TEST CRICKET

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 27 March 1928, Page 3

TEST CRICKET

THE AUCKLAND MATCH.

NEW ZEALANDERS BATTING SIX FOR, 207. [SV TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND', March 26. The first cricket test between Australia and New Zealand was continued at Eden Park to-day. The visitors batted 'until'tlie luncheon adjournment and then declared the innings closed with five wickets down for 673, Now Zealand hau lost six wickets for 207 runs when stumps were drawn. Conditions were even better than those prevailing on Saturday. The wicket, although' worn, played very true but an occasional ball kept low. Woodfull was fortunate in being dropped off the second ball of the day, .arid Schneider had a couple of lives, all the chances being at the expense ot Read. Richardson made runs by some powerful drives, and towards the end ot the innings the Australian captain was hitting out. Dempster and Mills were associated in ' a bright first wicket partnership which realised 83. Hamilton, until the tea adjournment, batted with vigour, but the remaining batsmen failed to get a proper start. Grimmett bowled with a great command of length. He bowled 32 consecutive overs for three wickets and 84 runs. McNamee was also in fine form. He sent down 11 overs for 15 runs and three wickets. Read opened the attack this morning and was unlucky when Woodfull snicked the second ball to Finlayson at second slip* tlie fieldsman dropping the catch. Badcock bowled at the other end. Read’s luck was still running against him a couple of overs later, when Schneider gave a catch to Lowry behind the wickets. The next over Schneider Iliad a let off in the slips, Foley failing to hold a chance off Read. .This made the fourth catch missed off the bowler. SCHNEIDER) SCORING RAPIDLY. Schneider was scoring more quickly than Woodfull, and after adding 18 to

his overnight total was nicely caught by Lowry off Badcock. 448 —3—68. When Nichardson went to the crease Merritt replaced Read. The Australian captain gave a very difficult catch to Merritt on the leg side off Badcock. The fieldsman, jumping in the dir, just stopped the ball with his left hand. Badcock was bowling steadily and keeping the runs down. Woodfull was adding runs by his usual well-placed shots. . At 466 McGirr took over from Merritt. Woodfull had . scored another 30 runs after 40 minutes’ play. Powerful driving by Richardson soon carried him into the twenties. He then lost Woodfull, who went out to drive McGirr and was clean bowled. 490—4—284. The retiring batsman was given a rousing reception for his fin© innings, which occupied 5 hours 45 minutes. Jackson commenced with some pretty

shots and 500 went up five minutes later. Richardson survived an appeal for l.b.w. in McGirr’s next over. Finlayson then relieved Badcock. One hundred more runs were added in just over an hour. Richardson, still driving with great power, reached the forties, but Jackson was quieter than his partner. Merritt came on again in place of McGirr with tlie total at 528. A couple of boundaries to the Australian captain took his score t.o 50 after he had been in 65 minutes. Some smartly run singles sent 20 up to Jackson. Merritt was bowling well and Richardson, in jumping out to him, skied the hall just out of the reach of three fieldsmen. Richardson was now taking .risks and another mishit fell safely. Merritt secured his first victim by dismissing Jackson at 35, caught and bowled, and the luncheon adjournment was taken' with the board reading 573 for five wickets (Richardson 65). DEMPSTER AND' MILLS OPEN.

Richardson declared the innings closed and alter the adjournment Dempster and Mills opened New Zealand’s innings to the bowling of Morton and McNamee. Dempster ran into double figures quickly, and with the total at 22 Grimmett relieved McNamee. Four runs later Morton was replaced by Blackie. 'the scoring quietened for a time, but Dempster reached 20 with nicely placed shots, while Mills was displaying very solid defence. Mills at nine went light out to Grimmett, but Oldfield missed a stumping chance. A good attack with a well placed field slackened the scoring rate. Boundaries to both batsmen .sent 50 up in as many minutes, Dempster reaching the thirties while Mills ran into the twenties shortly afterwards. Dempster gained applause by hitting Grimmett twice to the boundary in one over. Mills did likewise to Blackie, much 1 to the delight of the spectators. The New Zealand pair were both batting with great confidence, 80 going up after an hour and a quarter. Then Dempster, iu attempting a scoring stroke to the leg (>ff Grimmett, went across too far and was bowled round his legs. 88—1 —44.

Hamilton opened cautiously and .1.00 went up after an hour and a half’s play. A wild return by Jackson notched five to Mills, who was now 40. Hamilton was cheered for hitting Blackie for the first six of the match. He almost succeeded in repeating the performance the same over and 20 went against liis name. Mills reached 50 just before the tea adjournment, while Hamilton, batting nicely, was in the thirties the board reading 142 for one wicket (Mills 55, Hamilton 33).

Morton and Grimmett bowled on resuming and the slow bowler secured a lucky wicket by bowling Mills off his pads. 145 —2 —58. However, Grimmett bowled Badcock with a beautiful length ball before the TGnglishman, had scored. 145 —3—o. Grimmett had taken three wickets for 50 runs.

The loss of two wickets steadied Hamilton’s scoring, and Lowry commenced to/play himself in. At 161 McNamee relieved Morton. Lowry was shaping confidently, hut he lost Hamilton when the pair had added 32, McNamee clean bowling the batsman. 177 — 4—40. The same howler disposed of Lowry five runs later, Oldfield making iio> mistake with a catch behind the wickets. 182 —s—lß.5—18. Gallichan, after scoring one, was dropped by Grimmett. off his own bowling. McNamee, who had taken two wickets for 13 runs, was relieved by Blackie when the board read 186. Wi th Foley and Gallichan together the scoring rate slackened considerably and 200 went up after the innings had occupied ' hours 5 minutes. McNamee again ca. ''.hack in place of Blackie. and dismiss Gallichan l.b.w. in his first oyer. 204—b—11. Stumps yyere then drap'n fpf the day. •

The is co res are : AUSTRALIA. First Innings. W. H. Ponsford, c Lowry, b Finiayson 86 W. M. Wood full, b McGirr 284 A. F. Ivippax, c Lowry, b McGirr .. 16 K. Schneider, q Lowry, b Badcock 6S V. Y. Richardsoii, not out 65 A. Jackson, p and b Merritt 35 Extras 19 Total (five wickets declared) ... 573 Bowling analysis: Badcock took one wicket for 121 runs; McGirr, two for 88; Merritt, one for 121; Read, none for 102; Finlayson, one for 92; Mills, none for 6; Hemps ter, none for 24. NEW ZEALAND. First Innings. C S. Dempster, b Grimmett 44 J. E. Mills, b Grimmett ! 58 T. M. Hamilton, b McNameo 40 F. T. Badcock, b Grimmett 0 T. C. Lowry, c Oldfield, b McNameo 18 N. Foley, not out 10 N. Gallic-ban, 1.b.w., b McNameo ... 11 Extras 26 Total (for six wickets) 207 Bowling analysis: McNameo took three, wickets for 115 runs; Grimmett, three for 84; Blackie, none for 58; Morton, none fpr 24.