A PROMISING START

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19847, 23 May 1927, Page 5

A PROMISING START

MATCH WITH MIDDLESEX RAIN INTERFERES WITH PLAY. THE KING CHATS WITH PLAYERS A promising start has been made by the New Zealand touiista in their match at Lords with Middlesex in which they scored 236 in the first innings. The fact that rain has interfered with play will no doubt cause the game to end in a draw, but the presence of the King will no doubt be highly gratifying to the visiting players. New Zealand 234 Middlesexone for 11 Received May 22, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, May 21. A heavy shower prior to the opening of the match between New Zealand and Middlesex at Lords steadied Blunt and Mills, who began New Zealand’s innings. Their cricket before lunch was of the stodgy, dogged order. They were especially careful of Hearne’s deliveries and fifty minutes passed before the first boundary hit.

There was a sensational collapse after lunch, Haig dismissing Page and Dacre with successive balls. Lowry, after being missed in the slips, forced the game resolutely and stopped the rot, while Merritt again showed that he is a reliable btsman. Showers frequently interfered with the game. The King arrived at Lords while the teams were taking shelter ansi was introduced by Sir James Parr,

High Commissioner for New Zealand, to the New Zealanders. Rain fell at intervals during the whole of his Majesty’s stay and he had no opportunity of seeing much cricket. The Middlesex captain, Mann, was not playing, owing to suffering from ton si litis. Allcott has recovered and will be playing at Portsmouth on Wednesday against the Royal Navy. Following are the scores:—' New Zealand. First Innings. Mills, b Durston 40 Blunt, c Livock, b Durston .... 42 Page, c Stevens, b Haig 0 Dacre, c Hendren, b Hiag 0 Dempster, c Allen, b Stevens .... 10 Lowry, c Haig b Durston 34 James, 1.b.w., b Stevens 5 McGirr, b Livock, b Stevens .... 6 Henderson, c Haig b Durston .... 30 Cunningham, b Haig 4 Merritt, not out 37 Extras 26 Total 234' Bowling Analysis.—Haig took three for 64; Durston four for 42; Allen none for 28; Stevens three for 52; Hearne none for 22. Middlesex. First Innings. Lee, c Page, b Blunt 4 Stevens, not out 7 Allen, not out 0 Total, one wicket for JI