M.C.C. TEAM

Southland Times, Issue 22771, 23 December 1935, Page 8

M.C.C. TEAM

TOUR OPENS MATCH AGAINST WELLINGTON EVEN FIRST INNINGS (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, December 22. In an eventful day of cricket the M.C.C. team secured a two-run lead in the match against Wellington on Saturday. On a wicket slightly helpful to spin bowlers Wellington fell for 164 and the Englishmen replied with 166. Batting again for about half an hour, Wellington lost three wickets for 29 runs. The day was ideal for cricket, there being brilliant sunshine with only a light breeze, but following rain on the previous two days the wicket taking on spin, while the outfield was rather slow. Wellington lost the toss and were sent in to bat, the result amply demonstrating the wisdom of the move by the English captain. Read, the express bowler, opened, but the wicket was not really suitable for him and he bowled only about three-quarter pace.. He has a galloping run of about a chain to the wicket and bowls with a strong arm action used only with a new ball. When tried in the second innings when the wicket was drier he bowled at something approaching real pace, with the wicket-keeper standing right back and four slips. At no stage, however, was he faster than M. S. Nichols, of Harold Gilligan’s team. J. H. Parkes, a medium-paced righthand bowler, shared the new ball and kept an admirable length for long periods, swinging the ball into the batsmen’s legs for a leg trap after the style sometimes used by F. T. Badcock. In the first hour he bowled eleven overs for nine runs and one wicket, finishing with two wickets for 46 runs. Sims The Outstanding Bowler. Easily the outstanding bowler, however, was the six-foot professional, J. M. Sims. Taking a run of about five or six paces, he approached with a peculiar windmill action out of which it is difficult to pick which way he is going to turn the ball. By New Zealand standards slow-medium in pace, he hardly tosses the ball at all, simply bringing it down from a great height, keepjng a fine length and being very difficult to jump into to drive or turn, not wide but very quick,, and bowls a top spinner very well indeed. He took eight wickets for 53, only one being caught and that by the bowler himself. One victim was lbw under the new rule. J. Langridge and J. H. Human, also slow bowlei's, were used as change bowlers, but neither took a wicket. The bowlers were well supported by the field, especially Human, an exceptionally fleet runner and a good throwerm\Vellington lost five wickets for 50 runs in an hour. J. R. Lamason and W. Rainbird, the latter the youngster of the team, then added 85 in an hour. Lamason gave an admirable exhibition for 62, defending stoutly and scoring confidently. He was in for 75 minutes. He hit nine fours, and did not give a chance. Rainbird held his end up well for an hour for 27. He hit three fours. Wellington’s, scoring rate was one a minute, the innings finishing just after lunch. The wicket rolled out well, but still took spin and occasionally the ball kept low. The Englishmen had 70 up for two wickets, W. Barber showing sound on-side strokes in making a dozen, while Parks was workmanlike in scoring 30. N. S. Mitchell-Innes drove powerfully in making 19. Seven wickets were down for 109. However, a fine partnership by C. J. Lyttelton and Sims saved the side. Lyttelton, a powerfully built amateur and a strong hitter having three fours and a six in his score of 35. Sims was more deliberate but hit three fours in making 30. The score was 166 when the partnership was broken and the last two wickets failed to add any runs. Wellington’s bowling was helped somewhat by the pitch but was never mastered. J. A. Newman, a slowmedium left hander, kept a steady length and direction and B. Griffiths, a slow bowler, had a good turn and occasionally made the pace off the pitch. Both took three for 45. Blundell’s Remarkable Overs. E. D. Blundell, a medium bowler had remarkable opening overs with a new ball. His third delivery was skied by Barber and the fieldsman could have made it a catch but “no-ball” was called. Parks was clean bowled by the fifth but it also was a no-ball. In the fifth over Parks played one into the stumps but once more “no-ball” had been called. It is highly probable, of course, that the batsmen would not have attempted the strokes they did if the deliveries had not been no-balls. Blundell was relieved after taking one for 23. He was not brought on again till the visitors were almost in the lead. Then he took two more wickets in two overs, finishing with three for 29. J. Hardstaff, the young professional who made such an impression in Australia, had a leg injury which caused him to limp on to the field and obviously interfered with his footwork in batting. He was bowled by a ball which kept rather low. The Englishmen obviously endeavoured to score brightly despite the state of the wicket and the position of the game but appeared unable to time their strokes -with certainty after some weeks on the faster and truer wickets of Australia. Nevertheless they made 166 runs in 147 minutes.

Wellington’s Second Innings. McLeod played one from Parks into the wickets and Blandford was dismissed by a wonderful catch by Barber in a leg trap off the same bowler, the fieldsman snapping the ball up wide of the left hand from a leg glide. Read got an extra fast one through the defence of Ward, spreading the stumps all over the field. Ell was batting confidently at stumps. The impression of the visitors is that they would be a good batting side on a true wicket, having several players who obviously favour strong forward play. The bowling was not distinguished on Saturday except for Sims, but it would be interesting to. see Read on a wicket suitable to a fast bowler and their attack would be much strengthened by the inclusion of A. D. Baxter. The visitors created a very favourable impression here as a band of likeable sportsmen anxious to make their game as bright as possible. Scores were:— WELLINGTON. First Innings. J. A. R. Blandford lbw b Sims 15 E. G. McLeod b Sims 7 S. Ward c Griffiths b Parks 0 J. Ell b Sims 7 B. R. Ross c and b Sims 0 J. R. Lamason lbw b Sims 62 W. Rainbird b Sims 27 C. Parsloe b Sims e 14 B. Griffiths b Parks 5 J. A. Newman b Sims 8 E. D. Blundell not out 0 Byes 18 No Balls 1 Total ?.64

Bowling Analysis.

Second Innings. Blandford c Barbet b Parks 2 McLeod played on b Parks 1 Ward b Read } 3 Ell not out Total for three wickets 29 Bowling Analysis.

M.C.C. First Innings. W. Barber lbw b Blundell 12 J. H. Parks st Blandford b Griffiths 30 N. S. Mitchell-Innes lbw b Newman 19 J. Haf-dstaff b Newman 10 J. H. Human c Blandford b Newman 9 E. R. T. Holmes b Griffiths 2 J. Landridge lbw L Griffiths 8 C. J. Lyttelton b Blundell 35 J. M. Sims c Rainbird b McLeod 30 S. C. Griffith not out 0 H. D. Read b Blundell 0 Extras H Total 166 Bowling Analysis.

PLUNKET SHIELD GAME THE WELLINGTON TEAM. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, December 22. The following will represent Wellington in the Plunket Shield match against Canterbury: Lamason, Blundell, Blandford, Ward, Ell, Rainbird, Parsloe, Newman, Griffiths, D. A. R. Moloney (Manawatu), M. A. O’Brien (Hawkes Bay). NEW ZEALAND TEAM MATCH AGAINST SUVA. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) Suva, December 22. In a two-day cricket match against Suva representatives the New Zealand team in the first innings made 263 (Dunning 38, Walter 30, Wiley 46. Bright 72). Suva replied with 186 (Massey five for 28, Wiley five for 83). New Zealand in the second innings made 83 for two and declared (Dunning 54). The home team in its second strike made 96 for the loss of six wickets (Wiley three for 39). The tourists adapted themselves to the strange conditions. The batting of the whole team is shaping well. Dunning was brilliant in the slips, and the bowling of Massey was always troublesome.

SHEFFIELD SHIELD VICTORIA DEFEAT QUEENSLAND. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) Melbourne, December 22. In the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria, Queensland in the second innings scored 234 for five wickets (Allen 100, C. Andrews 58, Hansen 33, Tallow 33). Play was stopped owing to a bad light at 5.25 p.m. Victoria won on the first innings by 338 runs. In the first innings Victoria made 522 for nine (declared) and Queensland 184. SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S GOOD WIN. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) Adelaide, December 22. In the Sheffield Shield match against South Australia, New South Wales in the first innings made 351 (White 29; Ward six for 127, Wall one for 48). New South Wales followed on and in the second innings scored 219 (Faliowfield 38, Marks 31, Lonergan 39, Robinson 39, Easton 42; Wall thiee for 15, Ryan four for 27). South Australia won by an innings. In the first innings South Australia scored 575.

O. M. R. W. Read 5 1 15 0 Parks 22 8 46 2 Sims 22 8 53 8 Langridge 4 0 17 0 Human 2 0 14 0

0. M. -R. W. Read 7 0 21 1 Parks 3 0 7 2

O. M. R. W. Parsloe 5 0 21 0 Blundell 11 1 29 3 Newman 27 7 45 3 Griffiths 14 2 45 3 Lamason 2 0 12 0 McLeod 2 1 3 1