BIG SCORE TO BEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 January 1926, Page 11

BIG SCORE TO BEAT.

NEW ZEALAND CRICKETERS. NEW iSODTH WALES AT wicKETS. SEVEN DOWN FOR RUNS. TWO INDIVIDUAL CENTURIES. Seven wickets for 44 1 was the big score made by New South Wales in the cricket match against New Zealand, commenced at Sydney yesterterdayr. Towards this score Brown contributed 168 and Ratcliffe 128. By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received Jan 1, 10.25 p.m. Sydney, Jan. 1. The weather was fine, with a cool breeze when New Zealand met New South Wales at the cricket ground this afternoon. The wicket was in excellent condition and the outfield good. Vaughan replaced Seddon in the New South Wales team.

Ratcliffe won the -tose and elected to bat. Play was rather slow after the dismissal of Phillips in the first over. The first hundred took ninety minutes. Brown played scratchily and was lucky to be missed by Patrick in slips when three.

The New Zealanders fielded excellently and few balls escaped them. The bowling was also good, particularly that of Cunningham and Allcctt. All the bowlers maintained a good length, and some of Blunt’s deliveries had the batsmen tied up. but his loose ones, of which there were a good many, were severely punished. Brown’-s play improve<l as the day progressed, his partnership with Morgan yielding 46. Play livened after lunch. Ratcliffe had a narrow escape when Brown made a short stroke. Blunt jumped out and with his shot knocked the bails off, but Radcliffe’s bat was just in. Brown’s century coincided with the appearance of 290 in 170 minutes. Brown in his century-making stroke returned a ball just above head, but it was a little too high for him. • Brown displayed some nice strokes, particularly his square cut, with which he j frequently rallied the pickets. With the score at 231 Brown narrowily escaped being run out off Alloo s Hirst ball. Patrick made frequent changes 'in the bowlers in an endeaviour to break the Brown-Rat-icliffe partnership, but the score continued to mount up. both finding .gap© in the field skilfully. When Ratcliffe was 65 Blunt missed a low catch •at first slip. The tea adjournment saw 'the score at 278 for the loss of three wickets, Brown being 148 and-Ratcliffe : Shortly after tea Daere dropped an easy catch from Brown off Patrick. In the latter's second over after tea Brown hit him to Daere at cover point, ami the latter accepted it. Brown received an ovation on returning to the pavilion. He had hit ‘2l fours. The board read three, for S 3 and then four . for 312. Brown occupied the crease for 234 minutes. Ratcliffe continued to bat brightly and boundaries appeared frequently, but the fielding prevented the gaining ot many runs from ground strokes. Daerr. Worker and Lowry were outstanding fieldsmen, but all were good. Blunt, proved a very expensive bowler, but Patrick persisted in using him. After batting for 191 minutes Ratcliffe was clean bowled by Allcott. He had hit 13 fours. Ratcliffe gave a good exhibition of cricket, placing his strokes cleverly. He was warmly applauded on leaving the field. Four hundred appeared for 283 minutes. Bardsley hitting strongly all round the wicket. The detailed scores are: NEW SOUTH WALES. First Innings.

Phillips, b Cunningham Brown, c Da ere, b Patrick 1 . . 168 . . 17 Morgan, c Oliver, b Cunningham .. 29 Ratcliffe, b Alleott . J 28 R. Bardsley, not’out 54 Punch, e Alb-ott. b McBeth .... .. 13 Vaughan, b Cunningham . . H Nicholls. not out .. 10 Total (for seven wickets) . . . 441