NEW ZEALAND’S BATSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 May 1927, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND’S BATSMEN

“DASHING. SLASHING YOUTH”

FAIR OPENING AGAINST ESSEX

THE "Weekly Dispatch” pays a tribute to the dashing play of the New Zealanders and describes them as "The Ancient Order of Hittites.” The team opened the match against Essex at Leyton on Saturday. Batting first, New Zealand made 289, Blnnt went cheaply, and the best stand was made by Mills and Lowry. Merritt’s innings was next best. A description of the match was broadcasted for the first time in cricket history.

LONDON, Saturday. The New Zealand cricketers to-day commenced a match at Leyton against Essex. New Zealand batted first and made 259 runs. Essex had lost two wickets for 57 when stumps were drawn. Blunt was quickly and cheaply dis-

missed by a catch behind the wicket. The enterprise of the visitors then seemed to be checked until Lowry and Mills became partners. The former only gave once chance. He hit seven fours.

Mills appeared to more completely master the bowling. He withstood the attack for two hours and hit five fours. He won many encomiums from the critics. The next few batsmen were soon dismissed and at the tea adjournment the score was 210 for eight wickets. Bernau and Merritt made a good ninth-wicket stand, their hour’s partnership yielding 55 runs. Cunningham hit merrily and drove powerfully. The last wicket added 41 in a quarter of an hour. The whole innings occupied four hours. Merritt’s 49 not out was a good score but his runs came from patchy batting. He hit seven fours. The Essex fielding was keen and smart. The following were the scores: NEW ZEALAND First Innings R. C. Blunt, c Eastman, b Nichols .. 1 K. C. James, 1> Nichols 4 .T. E. Mills, c Nichols, b O'Connor . . 64 T. C. Lowry, c and b O’Connor .... 61 O. C. Dacre, c Ashton, b Eastman . . 9 C. S. Dempster, c Eastman, b O'ConH. McGirr, c Ashton, b O’Connor .. 28 C. Oliver, lbw, b O’Connor 28 E. M. L. Bernau, lbvr,- b Russell .... 22 W. E. Merritt, not out 49 W. Cunningham, b Meston 23 Extras 4 Total 259 Bowling.—O’Connor, five wickets for GS: Nichols, 2 for 11; Eastman, 1 for 24; Russell, 1 for 37; Meston, 1 for 13: Hipkin, 0 for 32. ESSEX First Innings Cut more, not out 21 Eastman, lbw, b McGirr 30 Hipkin, run out 0 Extras 6 Total for two wickets .. .. 57 —A. and N.Z.-Sun.