FOURTH TEST DRAWN

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 76, 25 February 1930, Page 2

FOURTH TEST DRAWN

MATCH AT AUCKLAND. NEW ZEALANDERS’ DOGGED BATTING. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Feb. 24. The fourth cricket Test between the touring M.C.C. team and New Zealand was concluded at Eden Park today, the game ending in a draw in favour of the Englishmen. In reply to the M.C.C.’s first innings’ total of 540, New Zealand continued its innings, being dismissed for 387, which was four short of the number required to avert a follow-on. Time was too short, however, for any advantage to be gained by forcing the rule, so Gilligan sent his own side in to hat again. The M.C.C. lost three wickets for 22 before stumps were drawn.

Early morning showers failed to affect the wicket which, when the weather cleared, played perfectly. The attendance was estimated at 3000 and produced gate takings totalling £169 13s, which brought the total takings for the match to £IO6O 18s.

The play throughout the day wascharacterised by dogged batting by the New Zealanders, which if tending to promote uninteresting cricket, nevertheless gave a splendid example of what New Zealand could do when pushed for runs. To Lowry went the honours of the day in playing a splendid fighting innings for 80 in an endeavour to take his side’s total past the follow-on stage. He set himself determinedly against all bowling. On the whole his innings was attractive us well. Weir did not show the same confidence as on Saturday, and fell a victim to Barratt after adding four runs to his previous score. McQirr played a similar useful innings of 51 to that of Lowry, being more aggressive than his partner. He was particularly strong in leg shots. Allcott was beginning to shape confidently when a bad run out ended his career. The remaining batsmen fought stubbornly, but eventually succumbed to the bowling, which was rarely of a good length. Allom ran out with the best bowling figures, taking four wickets for 42 runs, and on the day was the steadiest bowler. M.C.C. made a bad start in the second innings Legge, who compiled nearly a double century in the first innings, being well beaten by Blunt before opening his account. Matheson accounted for the other two wickets and was well on the spot. Nichols and Barratt had the batsmen very subdued on resuming after the luncheon adjournment, a series of singles taking the total to 270. McGirr gave a difficult chance to Cornford in Nichols’s second over, the ball being a trifle low down for the wicket keeper to gather cleanly. Twenty-one minutes passed before Lowry added a single to the score, and McGirr, having reached 40, appeared satisfied to stay there. Gilligan made a double change in the at tuck after 19 runs had been added in 40 minutes, Worthington and Woolley handling the bowling. Ironical cheering from the hill greeted each run made, but a burst of applause followed when McGirr gained his 50. McGirr was then stumped off Woolley, 293 — 7—51. . ,

James just joined Lowry in time to see the latter send 300 up after 340 minutes with a shot through the gully. Bowley came on to bowl at the opposite end to Woolley, and with a good length made the batsmen quiet. Lowry pulled the bowler to the leg fence for four after playing carefully three overs, the batsman gaining 50 in 150 minutes. Barratt replaced tVoolley, James greeting him with a four to * tho leg boundary, and a single. Lowry also was hooking the new bowler to tho boundary. A quick double-change saw Bowley substituted by Nichols, and Barratt by Worthington. Almost instant success accompanied the change, Worthington finding James’s legs in front to a straight one. 349 —B—l 4. Still batting solidly. Lowry reached 70. Worthington suffered a leg injury while bowling just before the tea adjournment and had to be carried off. Tho score at the interval was 352 for eight wickets. DEMPSTER’S SKILL. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Feb. 24. The presentation of a bat in recognition of his splendid fielding in the fourth cricket Test between the M.C.C. and New Zealand was made at Eden Park to-day to C. S. Dempster, of Wellington. The bat was given by Major G. A. Faulkner, D. 5.0., the famous Soutli African all-rounder, who, with the object of drawing attention to the value and necessity of good fielding, desired that the bat should be presented to the best fieldsman in the Test match against the M.C.C. at Auckland. The presentation was mad 6 by Mr F. Earl, president of the Auckland Cricket Association, who said that Dempster’s fielding was one of the features of tho Test; it was probably tho greatest match ever played in Auckland. Dempster will also be presented later with the ball (engraved) which was used while he made his century in the second Test in Wellington. . Lowry was aggressive to Woolley pn starting after the adjournment, while Merritt was content to hold the wicket up against Barratt. Facing Barratt, Lowry chopped the bowler to the boundary through the slips. Allom took over from Barratt and got Lowry leg before in the first over. 3739 — Hj. Merritt and Matheson arrived, and Matheson carried the total to within four runs of the number required to prevent a follow-on when the former played Allom on. 387 10 —7. The innings had occupied 445 minutes. Gilligan did not compel New Zealand to bat again, Cornford and Dawson being sent in to face the bowling of McGirr and Matheson. Eight runs were added at a very slow rate, and then Matheson went right through Cornford’s guard and bowled him, 12—1—4. Blunt had partnered Matheson at the bowling crease and their attack had the Englishmen on tho defence. Matheson in the next over knocked Dawsuaii middle stump out. 21 —2—6. Matheson was taken oft the next over, Lowry going oil to bowl a maiden. A sensation followed when Legge was beaten, and bowled by a good length ball from Blunt. Stumps were then drawn, the score being 22 for three wickets. Details of the scores are as follow:

NEW ZEALAND.—First Innings. Mills, c Duleepsinhji, b Allom ... 12 Dempster, c Cornford, b Allom 27,

Weir, b Barratt Page, c Barratt, b Woolley ... ••• Blunt, b Nichols -•» ••• ® L. Allcott, run out 33 Lowry, 1.b.w., b Alloni McGirr, st. Cornford, c Woolley 51 Janies, 1.b.w., b Worthington 14 Merritt, not out 1° Matheson, b Allom " Extras Total 387

CRICKET IN AUSTRALIA

SYDNEY, Feb. 24. In the match against a New South Wales eleven, Tasmania in the first ininngs made 119 (Nash 33). Theak took five wickets for 41 runs, Hunt three for 20. and Chilvers two for 22. Tasmania followed on, and in the second innings made 96 (Burrows 43). Theak took four wickets for 50 runs, Chilvers five for 23. New South Wales won by an innings and 262 runs.

The match was commenced on Saturday in great heat, and concluded today in pleasant weather. The deadly bowling of Theak and Chilvers fairly routed the visitors, who never looked like making a stand.

M.C.C. First innings 540 Second Innings. Cornford, b Matheson ... ... 2 Dawson, b Matheson ... ... 6 Nichols, not out i... 7 Leggc, c Blunt 0 Extras 7 Total for three wickets ' 22 Bowling Analysis. O. M. R. W. McGirr ... ... 3 1 4 0 Matheson ... ... 5 2 7 2 Blunt 3.3 2 4 1 Lowry 1 1 0 0

Nichols Bowling Analysis. 0. M. IS 4 R. 45 W. 1 Barratt 37 12 60 1 Allom 25.1 5 42 4 Woolley 41 10 100 2 Bowley 23 6 58 0 Worthington ... 15 5 25 1