CRICKET N.Z. HOLD ON TO DRAW TESTREID’S STAND

Grey River Argus, 18 August 1949, Page 6

CRICKET N.Z. HOLD ON TO DRAW TESTREID’S STAND

(From C. R. Mentiplay, N.Z. Press Association Special Correspondent) LONDON, Aug. 16 The fourth and final test between England and New Zealand ended as did the previous matches —in a draw. Scores: — ENGLAND (First Innings) Hutton, c Rabone, b Cresswell .. 206 Simpson, c Donnelly, b Cresswell 68 Edrich, c Cave, b Cresswell .. 100 Compton, c Scott, b Cresswell .. 13 Bailey, c Reid, b Cowie .. 46 Brown, c Hadle, b Cresswell .. 21 Evans, c, Donnelly, b Cowie .... 17 Lake, c Scott, b Cowie 0 Bedser, c Reid, b Cowie 0 Hollies, not out 1 Wright, lbw, b Cresswell 0 Extras (byes 6, leg byes 11, no balls 3) 20 Total 482 •DrnVT TMO

First Innings 345 Second Innings Sutcliffe, c Brown, b Bedser .. 54 Scott, c Evans, b Bedser 6 Hadlee, c Edrich, b Hollies .... 22’ Wallace, stp Evans, b Hollies .. 58 Reid, c Wright, b Laker 93 Donnelly, c Brown, b Bedser .. 10 Rabone, lbw, b Laker 20 Burtt, c Compton, b Laker .... 6 Cave, not out 14 Cowie, c Wright, b Lakei’ 4 Cresswell, not out 0 Extras 21

Total for 9 wickets, dec 308 Fall of wickets: One for 24, two for 68, three for 115, four for 131, five for 188, six for 276, seven for 283, eight for 299, nine for 308. wwctnc.

Compton .... 1 U 3 u England had a lead of 187 on the first innings, and in the five and a half hours left New Zealand scored 308 fox - nine, when Hadlee declared because several members of the English team wished to leave early to catch trains fox - to-morrow’s matches. Runs were scored at one a minute. Reid made an excellent 93. With Sutcliffe (54) and Wallace (58), he saved the match fox - New Zealand. A fourth day on a wicket that was taking spin . throughout xthe afternoon would have provided an interesting finish. • New Zealand took the final six English wickets with some rapidity Cowie collected foux' and Cresswell two in 45 minutes.

Brown, after’ ten minutes’ play failed to get right over a ball from Cresswell and Hadlee at mid-off took a good catch at his feet. Evans joined Bailey, who 'provided the best batting of the England “tail” and hit 17 in 15 minutes. Evans was caught by Donnelly off Cowie and in the same ovex’ Cowie had Laker well caught by Scott. In his next ovex’ he beat Bedser, who was caught by Reid. Bailey swept Cowie and Cresswell to the boundary. Then he edged Cowie and Reid took his second catch. Hollies and Wright competed for the bowling. Wright was leg-before with the first ball he received from Cresswell.

Sutcliffe and Scott began as though a test was little more than a club match. Scott played back to Bedser, judged the ball with the inside edge of his bat, and was caught by Evans. One wicket was down fox--24 in 20 minutes. Hadlee and Sutcliffe. moved the score along sedately. Sutcliffe was not the same smooth .efficient batsman of last week and for a period he lived dangerously. When Hollies appeared fox- Bedser, Hadlee tried a wristy cut and was caught at slip by Edrich. After lunch, Lakei- began a period of 80 minutes’ bowling during which he commanded both care and respect from the two New Zealanders. He beat theix- bats times with nicely-flighted balls. Be'dsei- sent down a ball well pitched up on the leg-side. It came rather slowly and Sutcliffe turned it to leg, and there was the patient Brown.

Donnelly joined Wallace and theixpartnership had the appearance of a stand until Bedsei- caused the ball to pop at Donnelly, who hung up his bat as though to protect his head and the ball bounced to Brown ’at short leg. This made New Zealand four fop 131. Wallace and Reid, swung the balance round in favour of a draw. They put on 57 in 55 minutes. Wallace' batted delightfully. Hollies went to Wright’s end and made the ball spin sharply away. Wallace advanced to smother it, missed and was stumped.

Reid was now in full flight and at tea New Zealand had lost five wickets fox- 213 (Reid 48, Rabone 5).

Bailey took the new ball at 226. Reid was largely responsible for 14 taken in one over. Reid continued forcefully with some tremendous hooks and off-drives. When he entered the nineties it seemed certain that he would reach his century, but Laker impelled him to hit one straight to Wright at extra cover. He was cheered all the way back to the pavilion. With Rabone he put on 88 in 70 minutes.

Rabone plodded well for 20 in an hour and a quarter when he went leg-before to Laker. There was a stoppage owning to bad light. The last 20 minutes had some tension for Cresswell, who was determined to get a stump as a souvenir. Hadlee declared at the end of the over and Cresswell grabbed to good effect. HADLEE’S STATEMENT Hadlee at the end of the test said: “Now that our four test matches have terminated, I do want to place on record my very deep appreciation of the plendid spirit which has prevailed in the England and New Zealand teams. In both F. G.. Mann and F. R. Brown, England fielded two captains, against whom it has been a real pleasure to play. Wfe have enjoyed the series from the first ball to the last. To many cricket lovers the fact that no definite result was achieved in three days is no doubt unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, a close examination of the situation which prevailed at certain times in each one of the four tests will reveal that all foui’ could have been finished had a temporary advantage that accrued to one team or the other been implemented. All in all, a very happy and enjoyable series.”' IMPROVEMENT AND POPULARITY OF N.Z. CRICKETERS (Rec. 10.55). LONDON. August 17. “It was argued, before the present test match series started, that New Zealand had improved so greatly since the visits of the 1931 and 1937 New

Zealand teams, that three days for each test would not be a sufficient time to force a conclusion”, says, the Times newspaper. It added: “A timeless test is. the grim logical conclusion of the demand for a finish at any price; and this eliminates all the hopes of an exciting finish against the clock. On the other hand it cannot be denied that the shadow of the approaching draw did take some of lhe brightness out of the last stages of every game”. The Times continued that what was beyond controversy was the fact that no visitors were more welcome for the mastery and gaiety with which they play cricket than the New Zealanders. “A friendly spirit—consistent with total warfare in hitting boundaries and holding catches—pervades even a test when the New Zealanders take the field. These visitors have earned a special corner to themselves in the hearts of their hosts. Hadlee and his men have had the best season .of any touring side from the Dominions”.

0. M. R. W Cowie ■ ... 28 1 123 4 Cresswell 41.2 6 168 6 Cave ..... ... 24 4 78 0 Burtt ... 24 2 93 0 NEW ZEALAND

0. M. R. W Bailey .... 11 1 67 0 Bedser .... 23 4 59 3 Wright .... 6 0 21 0 Hollies .... 17 6 30 2 Laker .... .... 29 6 78 4 Brown .. .. 9 0 29 0