Can N.Z. Win?

Grey River Argus, 24 March 1947, Page 5

Can N.Z. Win?

M.C.C. 80 BEHIND COWIE GETS WICKETS P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, March 23. The biggest crowd ever to gather for a cricket match in Canterbury (20,000) watched exciting play in the cricket test at Lancaster Park yesterday. New Zealand declared their innings closed at 12.25 p.m. at nine wickets down for 345 runs. Cowie, after contributing an invaluable 45, was bowled by Pollard after a splendid ninth-wicket partnership with Burtt, in which 60 runs were added, thus putting New Zealand in an almost unbeatable position. The most successful of the English bowlers were Bcdser and Pollard. Bedser took four for 91. and Pollard three for 73.

A splendid fifth-wicket partnership between Hammond and Ikin took England’s score from 125 for four to 222 for five, and Hammond left with 79 to his credit. At stumps last night, England bad lost seven wickets for 265 runs. Cowie’s figures were then six for 83—an excellent bowling performance.

M.C.C. went in to- bat at 12.35 p.m., and Cowie. New Zealand’s leading fast-medium bowler, proceeded to tie up Washbrook, and in the last ball of his first over had the Englishman caught near the boundary with only two runs on the board. The New Zealand fieldsmen were on their mettle, and their handling was keen and accurate. Cowie’s deliveries continued to rise sharply, and in his tenth over Yardley chopped down on the fourth ball and cannoned it into the stumps. Cowie’s figures were then two for 18.

Taylor then caught Edrich in the slips off Scott, and Hammond came in and was in form right away. His delightful placing drew repeated tributes from the stands, and he took the first boundary of the match from Cowie.

Cowie, however, was still a menace to the Englishmen. He bagged Compton’s wicket in his sixteenth over with the same ball that had taken Yardley, making the score four down for 125. .Compton batted 63 minutes for 38 runs, and hit two fours and one six.

Ikin, next man in, was shaky to both Burtt and Cowie, but Hammond continued to play them unruffled. The score at the afternoon tea adjournment was 137 for four On the resumption of play, bowling changes had little effect, and the 200 was hoisted for. 205 minutes' batting.

Cowie immediately took the new ball, and when Hammond was 79, sent the English captain back to the pavilion with a sizzling chance which was splendidly held by Sutcliffe at mid-on. The partnership with Ikin had added 97 runs. Hammond had batted 12'7 minutes for his score, which contained ten fours and three threes. Cowie’s figures read four for 71 off 2G overs.

Tindill then snapped a fast One up from Ikin off Cowie, and with England’s tail holding the responsibility of the match, the outlook darkened considerably when Smith <ent one up which was taken cleanly by Burtt off Cowie’s bowling. This took Cowie’s figures to six for 7S, and the total seven down for 249. Evans played polished cricket, and was 21 not out. at stumps, when England’s total was 265 for seven wickets —80 runs behind the New Zealanders’ score, with three wickets in hand. Hammond declared the M.C.Cinnings closed at seven for 265 at 6.10 p.m. yesterday. Scores: —■ NEW ZEALAND—First Innings W. A. Hadlee, c Bedser, b Yardley 116 B. Sutcliffe, c Evans, b Bedser 58 V. J. Scott, c Hammond, b Pollard IS W. Wallace, c Evans, b Bedser 9 D. D. Taylor, lbw b Bedser 12 F. B. Smith, b Bedser 18 E. Tindill, b Pollard 1 R H. Scott, b Edrich .... 18 Cowie, b Pollard 45 Burtt, not out 24 Extras (byes 10, leg byes 10, no-balls 6) 26 Total for 9 wickets, decld. . 345 Fall of wickets: One for 133; two for 195; three for 212; four for 212; five for 234; six for 238; seven for 258; eight for 281; nine for 345. Bowling: Bedser 39/4/95/4; Pollard 29.4/9/72/3; Edrich 11/2/35/1; Wright 13/1/61/0; Smith 6/0/43/0; Yardley 4/0/12/1. Bedser bowler 7 no-balls, Pollard 4, and Wright 2. ENGLAND—First Innings Washbrook, c Smith, b Cowie ... 2 Yardley, b Cowie 22 Edrich, c Taylor, b R. H. Scc-'t... 42 Compton, b Cowie 38 Hammond, c Sutcliffe, n Cowie .. 79 Ikin, c Tindill, b Cowie 45 Evans, not out 21 Smith, c sub., b Cowie 1 Bedser, not out 8 Extras » 7 Total for 7 wickets 265 1 Fall of wickets: One for 2; two for 40; three for 79; four for 125; five for 22'2; six for 241; seven for 249. Bowling: Cowie 30/4/83/6; Scott 23/3/74/1; Burtt 14/1/55/0; Snedden 16/5/46/0.