SURREY OUT FOR 202: EARLY SUCCESS FOR CRESSWELL AND CAVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27079, 13 May 1949, Page 7

SURREY OUT FOR 202: EARLY SUCCESS FOR CRESSWELL AND CAVE

Rec. 1.20 a.m. LONDON, May 12. Cresswell and Cave were responsible for the dismissal of Surrey before lunch on the second day of the match against New Zealand at the Oval. Surrey’s total was 202, 56 runs behind New Zealand. Sutcliffe and Scott opened New Zealand’s second innings. * No details of play had been received at the time of going to press.

FIRST DAY’S PLAY

New Zealand, in a rather patchy innings, scored 258 in four hours and a-half yesterday, and Surrey lost five wickets for 121 in two hours and a-quarter. The wicket influenced the game quite considerably, becoming distinctly lively. It seems possible if the fine weather continues that it will be decidedly dangerous during four innings. New Zealand’s innings began brightly, ended brightly, and was patchy in the middle. Sutcliffe and Scott opened most attractively with a run-a-minute cricket, Sutcliffe o-'r. ticularly, was easy to watch and with lessons learned, already during the tour, he tempered audacity with caption. He respected A. V. Bedser, who was making the ball rise, yet drove him cheerfully when the opportunity occurred. He deligmed in Cox, the short, hard-working, medium-fast bowler, pulling and hooking him with ease. Laker, who was getting a sharp turn off the pitch with his slow offspinners, he respected, too, but was vigorous with any that dropped short. Sutcliffe found the slow left-armer, McMahon, entirely to his satisfaction and pulled him effortlessly for 6 to bring up his 50 in 72 minutes. Meanwhile Scott, patient and with his back as straight as any Guardsman, protected his end competently, and ■ his best shot was a perfect ondrive off A. V. Bedser. Another century partnership for the opening pair seemed certain when the score was 99. Unfortunately, Sutcliffe on-drove to Squires at cover, ran and called, and was almost halfway down the pitch before Scott could attempt to send him back. Scott could see that neither he nor Sutcliffe had a chance of getting back to the crease, but nevertheless, he ran and: crossed, giving his wicket away in the hope that the left-hander might get his first century of the tour. It was a generous, unselfish act, typical of Scott’s unfailing good humour. It was the second misunderstanding, for earlier Scott had scrambled back to the crease, flinging himself full length and taking the skin off his elbow. Sutcliffe pulled McMahon to bring up 101 in 97 minutes. Hadlee Uneasy Hadlee, with an initial uncertainty reminiscent of his first innings at Bradford, Was almost caught and bowled by Laker before he scored. He also lofted McMahon dangerously to mid-on, and was glad to see that the field was bare. Sutcliffe’s hopes of his century ended when a ball from Laker straightened up, and he tipped it to Maclntyre. The wicketkeeper droped it, caught it again, and almost choked in the excitement of his appeal. Sutcliffe’s 83 in 113 minutes included nine 4’s and one 6, and he was always entirely comfortable in his pulling and driving. After lunch, Hadlee and Wallace returned with 125 on the board. Wallace was not in form, and, attempting to drive Laker to mid-on, mistimed to send the ball straight back to the bowler, who took a good catch. Donnelly, his thumb still strapped with sticking plaster, was tentative, particularly facing Laker, but Hadlee was now in top gear. He squaredrove McMahon, late-cut him, and pulled him for 11 runs. The slow leftarmer, however, drew him out of the crease. Hadlee was late returning by what appeared the most minute fraction of time.

Smith was apparently convinced he was continuing his unaefeated innings at Worcester. He sparkled for 22 runs in 16 minutes. In his eagerness for cutting, at which he is adept, he hit his wicket.

Donnelly showed his preference for a new ball, and the faster bowling by A. V. Bedser and Cox produced some skilful on-drives and leg-glances. Cox, who was hurling himself at the wicket, was making the. ball rise, however, and Donnelly could not get sufficiently on top of a pull which went straight to E. A. Bedser. Another misunderstanding occurred between Mooney and Burtt for wiii-h the latter paid in full, and then Burke and Cave were out lor two success,.«e balls from McMahon.

It seemed as though the innings was over, for Cresswell nas no pretentions to batting. Mooney, however, though not feeling 100 per cent., kept the bowling by taking crafty singles, and drove some perfect oounaarieo. ms mood affected Cresswell, who swept and was surprised and pleased with 4 runs.

In attempting a single off the last ball of the over, Mooney stepped out, missed, and that was that. It was good while it lasted, and it was worth 25 quick runs.

Cresswell Again

Cresswell and Mooney shocked Surrey by combining to remove Fishlock when only 17 was on the board, and Cresswell followed this, quick success by completely battling E. A. Bedser when the Surrey twin seemed set. With plenty of life in the wicket, both Cresswell and Cave were bowling to a field set round the wicKet, Cave completely encircling it with eight men at a radius of about 10 yards. They were perhaps too close, and a sleek glide by Squires off Cresswell hit Sutcliffe at fine-leg on the inside of his left knee, and it was so painful he had to retire. He was replaced by the twelfth man, uowfe. Cave, who was bowling well, had Squires caught by Mooney, and he hit the stumps before Whittaker was halfway through his stroke. Donnelly again proved himself a useful change bowler, though perhaps me full merit of his wicket went to bcott, who held Sn extremely fast shot at forward short-leg.

THE SCORES

NEW ZEALAND First' Innings Scott, run out .. ~ 28 Sutcliffe, c Mclntyre, b Laker .. 83 Hadlee, st Mclntyre, b McMahon 37 Wallace, c and b Laker 8 Donnelly, c Eric Bedser, b Cox .. 24 Smith, hit wicket, b McMahon .. 22 Mooney, st Mclntyre, b McMahon 40 Burtt, run out 9 Burke, c Alec Bedser, b McMahon 0 Cave, b McMahon 0 Cresswell, not out 4 Extras 3 Total 258 Bowling Analysis.—Alec Bedser, 23 overs, 7 maidens, 46 runs, no wickets; Cox, 13, 1, 48, 1; Laker, 26, 6, 62, 2; McMahon, 19, 4, 73, 5; Eric Bedser, 7,1, 26,<* 0. Fall of Wickets.—One for 99, two for 118, three for 142, four for 164, five for 188, six for 222, seven for 231, eight for 233. nine for 233. Second Innings Sutcliffe, not out ~ .. 9 Scott, not out .. .. 5 Total for no wicket .. .. 14 SURREY First Innings Fishlock, c Moeney, b Cresswell 5 Eric Bedser, lbw, b Cresswell .. 17 Squires c Mooney, b Cave .. .. 39 Barton, not out 85 Whittaker, b Cave 6 Mclntyre, c Scott, b Donnelly .. 0 Cox, c and b Cave ' 7 Constable, c Scott, b Cave .. .. 7 Laker, c Mooney, b Cresswell .. 15 A. Bedser, b Cresswell 13 McMahon, b Cresswell 0 Extras 8 Total .. .. 202 Bowling Analysis.—Cave, 32 overs, 13 maidens, 56 runs, 4 wickets; Cresswell, 25.5, 6, 73, 5; Burtt, 11, 3, 36, 0; Burke. 6,1, 20, 0; Donnelly, 3,0, 9, 1.

AVERAGES OF PLAYERS

In their first two first-class matches, the New Zealand cricketers scored an aggregate of 1259 runs for 28 wickets at an average of 44.96 runs per wicket. Their opponents, Yorkshire and Worcestershire, have scored 942 runs for 33 wickets at an average of 28.55 runs per wicket. Of the 28 New Zealand wickets that fell in the first two games, 14 were caught, eight bowled, five were dismissed lbw, and one stumped. The averages at the conclusion of the Worcestershire match were:—

Batting In. N.O. H.S. Ag. Av. M. W. Wallace .. 4 — 126 342 85.50 M. P. Donnelly .. 2 — 69 121 60.50 F. B. Smith .. 2 1 45* 59 59.00 V. J. Scott .. 4 — 103 219 54.75 w. A. Hadlee .. 4 1 97 155 51.66 T. B. Burtt .. 4 2 28* 74 37.00 B Sutcliffe .. 4 —- 72 124 31.00 G. 6. Rabone .. 2 1 16* 21 21.00 J. Reid .. 2 — 23 31 15 50 F. H. L. Mooney 3 — 37 41 13.66 J. Hayes .. 1 — 8 8 8.00 C. C. Burke .. 1 —— 3 3 3.00 H. B. Cave .. .. 1 1 10* 10 — G. F. Cresswell .. 1 1 — — — J. Cowie .. — — — — — * Signifies not out. Bowling O. M. R. w. Av. M. P. Donnelly .. 1 — 5 1 5.00 T. B. Burtt .. .. 92.5 22 304 15 20.02 J. Hayes .. 36 11 82 4 20.50 G. O. Rabone .. 21 4 64 3 21.33 G. F. Cresswell .. 66 18 150 5 30.00 B. Sutcliffe .. .. 10 1 30 1 30.00 J. Cowie .. 34 4 98 3 32.66 J. Reid. 8. 2, 24, 0: H. B. Cave, 29, 8, 62. 0: and C. C. Burke, 26. 7. 86, 0, also bowled.