BLANK DAY

Northern Advocate, 17 August 1931, Page 5

BLANK DAY

TEST CRICKET PREVENTED OLD TRAFFORD A QUAGMIRE. KEEN DISAPPOINTMENT. (Special to N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 9 a.m.) MANCHESTER, August 15. It rained all day at Manchester on Friday and there was no play today in the test match 'between the New Zealanders and England. Rain ceased during the night and this morning it was fine. However the ground was almost a quagmire as the result of more than 24 hours of continual rain.

Had the wicket been covered it might have been fit for play in the afternoon. The outfield showed patches of stained grass where the groundsmen had swept away pools of surface water. The groundsmen worked throughout the morning in an effort to get the ground fit for play, but two showers in the early afternoon practically undid all their work. Shortly after lunch the umpires decided that play should be abandoned for the day. The New Zealanders were keenly disappointed, but realised that cricket under the conditions ruling at Old Trafford was impossible. The New Zealand team will not be selected until Monday morning. The visitors will be entertained tomorrow at Sir Edwin Stockton's country house. The critics generally consider that England should win. They are encouraged by the bowling successes in the county matches'yesterday, of Larwood, Verity, Brown and Hammond. They admit that Dempster will make a great improvement in the New Zealand batting. Arrangements have been made for Mr Neville Cardus to broadcast a description of the match each evening.

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP. YORKSHIRE’S STUPENDOUS LEAD. WENSLEY EIGHT FOR S 3. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, August 15. Rain continues to spoil county cricket,. Results of matches are:— Middlesex:: First innings, seven for 40$ (Killiek 206, Stevens 117) versus Warwick. The match was drawn. Northants: First innings, 99 (Wellard four for 33); second innings, 164 (White six for 79). Somerset; First innings, 235 (Matthews s s t for 30); second innings, one for 29. Somerset won by nine wickets. Yorkshire: First innings, 378- (Robinson 77 not out). Glamorgan: First innings 105 (Verity- five for 62)., They followed on and were dismissed for 153 (Bowes seven for 71).. Yorkshire won by an innings and 120 runs. Kent.—First innings, 235; second inings, 214. Hampshire: First innings, 118; second innings, 218 (Marriott five for 64). Kent won by 113 runs. Surrey: First innings, 238 (Squires 70, Brook five for 79). - Worcester: First innings, 185. Surrey won on the first innings. Gloucester; First innings, .104 (Wensley eight for 53). Sussex: First innings, 173 (H.ammond five for 66). Sussex won on the first innings. Notts; First innings, 269; second innings, seven for 171. Leicester: First innings, 129 (Larwood six for 49). Notts won. on the first innings.