A Tricky Wicket

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 203, 11 August 1927, Page 5

A Tricky Wicket

Match Against Gloucester. COUNTY TEAM MAKES 148. BERNAU AND PAGE DIFFICULT. [By Cable —Press Assn. — Copyright.) (Received 11, 9,30 a.m.) London, Aug. 10. The New Zealanders began a match to-day with Gloucestershire at Cheltenham. There was a deluge of rain overnight and the wicket was soft, but it looked simple. The county, winning the toss, elected to bat but found themselves badly deceived as the sun came out and turned it into the trickiest of pitches. Lowry, following his usual custom, varied the attack constantly and employed six bowlers in the first hour. Under the effect of the roller the pitch behaved respectably until the sun arrived and the early batsmen were able to make a few runs, but the outfield was dead and the game painfully slow. The bowlers were always in the ascendancy, Dipper and Bloodworth alone showing any enterprise The latter hit well towards the close of the innings but could get no one to stay with him. The batsmen appeared to find most difficulty with Bernau and Page. The former delivered overs of which seven were maidens, and the latter bad only three of which two were maidens, each obtaining two wickets cheaply. The total only reached 148. WICKET IMPROVES. When New Zealand went in the wicket had apparently much improved as the batsmen had no difficulty in making runs. Promoted to join Dempster jn opening the innings, Dacre signalised the occasion by a dashing display, one of the most brilliant of the .eason. At the tea adjournment he had tioied 54 out of 63 in 19 minutes to his partner’s seven, and reach 64 out of 81 in 25 minutes, at which stage he was caught by Dipper. His total included no less than five sixes and five fours. Blunt aud Mills also had a good partnership which added 61 in an hour and then the latter, with Page, played out time. The total at the end of the day was three for 174. The attendance was 3000. Scores:— GLOUCESTER. First Innings. v Sinfleld, c Dempster, b McGirr ... 11 Dipper, 1.b.w., b McGirr 20 Smith, c Dempster, b Page 23 Seabrook, b Bernau 18 Neale, st. Lowry,, b Merritt 4 Hedges, b Bernau 5 Bessant, c Allcott, b Blunt 15 Bloodworth, c Mills, b Merritt ... 3C Rowlands, b Merritt 4 Parker, c Blunt, b Page 0 Goddard, not out 2 Extras 1C Total , 148 Bowling analysis.—McGirr two foi 32, Bernau two for 11, Allcott none for 7, Blunt one for 24, Page two for 10, Dacre none for 8, Merritt 3 foi 46. NEW ZEALAND. First Innings. Dempster, c Smith, b Sinfleld 21 Dacre, c Dipper, b Parker 64 Mills, not out 2f Blunt, c Smith, b Sinfield 42 Page, not out It Extras £ Total for three wickets 174 —(A. and N.Z.) TRIAL MATCH AT LORD'S. HOBBS COMPELLED TO REST. (Received 11, 11.35'a.m.) London, Aug. 10. In a cricket test trial match at Lord's, Nicholls replaced Larwood in England’s team, and T. Jacques replaced Nicholls in The Rest. Chapman won the toss.

Hobbs was running a sharp single when lie tore a thigh muscle, which injury is expected to necessitate a week’s rest. The batsmen found the drying wicket difficult. Rain early in the day caused interruption for a couple of hours. Details:— ENGLAND. First Innings, Hobbs, retired hurt 38 Sutcliffe, c Ames, b Clark 65 Hallows, 1.b.w., b Staples 26 Hammond, c Bowley, b Sibbles ... 13 Jardine, not out 27 Chapman, not out 20

Total for three wickets 206 (A.P.A. and “Sun’ cable. )