Test Cricket

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18395, 31 July 1931, Page 7

Test Cricket

SECOND DAY’S PLAY. ENGLAND’S GOOD TOTAL. VISITORS DISMISSED FOR 193. ONE WICKET FOR 22 IN SECOND. At the 01009 of the second day’s play In the second Test crloket matoh, New Zealand v. England, the New Zealanders are In the unhappy position of being 201 runs behind England’s first .Innings’ total of 416 for four 'wickets declared, and they have only nine wickets In hand. In their first venture, Now Zealand were dismissed . for 193 and they have made a poor start In their second, one wicket being down for 22 runs. With another day to play England have every possibility of socurlng a decisive victory. tlnited Press assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received July 31, 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, July 30. ' Play In the second cricket Test match, New Zealand v. England was resumed In dull weather at the Oval to-day. . When stumps were drawn yesterday England’s first Innings’ score was 312 for three wickets. To-day, Jarfflne • declared the innings closed when four wickets had fallen for 416 runs. New Zealand were dismissed for 193 in their first venture and when stumps were drawn had lost one wicket for 22 runs in their second Innings, having nine wickets in hand and requiring' 202 to avert an inning’s defeat. Hammond ( 35) and Ames (9), England’s not out men, resumed after the start had been delayed 10 minutes by rain. At the end of 50 minutes’ play England declared the Innings • closed.

A magnificent display of free batting by Hammond forced home the advantage of the good start. The wicket was still slow and’ lifeless. Hammond gave a difficult chance off the first ball of the day—a hard return catch off a full toss from Allcott, which the bowler was not able to hold. Cromb bowled one expensive over and the attack was again entrusted to Vivian and Allcott. Merritt relieved Vivian for two overs. The first realised 14 runs, including three fours by Hammond. Ames was dropped by Mills in the out-field off Allcott at 36. The chance was not expensive, as ,Ames was caught behind the wicket in attempting to force Vivian five runs later. Partnered >by Jardine, Hammond reached his century after 100 minutes' batting. He had given a magnificent display of superbly confident batting, glorious driving and powerful hooking being the outstanding features. He had hit 13 fours. The Visitors’ Innings. England’s bowlcra enjoyed just as great a triumph as the batsmen did yesterday. Mills and Weir opened New Zealand’s, first innings at 12.17 p.m., against the bowling of Tate and Brown. After six overs Verity relieved Tate. After a steady start two valuable wickets fell In rapid succession before lunch. Allqn was somewhat unaccountably used as third change and he Immediately succeeded in dismissing Mills, who was bowled off his boot with a yorker in the last over before lunch. Blunt played a flhe leg glance from Allen and Ames moved across quickly to take an excellent catch. The score was then 44 for the loss of two wickets. After lunch Weir was beaten and was bowled by a beautiful ball from Allen. Shortly after, Vivian was tempted to snick a fast-rising delivery outside the off stump and was caught behind the wicket. At this stage Allen had bowled eight overs including four maidens and he had taken four • wickets for four runs. Lowry and Page hatted resolutely until the latter struck at a kicking delivery from Tate, Peebles at shortleg, taking a fine catch. 92—5—12. The best partnership of the innings followed.

Lowry and Kerr played the spin bowlers with every confidence. Hammond attempted to break the partnership but Lowry scored ten off bis one over. Kerr was severely punishing any loose' balls. Allen was brought back after a lengthy spell and again lie was immediately successful. Kerr mishit, in at templing a log shot and Ames ran across to lake an easy catch. A Fine Innings. A fine fighting Innings by Lowry ended just before (lie lea adjournment, Jardine. at backward point, taking a catch close in, off Brown. II was a serious loss as Lowry was playing as if the side was in a winning position. He was scoring free'y will, powerful hooks and cover shots. Lowry's innings deserved In bo ranged will) ' I lie llnesl in his career. He batted for 105 minutes and hit seven fours.

James went leg-before. He appeared to play the ball confidently with his pads. Merritt and Cromb were both out by weak shots off Verity, edging the ball straight to Hammond at second slip. Allen emerged with the remarkable figures of thirteen overs, seven maidens, flvo wickets and 14 runs. He bowled with considerable pace and his short pitched deliveries occasionally rose awkwardly. However, he dismissed Mills, Blunt and Kerr with balls which hardly deserved their wickets. Brown in his first test match bowled steadily. Verity was rarely difficult. Tate kept an impeccable length, sending down eighteen oVcrs, including nine maidens. The New ZealanTlers commenced their second innings half an hour before stumps and again started badly. A short-pitched, googly from Peebles took Weir’s bails off In the last over of the day. New Zealand had the worst of the wicket and a hard fight faces them to-morrow. The attendance

Details of the score are:— ENGLAND. —First Innings. Sutcliffe, stpd James, b Vivian .. 117. Bakeweil, run out 40 Duleepsinhji, c Weir, b Allcott ... 109 Hammond, not out 100 Ames, c James, b Vivian 41 Jardine, not out • T Extras 2 Total for four wkts. (dec.) 416 Bowling Analysis.—Cromb took no wickets for 97 runs; Allcott, one for 108; Vivian, two for 96; Weir, none for 97; Merritt, none for 75; Blunt, none for 2. NEW ZEALAND. —First Innings. Mills, b Allen 27 Weir, b Allen 13 Blunt, 0 Ames, b Allen 2 Vivian, 0 Ames, b Allen 3 Page, c Peebles, b Tate 12 Kerr, c Ames, b Allen 34 Lowry, c Jardine, b Brown .... 62 James, lbw, b Brown 4 Cromb, c Hammond, b Verity .. 8 Merritt, c Hammond, b Verity .. 8 Allcott, not out 5 Extras 15 Total 193 Bowling Analysis.—Tate took one wicket for 15 runs; Brown, two for 52; Peebles, none for 35; Allen, five for 14; Hammond, none for 10; Verity, two for 52. Second Innings. Weir, b Peebles 6 Mills, not out 10 Page, not out ... 0 Extras ' 6 Total for one wicket 22 THE BROADCAST. BETTER SUCCESS TO-DAY. SPEAKERS HEARD FAIRLY WELL. (JBy Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Better success attended the efforts made this morning by the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand to broadcast the summary sent out from London of the second day’s play In the Test match. Conditions were considerably better than those which marred the reception yesterday morning, and while the twoway conversation was strictly limited, It was possible to hear most of the remarks made by the five speakers at the London end, namely, Mr Donnelly of the New Zealand Cricket Council and Messrs Gilligan, Lowry, Chapman, and Jardine, RESULT DISAPPOINTING. PREVIOUS MANAGER’S VIEWS. “ The news of the present Test, to the end of the second day, is disappointing,’’ stated Mr Douglas Hay, manager of the 1927 touring New Zealand team to a Waikato Times representative to-day, “ and the best New Zealand can now look for, is fine weather on the third day and a chance of drawing the game. Given Hie right weather there are still enough strong batsmen included in tiie side, even without Dempster, to avert defeat. With 0 J hours to play the task New Zealand lias before them is to bat until the afternoon adjournment at 4 o'clock and make say 400 runs. This would give them 177 on which England would have to make In an hour and three-quarters to win. Four hundred for Now Zealand without Dempster, even on a good wicket, Is not likely but not impossible.