IS PLAY PROBABLE ?

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 195, 19 August 1931, Page 7

IS PLAY PROBABLE ?

THIRD TEST MATCH OLD TRAFFORD SOAKED BLOTTING PAPER FAILS (Special to Press Association). MANCHESTER, Aug. 17. No play was possible to day in the third Test match, England v. New Zealand. Rain fell steadily almost throughout the day, and, even if lhe weather had cleared during the afternoon, the ground would not have been in a fit state for play. The famous Old Trafford ground presented a scene of utter desolation. What is usually a stretch of velvet turf was merely a •cluster of miniature lakes. The groundsmen, who had worked hard all day on Saturday attempting to prepare the ground for p’ay, gave up the unequal struggle. The wicket was still covered, but apart from that tho ground was left at the mercy of the rain.

Tho downpour was so heavy that prospects of play to-morrow are exceedingly slight. Unless there is a sudden and complete improvement, in the weather it is unlikely that, a ball will be bowled in tho match. Huge sheets of blotting paper were

among tho devices used at Manchester in an attempt to prepare the wicket. It was tho twenty-seventh wet weekend in 1931.

LITTLE HOPE OF PLAY

EXTENDING THE FIXTURE QUESTION DISCUSSED. LONDON Aug. 17. The Old Trafford ground is flooded after rain all day and there is little hope of p’ay to morrow. It is learned that thcro is no possibility of extending the fixture to provide for an extra day on Wednesday. Gilligan, writing in the News-Chron-icle, states that there is no possibility of a fourth Test being arranged to compensate for the Manchester wash out. M. D. Lyon, in the Daily Express, says that the loss of Lie third Test is serious financially to New Zealand. He quotes tho manager as denying the re-

cent statement that the tour would show a loss of £2OOO. It was impossible to say yet how it would turn out, as there wore several good matches in the South of England. Referring to the suggestion of another Test at the Oval to replace the Champion County v. Rest of England fixture, he quotes Lord Hawke as saying that if the New Zealanders are really anxious, he was sure the committee could arrange to abandon the Oval fixture, if another date was not available, but the opinion is that midSeptember is too late for serious cricket. The New Zealanders are strongly supporting a suggestion that England’s Test team, after visiting Australia in the 1932-33 season, should go on to New Zealand and play two matches there. Latest reports make it clear that a previous message to tho effect that four days had been allotted for the third Test was incorrect. According to the original programme tho New Zealand team was to have a free day on Wednesday, after their match with Lancashire, which was cancelled to make room for the Test. On Thursday tho tourists are due to commence a two-day match with Norfolk at Norwich, after which the return match with Essex is to be played at Southend on-Sea It was against Essex' that tho New Zealand team started off the tour with a good win.

PROSPECT OF SOME PLAY

WEATHER CLEARING UP VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND? (Special to Press Association). Received Aug. 18, 11.40 p.m. MANCHESTER, Aug. 18. The hope that the itineraries of future English Tost teams touring Australia would be so arranged as to permit of return through New Zealand was expressed by Mr Leveson Gower at tho dinner given last evening by the New Zealand Cricket Council to the cricket writers attached to the lending English papers. Mr Donnelly presided and thanked the English journalists for tho courteous, generous manner in which they had reviewed the New Zealanders’ play.

Mr Leveson-Gower ’ said the New Zealanders had shown that they were worth three Tests. Tho best way for the English authorities to prove this would bo to send a full Test side to play in the Dominion. Ho hoped that arrangements would be made so that the next English side going to Australia would return through New Zealand and play at least two matches. Arthur Gilligan supported tho idea. He said the New Zealanders were as good cricketers as sportsmen and de served full Test status. The rain stopped last night and the weather to-day is beautifully fine. There is a prospect of some play this afternoon. Tho proposal of an extra Test at the end of the tour is not favoured as the New Zealanders would certainly be feeling the effects of travelling and the heavy match programme.

PLAY LIKELY AFTER LUNCH

GROUNDSMEN WORK HARD (Spcial to Press Association). Received August 19, 12.55 a.m. MANCHESTER, Aug. 18. There are prospects of play in the third Test this afternoon. The weather is fine. Groundsmen are working hard with a heajfy roller and blankets removing the moisture from damp patches in the outfield. The umpires’ decision will be given after lunch.