FIRST CRICKET TEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18649, 4 March 1924, Page 9

FIRST CRICKET TEST.

NEW SOUTH WALES WIN. MARGIN OF 8 WICKETS. DISAPPOINTING FINISH. NEW ZEALAND BATS FAIL. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHKISTCHUECH. Monday. There was a good attendance at the third day's play in the test cricket match, New Zealand v. New South Wales. The gate takings totalled £170. . New Zealand, with three wickets down for 142, played very unevenly in completing their second innings. A great partnership between Dacre and Blunt added 149 runs for the fourth wicket, and Dacre with Smith as his partner, put on 91 for the next wicket. Five wickets were down for 307 and the chances of a large total were excellent when the remaining batsmen slumped badly against the bowling of Mailey, and the next five wickets fell for 22" runs. It was a distressing finish to a' splendid opening performance. New ■ South' Wales were left with 113 to get. They hit off the necessary runs for the ■ loss of two wickets. . , For New Zealand Dacre played a .splendid innings, of 127, scoring with late cuts and drives which were first-class. He gave chances, but his innings was a great one. Blunt shaped better than in the first innings for 46, and Smith gave a chanceless exhibition for 52. He scored with well-timed wristy shots. For New South Wales Macartney scored 55, not out, in his best style. The outfield and the wicket were good. An Invaluable Partnership. Dacre (48) and Blunt (22) resumed to the bowling of Mailey and the over brought 150 up. Everett bowled from the other end, and Blunt reached 30 with a nice shot to leg. Dacre cut Mailey through the slips and reached 60. The partnership had now added 100. Blunt was 34 when Oldfield missed a difficult chance. Dacre, batting in fine style, drove Everett to the boundary and passed 80 with the full score at 190. It was the best batting yet shown by New Zealand. Dacre was 82 when Mailey dropped him off Hendry, who had replaced the googly bowler. " Macartney ; bowled in place of Everett and Dacre brought 200 up with a good single. The innings had then lasted just under two hours. Five minutes before luncheon Blunt jumped out to Macartney and was smartly stumped: 216—4—46. The partnership of Blunt and Dacre had been invaluable, adding 149 when runs were needed badly. . After luncheon Smith came m with Dacre, who was then 92. Macartney and Hendry were the* bowlers. Smith scored two couples and brought 230 up with a boundary off Macartney. Dacre twice cut Hendry through the slips, but Mullarkey saved boundary hits, fimttih got Macartney twice to the fence and made his score 20. Dacre Reaches His Century. Dacre reached his century after scoring six singles. He had been 145 minutes at the wickets. In the next over he brought up 250 by driving Hendry to the fence. At 257 Everett relieved Macartney, who had taken two wickets for 42 runs. Nine runs later Mailey took the place of Hendry. Smith reached 30 by snicking a ball to the boundary. In Mailey's next over Dacre reached 120, and made the total score 280. . Smith drove Everett straight to the fence, reaching 40, after an hour batting, j At 298 Punch bowled in place of Everett, and Dacre sent 300 up by "getting his sixth ball away to the leg boundary. In his second over /Punch bowled Dacre round his legs: —5127. Dacre won great applause for his fine innings. Collins joined Smith, and opened with a single. His partner reached 50 with a single off Punch, only to see Collins play a ball from Punch on to his wickets. 310—6—1. The innings changed its appearance when Smith touched the third ball in the next over into Hendry's hands: 312— 7—52. ..-;:;'-'.;• •:"'-■ ; Alltoo joined McGirr, and scored a' couple. Alloo reached : 10, and brought the total to 320 by driving Punch to the •fence past cover. ; New ' Zealand Out for ~ 329. i Facing Mailey in the next over, Alloo stepped out and glided a ball into Hendry'se safe hands: —B—l2.

Boon joined McGirr, who had missed the bowling. The Wellington batsman opened with a couple. Four runs had been added when Mailey clean bowled Boon with a straight one. 32891. Mcßeth, the last man, joined McGirr, Mailey got his fourth wicket in the next over when McGirr scooped the first ball up to Hendry, who accented his third catch. The innings closed afc 3.45 p.m. for a total of 329. It had lasted 227 minutes. Visitors Make Light of Task. The Australians, with 113 runs to get to win, commenced their second innings at 4.10 p.m. Punch and Mullarkey opened to the bowling of McGirr and Mcßeth. In, Mcßeth's over, Punch sent the third ball hieh to Hiddleston, who gathered the ball in , nicely, but dropped it. In McGirr's second over Mullarkey sent one !to Blunt, a$ fine slip. The fieldsman missed the ball. McGirr, keeping a great length, bowled Mullarkey in his third i over: —I —6. Macartney was next. He cut McGirr for a single, and drove Mcßeth twice past cover. Two singles and' a couple of Mc- : i Girr brought 30 on- the board. Six runs had been added when Punch, who had 'been aggressive drove one from Mcßetn hard to Dacre, who took a hot catch : 36—2—18. R. Bardsley filled the gap. Macartney brought the total to 80, and his own score to 30, by driving Smith past cover to the boundary. Bardsley reached tho same score, and made the total 90 with a single. Macartney brought 100 up by driving Alloo to his favourite place through cover. Th« century had only taken 84 minutes to compile. At 102 Blunt bowled in place of Smith. The.over yielded 11 to Macartney and the required total was reached at 6.'40 p.m. New South Wales thus won by eight wickets. Scores :— NEW ZEALAND. First Innings . . 144 Second Innings. Baker, run out ■ . . . • 20 Hiddleston, n -Oldfield, b Everett . 1 Worker, b Macartney . . . . 37 Dacre, b Punch . . ... . . 127 Blunt, st Oldfield, b Macartney . 46 Smith, c Hendry, b Mailey . . 52 Collins, b Punch 1 McGirr, c Hendry, b Mailey . . 4 Alloo, c Hendry, b Mailey . . 12 Boon, b Mailey .. , • . . . 1 Mcßeth, not out 1 Extras . . . . . . . 27 Total . . . . . , . . 329 Bowling.-- Everett Cook one wicket for 93. Mailey four for 101, Macartney two for 42. Punch two for 21, Hendry one for 44. NEW SOUTH WALES. First Innings 361 Second Innings Punch, c Dacre, b Mcßeth . . . . 18 Mullarky, b McGirr 6 Macartney, not out . . • . . 55 R. Bardsley, not out 32 Extras . . ...... • . 2 Total for 2 wickets . . . . . 113 Bowling. —McGirr took on© wicket for 24, Mcßeth one for 43, Smith none for 16, 'Alloo none for 17, Blunt, none for 11.