FOURTH CRICKET TEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 13

FOURTH CRICKET TEST.

M.C.C. SCORES WELL.

SIX WICKETS FOR 375 RUNS.

LEGGE MAKES A CENTURY,

ALLCOTT'S FINE BOWLING

The fourth «-ri<~knt test match between the touring M.C.C. team and New Zealand was commenced at Eden Park vosrrrdav, M.C.C. winning the toss and

batf-ng first to compile 375 runs for six wickets before stumps were drawn. TJain threatened several times during the day

hut only one heavy shower necessitated ,i short adjournment. The wicket was in perfect order and played well the whole

time, much to the disadvantage of the New Zealand bowlers, who could not make

much nip or turn on it. Tho gatetakings were £235 7s, and the attendance was estimated at about 5000.

Even scoring characterised the M.C.C. innings. Wool ley and Worthineton being the only ones to secure small tallies. Fowlev„ on« of the opening pair, made 42 in his brightest style. Driving and placing freely he left his partner, Dawson, well behind. He succumbed in attempting to force a good-length ball from Allcott, which hit the end of his bat, and a brilliant piece of work by James saw the wicket keeper remove the bails before Bowlev could regain his crease.

Pawson gained his half-century before being dismissed but took a very long time to get started. He lacked scoring shots. Duleepsinhji was again in a delightful mood, the power he put into "his shots, to gain 63, being astonishing. Honours to Legge. The honours of the day went to Legge, however, who in compiling 104, not out, gave an ■ exhibition of a real fighting innings. Confining himself to orthodox and safe shots, until he was properly set, he then opened out and scored freely in spite of an alert and well-set field. His score included twelve boundaries. ' Nichols was very subdued at the start in compiling 75 and looked a certainty for a centurv until McGirr bowled hirn. The majority of his runs came as a result of strong drives and good timing with his leg shots. The /New- Zealand bowline was thoroughly tested and considering that a little luck was against the trundlers, they came through the ordeal well. Allrntt's trundling was the salient feature ef the attack. Considering the number of overs he bowled his length was remarkable. His two wickets, both cleanbowled, were gained in 39 overs, thirteen of which werq maidens, for the cost of 87 runs. A pleasing feature to Aucklanders was the generally consistent bowling of Matheson in his first try-out in Test cricket. On one occasion Duleepsinhji played him on to the wicket without removing the bails. Merritt bowled steadily and might easily have secured three wickets. McGirr did not bowl as well as usual and after opening the attack was not used again until the 300-mark was reached. The New Zealand fielding showed a vast improvement, the picking up and alertness of the fieldsmen earning constant applause. Dempster was particular';; outstanding m this department, his efforts being brilliant at times. J The Opening Pair. Bowley and Dawson opened for M.C.C. against the bowling of McGirr and Matheson. Bowley took a four and two braces off McGirr's first over, but after this a quieter period followed until Bowley with a fine back shot sent Matheson through the covers. Dawson was again very quiet. o ßowley. however, facing McGirr, got the, J bowler to the boundary and in the same over/ drove him beautifully past cover to the fence. Thi3 brought Merritt on in place of the Wellington representative, the total being 25. Matheson, who was bowling very steadily, had sent dtfwn six overs for 11 runs and with his score at 22 Bowley gava a difficult stumping chance on the leg side off the bowler, but James failed to take the ball cleanly. The first half-hour s play produced 31. runs. Both batsmen were getting out and driving Merritt for singles but 'a well- ' placed field kept the scoring rate down. Matheson was spelled in favour of Allcott at 42, the new bowler sending a maiden to Dawson. Bowley ran into the thirties in singles and then sot two bonndaries an the expense of Merritt. Meanwhile Dawson was creeping quietly near the . twenties.

/ Bowley Dismissed. Another bowling change was made at, 53, W»ir taking over from Allcott. who went on at Merritt's end. The change brought, about the dismissal of Bowley, who walked out to Allcott and hit the ball on the end of his bat. It rolled toward James who in a brilliant piece of work had the bails off before Bowley regained his crease. 60—1 —42. With the advent of Duleepsinhji Matheson was brought back again in place of Weir. Duleepsinhji opened his account with a beautiful drive to the fence oft Alicoti, followed by a hook for three. Facing Matheson the batsman nearly chopped she bowler on to his wickets twice, gaming a four on the second occasion. N»xfc over he got Matheson nicely to the square-leg boundary. Dawson had scored 13 after being at the wickets for 75 Merritt was tried again at, Matheson's end with the score, at. 85. Duleepsinhji, with splendid cover drives for singles, had now parked his partner's total. Allcott was bowling to the covers with a man deep on the fence. Pretty off shots mostly tor singles carried Duleepsinhji toward 'he forties and 100 appeared after 90 minutes' play. Blunt relieved Merritt n<\xt over. Duleepsinhji and Dawson prompted quietly until the luncheon adjournment. .when the score was 111 for one wicket/ I Duleepsinhji 37, Dawson 28). Mathfeson and Allcott bowled on resuming, Duleepsinhji hooking a short one from the fatter forcefully to the fence. Dawson also I mind a gap in the. field when he square-cut. Matheson nicely for four. Ram which had threatened earlier commenced to fall heavily 15 minutes after the commencement of play, necessitating an adjournment for ten minutes, after which 'he bowlers found it necessary to use sawdust. Duleepsinhji Bowled. On resuming Duleepsinhji reached 50 by driving Matheson for four through the coveys and sending the next delivery to the 'lefg boundary. He had been at the wickets for 65 minutes. Next over Page replaced Matheson. Duleepsinhji made some nice shots o2 the new bowler, but

in the following over Dulcepsinhji made an uppish shot just out of Page's reach. Alicott. had his revenge, however, by beating Duleepsinhji with a ball which made pace off the wicket and knocked the off-Wicket clean out of the ground. 150 —2-63.

•Joir/ed by Woolley Dawson brightened his scoring a. little and a, good four off Page sent him past the 40 mark. Woolley. as usual, commenced confidently with nice cjn placements. With his score at five the batsman gave a hard chance to McGiyr at. short leg off Alicott, the fieldsman touching the ball with one hand and a single .resulting. Bowling very consistently Alloot.i had the batsmen very quiet,,and in his next over bowled Woolley off his pads with another good ball. 170—3—10.

Legge was next and Merritt immediately relieved Page. The scoring rate was now slow, five overs producing only three runs. Dawson reached his half-cen-tury after batting for 155 minutes. Legge scored his first boundary by square-cut-tiiic Merritt nicely, the Canterbury slow bowler being replaced by Blunt nest over. Allcott, who had done a lion's share of the attack and up to this stage had bowled 24 overs, was still persevered with. The bowling change brought about Dawson's dismissal after a most patient and solid innings, the batsman being well caught at second slip by Allcott. ' ISO—--4—05. Dawson had been at the wickets for 175 minutes.

With Nichols and Legge associated keen fielding and steady bowling kept the batsmen mostly on defence Matheson relieved Blunt at 198. four byes bringing 200 up after 205 minutes' batting. Matheson was bowling with five slips. Nichols, although putting plenty of power into his shots, failed to get them through the field, but once square-cut-'-Allcott finely to the fence. Weir took the ball from Allcott when t.ho board showed 210, Legge running into the twenties by cutting an uppish, although safe four, off the change bowler. Merritt took the last over before the tea adjournment when tho score was 223 for four wickets (Legge 25, Nichols 13). Some Brighter Play. Matheson and Merritt bowled on resuming, each batsmen notching a four, which, with well-run singles, had the. effect of brightening up the game. Legge soon ran into the forties and Nichols had reached the twenties when Allcott came on again in place of Merritt, who relieved Matheson at the other end. Legge gave a stumping chance oft the slow bowler's second ball, but James missed the opportunity. Runs continued to come more freely and Legge reached 50 after two hours at the crease. Nichols also opened out more, his score at this stage being just on the forties. Neither batsman appeared troubled by the attack, which was now being changed frequently. Three hundred appeared after 265 minutes' play. Taking advantage of loose deliveries from Weir Legge collected two successive fours, although one went just out of Lowry's reach at third slip. Nichols stayed in tho forties for a while, but reached fifty with a brace after 100 minutes' batting. McGirr, who had not b&wled since the opening of the innings, was tried again at 322 and Merritt relieved Allcott at 333. Batting with the greatest confidence Legge, mainly with splendid off shots, carried his score near the nineties, while Nichols' powerful driving made him an attractive batsman to watch, and his score mounted steadily toward the seventies. Legge Reaches Century. Legge was warmly applauded on reaching his century a quarter of an hour before stumps, after being at the wickets for 165 minutes. Just afterwards Nichols gave an easy chance to Merritt off his own bowling, but the catch was declined. Even then Merritt missed a great chance of running tho batsman out. Nichols, after hitting the ball, ran halfway down the wicket. The let-off did not prove expensive, however, as McGirr cleanbowled Nichols next over. The partnership had yielded 184 runs. 3745 —75.

Worthington was bowled I>y Merritt just on timo without scoring, Lecpe having 104 not out, the total being 375 for six wickets. Details of the play are as follows: ENGLAND.—First Innings. E. H. Bowlpv, run out .. .. ..42 E. W. Dawson, c Alleott. b Blunt .. 55 K. S. Duleepsinhji, h Alleott 6.5 F. E. Woolley, b Alleott .. ... 10 G. 0. not out .. .. 104 M. P. Nichols, b McGirr „ 75 S. Worthington, b Merritt .. ... 0 'Extras ~.. ... ... 26 Total .. 375

BOWLING. 0. M. R. W. Allcott >.. 59 lo 37 2 Merritt, 24 2 06 1 Matheson .1 !! 24 5 72 — McGirr 11 2 .17 1 Weir 6 — 26 — Blunt .t 7 1 13 1 Pa^e .i . .i 5 — 23 —