SMITH, DONNELLY IN RECORD STAND

Northern Advocate, 14 June 1949, Page 6

SMITH, DONNELLY IN RECORD STAND

(By A. Mitchell, special NZPA representative with team) LEEDS, Mon. (11 a.m.).—A great fifth-wicket partnership of 120 in 86 minutes by Donnelly ancl Smith saved New Zealand from a possibility of defeat by England in the first test, and has almost certainly forced a draw. ■The partnership—a record for New Zealand in test matches in England—came after New Zealand had lost four wickets for 80 on a wicket affected by early-morning rain.

A heavy shower changed the character of the pitch and of the game. It prevented Mann getting another 150 or so quickly before being all out, or declaring, and aided New Zealand, with an ageing ball, to collect the last five English wickets in 50 minutes for 65 runs. This gave England 372. Then, on a drying wicket and against the new ball, New Zealand was quickly in trouble but, thanks to Donnelly (64), Smith (96) and Mooney (41 not out), they finished with the respectable total of 312 for nine, only 60 behind England. It was a good day’s work, full of interesting cricket. Smith batted two and a quarter hours and hit eight fours. MAKING BALL TURN When Compton and Bailey reopened for England it was apparent that Compton was ready to take chances with the wicket He drove Cowie to cover cleanly and neatly and then square' drove Burtt with a beautiful stroke. Burtt, however, was making the ball turn much more today than on Saturday and getting lift When Compton went out to meet bim tfye ball popped over his bat and Mooney, who has bad a good match, gave no second chance. With Compton out England’s hopes for two or three quick*’sos were gone, but Evans looked immediately for runs and found them.

the boundary, and on-driving him for three.

Next over he pulled him again, and the 100 had taken two hours five minutes. Then, in 35 minutes, Donnelly and Smith put on another 50. They cut, pulled and drove to the on and off with an ease and grace that made the care and precaution of Hutton and Compton on Saturday but dull memories. Bailey was roundly applauded when Bedser relieved him—and he deserved it. Bedser, however, did not bowl for long, for Donnelly on-drove bim twice with such power and grace that, on the second occasion, the Englishmen just stood and watched the ball slide to the packed boundary line. CROWD RAPTUROUS When he pulled Bedser, Mann reproduced Young. Donnelly had his 50 in 65 minutes. Smith was cutting and pulling easily, and the partnership reached 100 in 65 minutes and the great Headingly crowd was rapturous. Smith had his 50 in 70 minutes when he took two from Young. Donnelly stayed until the score was 200, when Bailey returned and made the ball pop. It flew to Young, in the gully, who fell to his left and took a fine catch.

He began by straight-driving Cowie and took 14 in one over from Burtt, driving him through the covers three times and then cutting him for two. HILARITY AND WICKETS .

Donnelly’s partnership with Smith of 120 haa taken only 86 minutes, and it had been glorious to watch. Smith entered the nineties by hooking Bailey, who took the new ball at 220, three times for two, two and four and then leg-glancing him for another boundary. Then he tried to glance Edrich, and Compton, who, unusually for him was wearing a cap, caught him at short leg. Mooney again proved his value as a batsman. He put New Zealand safely past 300 with two on-drives off Compton, and had the satisfaction as he did so of knowing that New Zealand had scored more runs in a day after a disastrous start than England did on Saturday. \ Cowie pulled a muscle in his left leg while fielding, and is unlikely to / bowl tomorrow. The attendance was 25,000 and the gross gate £2980. Scores were:

Bailey went when he tried to pull Cowie. The ball cocked up sharply, and Bailey succeeded only in skying it to Scott at square leg. . Evans, after 12 minutes’ hilarity, attempted to hit Burtt into the crowd. The ball turned and-he snicked it. Mooney whipped off the bails, but the umpire at square leg was unmoved by bis appeal. Cowie turned insistently to the umpire at the wicket, who raised his finger obligingly. Mooney might have had Bedser off Cowie before the England bowler scored, but the ball came through so swiftly it missed his gloves and struck his ribs. Ybung was much too venturesome facing Burtt: he wandered down the pitch to miss the ball and was so far away from his crease that he made no attempt to return. ’ Bedser enjoyed some driving until he holed out to. Donnelly on the boundary at deep cover.

ENGLAND First Innings Hutton, c Sutcliffe, b Cowie 101 C. Washbrook, c Sutcliffe, b Cowie .. 10 W. J. Edrich, c Donnelly, b Cowie .. 36 Compton, st Mooney, b Burtt ....... 114 Wharton, ibw, b Cowie 7 Mann, c Scott, b Burtt 38 Bailey c Scott, b Cowie 12 Evans c Mooney, b Burtt 27 Bedser, c DonneUy, b Burtt 20 Young, st Mooney, b Burtt 0 Hollies, not out 0 Extras 7 Total 372 BOWLING /. i O. M. R. W. Cowie 43 6 127 5 Cave 27 5 85 Rabone 13 7 56 Burtt 30.3 16 97 5 . NEW ZEALAND First Innings Sutcliffe, c Evans, b Young 32 Scott, c Washbrook, b Bailey 1 Hadlee, c Edrich, b Bailey 34 Wallace, c Evans, b Bailey 3 Donnelly, c Young, b Bailey 64 Smfth, c Compton, b Edrich 96 Rab One, c Evans, b Edrich 13 Mooney, not out 41 Burtt. c Bedser, b Compton 7 Cave, c Edrich, b Bailey 2 Cowie, not out ® Extras 13 .

SCOTT SOON OUT England had partly achieved their intention of quick runs—6s in 50 minutes—but they bad got New Zealand in on a tricky wicket with the new ball. Both Bailey and Bedser immediately made it fly, so that Mann decided on a ring of five slips Instead of four. . In Bailey’s 3cond over Scott played. forward, instincts overcoming caution, and Washbrook took a grand catch at fourtlj slip, steadying himself by going down on one knee. *Hadlee f was given a great reception as he walked out, and perhaps sympathy had something to’ do with it, for one wicket for four runs on this pitch was not the best circumstances for the New ; Zealand captain to begin his first test innings of the tour. He needed a little luck —and he got it ■ , . - His first ball from Bailey was wide of the off stump. , . Hadlee drew back his bat, but the ball turned in and touched it. ’■Edrich’just missed the catch at first slip. ' r DANGEROUS WICKET. The wicket was now at its most dangerous. The shine was still on the new ball, and it was leaving a long, green mark each time it bounced—and it bounced shoulder-high sometimes. Yet Hadlee was composed, confident and used the straight bat and Sutcliffe was shaping nicely. . He pulled Bedser smartly to leg for the first boundary and dealt with a full toss from Bailey in the same manner.

When Edrich changed with Bailey and also offered a full toss. Sutcliffe drove him straight and true. As/the shine‘came off-the ball the two New Zealanders dug themselves in, and, 41 went on for the first hour. SUTCLIFFE BATS WELL. Young, the slow-left-armer, came on for Bedser and Hadlee sent him straight past Compton at silly mid-off for fours. He then drew himself through the 20s with twos and threes, and there was a general feeling that if both he and Sutcliffe could be there at lunch, they would have done New Zealand excellent service. Young, however, was bowling well and turning the liaU as much as he could. Sutcliffe played correctly, but then Young sent him one that went straight through.. It nudged the lefthander’s bat and Evans was in good voice. 1 Sutcliffe had batted very well, and throughout this difficult period never appeared uncomfortable. Wallace had an ordeal of five balls before his meal. FOUR DOWN FOR 80! At lunch New Zealand were 64 for two, and Hadlee had batted one and a, quarter hours for 27. The break seemed to unsettle him and| apart from driving Hollies, the slow right-arm leg-breaker, through the covers with a beautiful shot, he was never at ease. Bailey, however, was the better for his victuals. He made Wallace miss badly when playing forward and then beat Hadlee. It was the best bowling seen during the day, and it brought its reward. He had Wallace, who was unusually tentative, caught by Evans and, though Donnelly took a single from him, he got Hadlee in the same over. New Zealand’s captain, who appeared eager to hit himself back into form, snicked, and Edrich made no mistake this time. He took a lovely catch low down on one knee and Bailey was so pleased •hat be hopped up and down happily With four wickets down for 80, odds were offered in the press box on the possibility of a follow on. They were taken confidently for, with Smith’s arrival, we had some of the brightest batting of this match. With Donnelly, he set about the bowling with cheerfulness and gusto, h«t»an hv outline! Rnilpy.fr>

. Total (lor 9 wkts) BOWLING O. MR. w. Bailey .. 27 6 103 5 Bedser 5 46 — Edrich 2 18 2 Young ' 6 52 1 Hollies .. 25 6 57 Compton .... .. 8 2 23