N.Z. CRICKETERS ON TOUR

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20787, 23 July 1937, Page 6

N.Z. CRICKETERS ON TOUR

LANCASHIRE MATCH DONNELLY’S ALL-ROUND ABILITY (From Our Own Correspondent with the Team.) LONDON, June 20. M. P. Donnelly’s all-round usefulness to the New Zealand cricket team was proved again at Preston, where the tourists played the return match with Lancashire. On the second day a leg Injury first detected at Cardiff deprived the team of the slow left-hand bowling of H. C. Vivian. The Lancashire team was then piling on runs at good pace on a perfect pitch. Someone was needed who could bowl a length and keep the rate of scoring down with a fair prospect of taking some wickets. T. C. Lowry called on Donnelly. The young left-hander answered nobly, for he bowled 35 overs for only 81 runs, a fine performance considering that Conditions were overwhelmingly In favour of the batsmen. With his changed n:r—he now trots up to the wicket instead of walking—Donnelly bowls a slightly faster ball than he used to in New Zealand. The defect of his bowling at present is that he can hardly spin the ball enough to disturb good batsmen unless the wicket Is helping him. He Is, however, a most eager student. Of every famous slow .efthand bowler that he meets on the tour he inquires for tips about bowling. For English professional cricketers it must be said, too. that they are most ready to help a keen young player who shows a since.’ desire to learn. A Batting Collapse The Lancashire match was another unhappy one for the tourists, whose batting again broke down on a seemingly favourable wicket. The New Zealanders made only on the first day. Lancashire next day demonstrated that there was nothing wrong with the pitch by compiling 443. New Zealand was left with the task of batting all the third day to avoid outright defeat and failed, scoring only 149. The match was over early in the afternoon. W. A. Hadlee scored 16 and 20 and J. L. Kerr made 20 and 38, While Martin Donnelly scored 23 in the first Innings before being run out in going for a short single and D. A. R. Maloney scored 37 In the second. No other batsman made many runs, except that G. L. Weir and T. C. Lowry made a stand in the first innings somewhat similar to that at Worcester. Lowry batted dourly for 49, taking not the slightest risk to any of the bowling till he fell l.b.w to a left-hand slow bowler bowling round the wicket. Weir also clinched his teeth until he had gained a good sight of the ball, when he began to attempt to force the pace. In this lie was not so successful as when making his brilliant century at Worcester. His tremendously powerful straight drives instead of sailing for sixes, landed inside the boundary of the enormous ground at Preston. It has to be chronicled that he was dropped five times in making 40. Three of the catches were right on the boundary by the sight screen. In the second innings the fieldsmen were not so kind. The first time he drove one straight the fieldsman accepted It.

W. N. Carson continued his run of bad luck in this match, receiving good balls in both innings. The left-hander, potentially one of the best br.tsmen in the side, only twice showed his true form in the first two months of the tour—against Surrey In the opening game and then aaginst Northampton. Eddie Paynter, the great little lefthand batsman, again batted beautifully for Lancashire, scoring 94. To study his methods is an education. He is a wonder-exponent of the theory that the bat should never be far away from the legs In making a stroke. Moreover, although he is an opening batsman, he is not afraid to crack the ball.

J. Cowie again bowled wonderfully well at Preston. The way he stands up to work Is a tribute to his fine physique and great determination. He bowled 30 overs for 65 runs and three wickets. “Sonny” Moloney, with his slows, captured five for 107. He should have had much better figures. For the second time of the tour the fielding wavered, five catches being dropped. The team is a keen fielding side and brilliant in ground fielding but not consistent in catching. Some wonderful catches have been taken but some “catchable" ones have been missed. Faultless Fielding At Lord’s, against Middlesex, when the team acquired itself with distinction, the fielding was practically faultless. “Curly” Page made a fine take close in on the leg side with his right hand and Bill Carson accepted a cannonball drive one handed at silly point. A. W. Roberts cooly gathered a snick in the slips and “Giff” Vivian safely held a hard drive to mld-on. Martin Donnelly and Merv. Wallace both made brilliant running catches on the boundary, the latter splitting a finger, the injury keeping him out of the next three matches. This match was memorable for the discovery of H. G. Vivian as an opening batsman. He scored 56 in the first innings and 73 in the second. On both occasions he batted with confidence and freedom, helping Wally Hadlee In partnerships of 49 and 134. “Curly” Page played soundly for 61, confirming the fact that his lucky ground is Lord’s and Merv. Wallace played a remarkable innings for 56. When he resumed his innings after an interruption by rain the wicket was “nightmarish” even the slow bowlers making the ball rise chest high. Seeing that defensive play was of no use he began to flog the bowling, hitting nine fours nd two sixes. The sixes were great hits over square leg, one from a ball outside the oil stump, and it was in attempting a third that he was caught at square leg right on the fence. Martin Donnelly scored 32 very well, hooking short balls with great power.

New Zealand scored 268 and 213, not large totals but good considering the variability of the wicket Middlesex made 212 and 17 for one' wicket and would probably have lost the match if rain had not stopped play. Jack Dunning bowled really cleverly In the first innings, attacking the leg stump with a semi-circle of short legs, bowling round the wicket and spinning the ball back. He captured six for 59, all being caught. ‘‘Gift” Vivian kept the other end going, flighting the ball well, his 32 overs costing 88 runs and yielding three wickets. While In London the players saw the

famous Aidershot Tattoo, in which the huge crowd is almost as memorable a sight as the military display. They also attended the annual dinner and ball of the New Zealand Society at the Savoy Hotel. This was the most successful gathering of its kind ever held, 800 being present while 400 applications for tickets had to be declined for lack of room. For the Preston match the players stayed at Blackpool, the great holiday resort of England. There seme of them achieved distinction with hair-raising performances on the “dodgem” motor-cars. These small vehicles, liberally equipped with bumpers, are driven round a confined space, the best driver being the one who can have his sixpennyworth of use of his vehicle without colliding with another. The New Zealanders, however, decided to revise the rules and created a sensation by deliberately ramming every other car in sight. That no one was hurt is a tribute to the safety factor of the cars. The famous tower was scaled—by lift—and even then some of the players did not feel very safe, especially when they saw an aeroplane flying closer to the ground than they were. Although it entailed a long bus drive to Preston before and after play the stay at Blackpool was probably an excellent idea on the part of T. C. Lowry. The players enjoyed It especially the first sight of sea since landing in England. “Alby” Roberts, who did not play in the Preston match, appeared at Nottingham refreshed with new vigour, probably as a result of three days of pleasant “lazing" on the sands of Blackpool. Before this rest cure he hai seemed rather jaded, but he bowled in something like hfs old New Zealand form at Nottingham.