NEW ZEALAND CRICKETERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20889, 3 June 1931, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND CRICKETERS

MATCH WITH MIDDLESEX

315 REQUIRED TO WIN. VISITORS START BADLY. THREE WICKETS FOR 98. By Telocinph—Press Association—Copyright. (Special to N.Z. Press Association.) (Received June 3. 3.15 a.m.) LONDON, June 2. The New Zealand cricketers in their match with Middlesex at Lord's commenced their second innings this morning, requiring 315 runs to win. So far they have lost three wickets for 98 runs. The wicket yesterday was slow and easy throughout. Peebles, the test match " googly" bowler, kept an admirable length. After the bad start the NewZealand batsmen in their first innings played with their " backs to the wall." Lowry made a valuable effort. He batted an hour for 17. After a follow-on had been averted Blunt attacked the bowling. He played a fine defensive innings at a critical stage. James left the field before luncheon with an injured hand, but returned after Blunt's dismissal to share the honours of a plucky last-wicket stand with Merritt, the pair adding 31 runs, but the total for the innings was only 152. After New Zealand's batting failure their bowlers recaptured much of the lost ground in Middlesex's second innings. Heavno and Enthoven again started well and a big score appeared to he likely, but after tea Merritt struck form and five wickets fell in rapid succession. Hard hitting by Durston improved matters for Middlesex. In spite of his injury James kept wicket in excellent style, and though he missed a chance of stumping Hendren when that batsman had made 23, this failed to mar his display. Bad attempts to make catches enabled the Inter Middlesex batsmen to increase, the score, but they were all out for 225.

Middlesex had a lead of 314 when stumps were drawn, leaving New Zealand a full day in which to endeavour to make up that deficiency and score a victory. The New Zealanders commenced this task this morning in fine weather on an easy wicket. Another bad start was made when Cromb was brilliantly caught in the slips in Allen's Becond over, and Mills was unlucky enough to be caught off a long hop. Kerr shaped well, but was beaten bv a top-spinning ball from Peebles. Blunt and Page then made a good stand. Details of the scores are:— MIDDLESEX. First innings * . . 241 Second Innings. Enthoven, c Talbot, b Cromb . . 40 Cannings, c Page, b Merritt 3 Hearne, c Cromb, b Merritt . . . . 42 Allen, c James, b Merritt . . . . 3 Hendren, st James, b Merritt . . 33 Newman, run out 1 FTaig, c and b Blunt 5 Hulme, b Merritt . . . . . . 28 Durston, st James, b Weir . . . , 49 Peebles, c Merritt, b Cromb . . . . 15 Price, not out 5 Extra 1 Total * 225 Bowling.—Cromb took two wickets for 55 runs; Merritt. five for 77; Talbot none for 21; Blunt, one for 54; Weir, one for 4; Lowry, none for 3. NEW ZEALAND.—First Innings Mills, b Peeblos 34 Weir, b Allen 3 Kerr, lbw, b Peebles 7 Page, b Allen 1 Vivian, b Peebles 0 Talbot, c and b Peebles . . . . 2 Blunt, c Price, b Allen 25 Lowrv, c Peebles, b Durston . . . . 17 Cromb, st Price, b Hearne . . . . 25 James, c Price, b Peebles . . . . 5 Merritt, not out 23 Extras . . 10 Total .. .. .v .-152 Bowling.—Allen took three wickets for 51 runs; Haig, none for 7; Peebles, five for 66; Hearne, one for 12; Durston, one for 6. Second Innings. Mills, c Price, b Allen 13 Cromb. c Hendren. b Allen .. .. 2 Kerr, lbw, b Peebles 1? Blunt, not out .. 42 Page, not out . • . • • • .. 21 Extras 3 Total for three wickets .. .. 98 The New Zealand cricketers to-day begin a match against Cambridge University at Cambridge. Last year, with J. T. Morgan as captain, ■Cambridge had a good season and beat Oxford by 205 runs. They won four, lost throe and drew five matches. Three new bowlers did well, Hazlerigg, Rough t-Rotight and Human, did well. The best batsmen were Brown, Killick, Grant and Fabian.

DINNER TO TEAM. SPEECH BY PRINCE GEORGE. VISITORS HIGHLY PRAISED. (Received June 2, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON. June 1. The New Zealand Society tendered a dinner to the Dominion cricketers at the Savoy Hotel. The guests included Prince George, the Lord Mayor of Loudon, Sir William Phone Ncal, the Earl of Liverpool, the Australian High Commissioner, Sir Granville Ryrie, Mr. H. I). G. Lcveson-Gower, Sir James Mills, General Sir Walter Braithwaito, Mr. P. F. Warner and Mr. A. C. MacLarcn. Prince George, in responding to the toast of the Royal Family, said: " New Zealand sent to England the finest Rugby team in Hho world. It has even sent cricketers who have achieved the unique distinction of dismissing a first-class Marylebone team at, Lord's for 48 runs. [ warn the selectors of (ho test match team against under-estimating the New Zealanders." Viscount Bridgeman, iu proposing the (oast of the team, said : " Prince George is evidently willing to lay a fiver that the New Zealanders will be successful in the test match against the Marylebone Club. 1 am most delighted to welcome them."

The visitors' captain, Mr. T. C. Lowry, in responding, said lie regarded the test match as England's acknowledgment that New Zealand had passed tlirs Knickerbocker stage. "We are not ready to rival England or Australia, but wo feel that we can make a show against India or South Africa."