ALL OUT FOR 42

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26115, 30 March 1946, Page 8

ALL OUT FOR 42

NEW ZEALAND TEAM ROUTED

VISITORS’ BRILLIANT FIELDING (Special) 1 WELLINGTON, March 29. Routed for 42 runs, the lowest score ever recorded by a New Zealand Eleven in Test cricket, New Zealand appears to be in a hopeless position in the Test Match against Australia, which began at the Basin Reserve to-day. At stumps the visitors had lost three wicket for 146 runs. . Superb fielding played a notable part in the dismissal of Hadlee, Wallace and Scott, who were out to brilliant catches. There was not one blemish in the work of the Australians. Four wickets were down for 37 at lunch, but on resuming six more wickets fell for five runs, the worst collapse a New Zealand side has experienced. O’Reilly caused the main havoc, taking three wickets for none in one over, and finishing with the remarkable figures of five for 14 off 12 overs.

Australia opened sensationally, the first wicket falling at nine. Brown should have been back in the pavilion before 20 was hoisted but after that the Australians batted sedately and surely on an improved wicket.

The gate takings were £954, at 9000.

the attendance being estimated

Fifteen years ago at Lord’s, New Zealand cricket was given a tremendous uplift when an M.C.C. team was dismissed for 132 (Cromb six for 46) and 48 (Merritt seven for 28). Today’s rout for 42 was a shattering blow to its prestige. The lowest scores previously made by a New Zealand side were 64 against New South Wales at Sydney in 1898-99, and 79 twice against New South Wales in New Zealand in 1893-94 at Christchurch and in 1923-24 at Wellington. Team Disappointed

“ Naturally we are disappointed,*’ said the New Zealand captain, W. A. Hadlee. “Having won the toss our objective was to secure- the longest possible use of the wicket and try to have the opposition in under less favourable conditions. The pitch was soft .and responsive to spin, but did not v appear unduly difficult. We failed and that is all there is to be said.” The weather was cloudy- but fair when Hadlee and Anderson opened New Zealand’s innings to the bowling of Lindwall and Toshack. Anderson drew applause with two wristy shots behind point off Lindwall, but a beautiful yorker in Lindwall’s fourth over brought about New Zealand’s, first setback after 28 minutes' play. Anderson played over the ball, which swung in and took his leg stump. V. J. Scott joined Hadlee, but there was a hold-up while the sight screen was moved. The home side’s second setback came off the first ball of Toshack f s seventh over. Hadlee turned it to fine leg, but Miller dived to take a beautiful left-handed catch about six yards from the wicket, two wickets being down for 15 runs. Wallace joined Scott, and the two Aucklanders brought 20 up for an hour’s play. The. first bowling change was then made, O'Reilly relieving Lindwall, who had sent down eight overs for 13 runs and a wicket. With Scott stubbornly defending, the field

closed in on him. Brown being at

short mid-off, Barnes at short leg. and Johnson close in at point. The batsman, however, was unperturbed, and two over-tossed balls from O’Reilly were neatly driven to the on side for 2, to take him into double figures.

Barnes’s Great Catch Bad luck b'efel New Zealand in Toshack’s fourteenth over. Wallace hooked a short ball uppishly to leg; it looked safe, but'Barnes jumped,

stopped the ball with his right hand and caught, it as it fell.- It was a brilliant catch. Wallace had batted 42 minutes. Toshack's figures were two for 9 'off 14 overs, 10 of which were maidens. The score was now 37 for

three wickets.' A further disaster followed. In the last over before lunch Scott, pushed a

ball from O’Reilly to short leg, where Barnes dived to take the catch brilliantly inches from the ground, Scott had batted for 75 minutes for 12 runs. O’Reilly’s second over after lunch began the sensational collapse which saw six New Zealand wickets fall for five runs. He clean-bowled Rowe with a leg spinner with his first ball, dismissed Butterfield, leg before wicket, with his fourth, and had Mcßae caught at deep leg off the last ball. Burke was dismissed, leg before wicket, in Toshack’s next over, and then Tindill, who had gone in just prior to lunch, but had not seen much of the bowling, attempted to turn an offspinner from Tosliack to leg, but the bajj beat him and took his leg stump^ Tallon ended New Zealand’s inglorious display by stumping Cowie off O’Reilly. The innings had occupied 134 minutes. One small measure of compensation may have been provided for the poor showing of the New Zealanders when Cowie bowled Meuleman in his first over with a ball which turned in sharply from the off. It completely beat the young Victorian, whose batting has been most consistent during the tour. Barnes was the next batsman. In Cowie’s third over Brown, who had quickly run into double figures, mainly at the expense of Mcßae, turned a rising ball to fine leg right into Cleverley’s hands. It was a hard catch, but not a difficult one for this fine fieldsman, but he dropped it. Brown was 13. Another wicket at this stage might have put tremendous heart into the New Zealanders It was a costly mistake, as Brown proceeded to score slowly but confidently. Butterfield, who relieved Cowie, worried him, one ball trickling off his bat and just touching his stumps, but it failed to dislodge the bails.

New Zealand’s score was passed after 57 minutes’ batting. Barnes was very subdued early, taking 40 minutes to reach double figures, but he then ran quickly into the twenties with some confident driving and pulling. The wicket seemed to be worrying the batsmen less/ and both were going comfortably when the afternoon tea adjournment came with the score at 75 for one wicket.

A grand catch by Rowe ended Brown’s innings. The batsman was scoring freely off Burke, but he pulled one uppishly to leg, where Rowe reached out and made no mistake with the chance. ’ Brown had batted for 116 minuted, his 67 including six 4’s. The only blemish in a restrained but otherwise model display was his chance to fine-leg when 13. Miller was the next batsman. After having been at the wickets for 140 minutes for 54 runs, including four 4’s, Barnes played outside an off-break from Cowie and snicked it on to his

wickets. Hassett followed Miller, and after several appeals against the light stumps were drawn at 5.50 p.m. Cowie was the most impressive of the New Zealand bowlers, keeping a good length. Butterfield and Cleverley also had the batsmen playing them carefully. Scores:— NEW ZEALAND , First Innings W. A. Hadlee, c Miller, b Toshack 6 W. McD. Anderson, b Lindwall .. 4 V. J. Scott, c Barnes, b O'Reilly .. 14 M. W. Wallace, c Barnes, b Toshack 10 E. W. Tindill, b Toshack 1 C. G. Rowe, b O’Reilly 0 L. A. Butterfield, lbw, b O’Reilly 0 D. A. Mcßae, c Hassett, b O’Reilly 0 C. C. Burke, lbw, b Toshack .. .. 1 J. Cowie, st Tallon, b O’Reilly .. 2 D. C. Cleverley, not out 1 Extras 3

Total .. ••• .. 42 Bowling Analysis 0. M. R. W. R. Lindwall .. 8 1 13 1 E. Toshack .. 19 >13 12 4 W, J. O’Reilly .. 12 5 14 5 AUSTRALIA First Innings W. A. Brown, c Rowe, b Burke .. 67 K. Meuleman, b Cowie .. .. o S. G. Barnes, b Cowie .. .. 54 K. R. Miller, not out .. .. .. 14 A. L. Hassett, not out .. .. 4 Extras . 7 Total for three wickets .. 146 Bowling Analysis 0. M. R. W. J. Cowie .. .. 11 2 23 2 D. A. McRae .. 11 1 35 — D. C. Cleverley 13 1 37 — L. A. Butterfield 13 6 24 — C. C. Burke .. 6 1 20 1