NEW ZEALANDERS SURPRISE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19841, 16 May 1927, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS SURPRISE

CRICKETERS IMPRESS CRITICS Dominion Visitors Mav Teach As Much As They Learn FAVOURABLE START IN THIRD MATCH Immense interest has been evidenced in the Dominion in the wonderfully confident displays put up by the New Zealand cricketers on tour in Britain. Their second match, against M.C.C. at historic Lords, was drawn, and on Saturday the visitors commenced a game with Essex, scoring 289 in the first innings, and their opponents had Iqst two wickets for 57 runs when stumps were drawn. There can be no doubt that the progress of the match against Essex will be watched with interest by New Zealand enthusiasts.

ANOTHER GOOD START MATCH WITH ESSEX. VISITORS’ TAIL WAGS WELL. Received May 15, 5.5 p.m. (A. & N.Z.) LONDON, May 14. The New Zealanders commenced the match at Leyton against Essex. In the first innings New Zealand scored 289. Following the quick and cheap dismissal of Blunt by a catch behind the wickets the New Zealanders’ enterprise seemed to be checked till Lowry and Mills came together. The former gave only one chance and hit seven fours, though Mills appeared more completely master of tie bowling and withstood the attack for a couple of hours. He hit five fours and won many econiums from the critics. The next few batsmen were soon dismissed and at the tea adjournment tho score was eight for 211. Bernau and Merritt Make a Stand. Bernau and Merritt made a good ninth wicket stand, their partnership yielding 55. Cunningham hit merrily and drove powerfully for the last wicket, adding 41 in a quarter of an hour. The whole innings occupied four hours. Merritt compiled a good score by patchy batting. He hit seven fours. The fielding of Essex was clean and smart. Essex then went to the wickets and when stumps were drawn for the day had two wickets down for 57. The following are the scores;— New Zealand. ■ First Innings. Blunt, c Eastman, b Nicholls .. 1 James, b Nichols 4 Mills, c Nichols, b O’Connor .... 64 Lowry, c and b O’Connor 61 Dacre, c Ashton, b Eastman .... 9 Dempster, c Eastman, b O’Connor . 13 McGirr, c Ashton, b O’Connor .... 11 Oliver, 1.b.w., b O’Connor 28 Bernau, 1.b.w., b Russell 22 Merritt, not out 49 Cunningham, b Meston 23 Extras 4 Total 289 Bowling Analysis.—O’Connor five for 68; Nicholls two for 11; Eastman one for 24; Russell one for 37; Meston one for 13; Hipkin none for 32. Essex. First Innings. Cutmore, not out 21 Eastman, 1.b.w., b McGirr 30 Hipkin, run out 0 Extras 6 Total, two wickets for .... 57 THE SECOND GAME VISITORS AND M.C.C. DRAW. BRIGHT BATTING BUT POOR FIELDING. (A. & N.Z.) LONDON, May 13. The cricket match between the M.C.C. team and the New Zealanders concluded to-day in a draw, the home side carrying its second innings score to 426 for four wickets, when the innings was declared closed. The New Zealand ers made 224 for four wickets when play ceased. The New Zealanders’ batting is acclaimed as a genuine tonic, setting a worthy pattern to young English players, but their bowling continues to be both unfinished and criticised. Visitors’ Fielding Weak. Lyon and Titchmark were almost recklessly aggressive and scored heavily off Blunt, McGirr, Bernau and Merritt. The last-named lost his length and was erratic. The fielding was again below standard, and is the side’s weakest department. Lyon’s century was compiled in 110 minutes. Merritt, however, was twice the victim of dropped catches, and should have had Allen stumped. Page gave Chapman an early life and then paid the penalty by being hit for six, three, and four in one over. The visitors found Allen in his best form. Dacre and Lowry looked like repeating their first innings performance till the former played across a clinker from Falcon. A Bright Partnership. Lowry and Dempster had a very brisk half-hour partnership. The former has quickly struck the top of his form. Details of the scores are as follows: M.C.C. First Innings 392 Second Innings. Lyon, b McGirr HO Titchmarsh, c James, b 81unt..,. 71 Allen, not out 104 Ashton, 1.b.w., b Page 88 Chapman, c Dempster, b Bernau .. 24 Extras 29 1 Total for 4 wkts. (declared) ~ 426

Bowling Analysis.—Henderson none for 26; McGirr one for 18; Blunt none for 62; Bernau one for 88; Merritt none for 103; Dacre none for 8; Page one for New Zealand. First Innings 460 Second Innings. Mills, c Douglas, b Allen 3 Blunt, c Franklin, b Allen ..... .. 51 James, b Allen 31 Dacre, b Falcon 37 Lowry, not out 63 Dempster, not out 29 Extras 9 Total, four wickets for . . .. 224 Bowling Analysis.—Allen three for 36; Falcon one for 41; Haig none for 39; Calthorpe none for 22; Enthoven none for 68; Douglas none for 9. PRESS COMMENT CRITICS FAVOURABLY IMPRESSED VISITORS’ “VILLAGE GREEN” GAME. Received Mav 15, 5.5 p.m. (A. & N.Z.) LONDON, May 14. Sporting Life, commenting editorially, says:— “The New Zealand cricketers camo in all modest to gain experience, and it would not be surprising if they leave a legacy that will greatly benefit English cricket. Theirs is a care-free, village green game, where the ball is there to be hit. They hit often and vigor-) ously and don’t see danger where there is none. Would that the counties would follow tlueir example!” DACRE’S BRILLIANCE. PRAISE FOR VISITORS. (A. & N.Z.) LONDON, May 13. The Daily Mail paragraphist, in eulogising Dacre’s brilliance reminiscent of Ranjitsinghji and Trumpet, Lowry’s pace and Blunt’s sound style, asks: “How long will it be before New Zealand is playing in the tests against Australia and England?” AMONG THE GREAT DACRE’S BATTING PLEASES. (A. and N.Z.) SYDNEY, May 14. The Daily Guardian, commenting on the New Zealand match against Marylcbone, says: “To have made a century at Lord’s is something to write homo about. To have done so on the first appearance is a feat that classes Dacre among the great batsmen of the world.” BROADCASTING THE GAME A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT. VISITORS’ CAPTAIN SPEAKS. Received May 15, 5.5 p.m. (A. & N.Z.) LONDON, May 14. The first broadcasting of cricket was carried out at Leyton by the Rev. Gilligham, who described the New Zealand match in five-minute summaries every hour. He said the New Zealanders were not equal to the Australians but tho public must not expect over-much on the first official visit. He would not, he said, be surprised if eventually they reached the high standard of the All Blacks. T. C. Lowry, speaking through the microphone, thanked cricketers for the warm welcome, He said: “We know we are not equal to the Australians, but hope some time to play tests in England.”

EVERYBODY DOING IT! CENTURIES TO BURN. TERRIFIC SCORES IN ENGLISH CRICKET. (A. and N.Z.) LONDON, May 13. Never has the cricket season opened in England with such terrific scores. There have been no fewer than fortythree centuries in a fortnight. Everybody appears to be making them. Hobbs, Newman, and Bates have already knocked up over one hundred in each innings of one match. The smaller ball designed to aid the overworked bowler appears to have reacted against him, but, however, experts declare that the phenomenal runs arc not due to the bowler, but to the drought. The sunbaked pitches throughout the country and the warm rainless days have given perfect Australian wickets. The highest scores are Shepherd 277 and Duleepsinhji 254. In many cases 150 is common.