Compton Scores Century Against Victoria

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 November 1950, Page 5

Compton Scores Century Against Victoria

MELBOURNE, Nov s.—Heavy rain overnight left the ground in a sloppy condition and prevented play in the morning. About 10,000 people saw the resumption at 2.15 p.m. and Neil Harvey, in an uncompleted over of the nignt before, had Sheppard caught behind by McDonald without adding to his score . Compton, who scored two for a shot past mid-on off Harvey’s first ball and a single two balls later, was then 40. Despite his success in taking an early wicket, Harvey was given only one over before Bill Johnston took up the attack and off his fifth ball Compton scored three for a magnificent drive past cover. Dewes made only one in Kerr’s next over. He snicked a bail just outside the oft stump and McDonald dived almost in front of of first slip to hold a brilliant catch. Close began with a three for at. uppish shot off Johnston past square leg. Off his next ball Compton reached 50 with a smartly run single. He had batted 90 minutes and hit three fours. Close had no difficulty in playing the fast-medium attack of Johnston and Kerr and with a four and a succession of twos to leg he raced to 19. The score had reached ISS when Iverson replaced Kerr and his first ball badly beat Close. After two more balls he struck that batsman on the pads and finished with a maiden. When lan Johnson took the ball at the other end it seemed that battle royal would begin, for he also bowled a maiden to Campton. Close gave the spectators a thrill when he lashed out at a ball In Iverson's next over and skied it to square leg, where Loxton just failed to hold a running catch. Then a ball from Johnson rolled off Close's pad and hit the stumps without disturbing the bails. The Englishman gained his revenge by beautifully sweeping the next ball to leg boundary to reach 27.

After a couple more overs Compton and Close gained the upper hand and the 50 partnership came up in 43 minutes Hassett immediately put Ring on in place of Iverson and off the seventh ball he had Close brilliantly caught by lan Johnson, who ran from slips to hold the ball on the leg side. Close batted 47 minutes in scoring 30 (two fours.', Iverson took over at the other eno from Johnson and Compton hooked his first ball to the fence to reach 70. After a hectic seven overs from Iverson and Ring, off which only four runs were added, Iverson clean bowled Mclnlyre for six. He had bowled 21 overs lor 56 runs in taking his first w-cke>. At tea the score was six for 241 with Compton 95 and Bailey 1. Compton went to 99 in the first over alter tea and brought up his century with sweep ft) leg oft Iverson. His j OO took him 183 minutes and included nine tours. After scoring seven more runs, which included an other four, he popped up an easy catch off Bill Johnston to Haward at fine leg. Bailey, who had stuck there to help Compton reach his century, received a special cheer from the outer ground each time he hit the ball and there was a roar of ironical applause whenever he scored a run. Warr, in a display of entertaining hitting, during which he hit up 23 (four fours) in 21 minutes, took the score to 285, before he sat caugl-i ir the outfield off Iverson Berry went early, but Bailey (28) and Hollies stayed together until Compton closed the innings at nine wickets for 306. With only 12 minutes left for play Meulemcn, who took strike, and Howard opened Victoria's innings to the fast-medium Warr. The Englishman obtained so much lift from tbe wicket that after two balls Compton re-organised his field with four slips, short line leg, short square leg and two silly lege placed within a few yards of Meuleman’s bat. The only other fieldsman in front of the batsman was at cm ei

Bailey bowled to a similar field, but his deliveries were so wide on the oil that be ward used his oat to only one ball. Both opening over,- were maidens. Meuleman turned the first ball in Wan's second over to the fine leg fence, but ducked as Hie second flew over his head. Meuieman had to duck again two balls later but saw out the over safely. Scores:— ENGLAND.

First Innings. Hutton, lbw, b I. Johnsen 32 : Washbrook, c and b I. Johnson 40 Sheppard, c McDonald, b Harvey .... Compton, c Howard, b W. Johnston . . 107 Dewes, c McDonald, b Kerr 1 Close, c I. Johnson, b Ring 30 Mclntyre, b Iverson . 6 Bailey, not out 28 Warr, c Kerr, b Iverson 23 Berry, c Harvey, b Iverson 2 Holl’es, not out „ I Sundries 8 Total for 9 wickets dec 306 Bowling: W. Johnston, one for 59; Kerr, one for 27; Loxton, nil for 11; I. Johnson two for 77; Iverson, three for 71; Ring, one for 49; Harvey, one ■ for 4. JSSiMH VICTORIA. First Innings. Meuleman. not out . 4 • Howard, not out 0 : ( Total for no wickets 4 Bowling: War, none for 4; Bailey, , none lor 0. '