at tea, after 3 hours and 50 minutes, Hutton was 130 and Edrich 35. This was the New Zealand score on Saturday and England had reached the same total in a quarter of an hour shorter time. Hutton took 13 off Cave in an over, hitting all round the wicket. He then proceeded to demonstrate his great art as a batsman and drove all the New Zealand bowlers all round the ground with majestic ease. Edrich faltered once before Cowie, snicked and Reid touched the ball out of reach of Scott’s eager hands at first slip. The runs came swiftly, Hutton took 35 minutes for his third 50, Edrich was fifty in two hours and the score moved from 200 to 300 in 55 minutes.

The pitch was now a batsman’s paradise; Edrich revelled in it, on-drove Cresswell for a near six; hooked Cowie to the square leg boundary and offdrove him for another four. Sutcliffe took a magnificent catch off Edrich but Cresswell had bowled a noball. Hutton off-drove Cresswell and 50 minutes after tea the score had jumped from 239 to 340. Hutton reached his double century in four hours and 55 minutes having taken only 85 for his second 100.

Then, entirely carefree, he lofted Cresswell straight back past the wicket and Rabone took a catch neatly: everyone in the Oval rose, stretched themselves and applauded as Hutton walked back and New Zealanders, too, could scarce forebear to cheer. Out strode Compton, a threatening sight: he lived briefly and happily until Cresswell had him caught by Scott at mid-on. Edrich, dropped at square leg by Donnelly at 76 off Cresswell, went on to his century in three hours and five minutes. Then he, too, fell to Cresswell in trying to sweep to leg'and Cave took a fine catch to complete a good day’s work. Bailey was restrained but Brown was interested in runs and collected them fairly quickly. Scores: — NEW ZEALAND First Innings Sutcliffe, c Bedser, b Hollies.. .. 8S Scott, c Edrich, b Bedser .. .. 60 Reid, lbw, b Wright 5 Wallace, c Edrich. b Bedser .. .. 55 Donnelly, c Edrich, b Bailey.. >.. 27 Hadlee, c Evans, b Bedser .. .. 25 Rabone, c Evans, b Bailey .. .. 18 Cave, b Compton 10 Burtt. c Evans, b Bailey .. .. 36 Cowie, c Hutton, b Bedser .. .. 1 Cresswell, not out 12 Extras .• .. 8 Total 345 Bowling.

ENGLAND First Innings. Simpson, c Connelly, b Cresswell.. 68 Hutton, c Rabone, b Cresswell .. 206 Edrich, c Cave, b Cresswell . . . . 100 Compton, c Scott, b Cresswell .. 13 Bailey, not out 10 Brown, not out 21 Extras H Total for four wickets .. .. 132 Bowling.

0. M. R. W. Bailey .. .. 26.1 7 72 3 Bedser .. .. 31 6 74 4 Edrich .... 3 0 16 0 Wright .... 22 1 93 1 Laker .... 3 0 11 0 Hollies .. .. 20 7 51 1 Compton .... 2 0 6 1 Brown .... 5 1 14 0 Leg-byes, (Bedser 4, 1 (Bailey); no Bailey 2). balls. 6

o. M. R. W. Cowie .. . . 22 1 101 0 Cresswell .. . . 36 6 140 4 Cave 24 4 73 0 Burtt . 24 2 93 0 Byes, 5; leg-byes, 6; no--balls, 3.