CRICKET TEST OPENS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 177, 28 June 1937, Page 7

CRICKET TEST OPENS

ENGLAND SEVEN FOR 370. DETERMINED BOWLING. SCORING HELD DOWN. (From the Special Correspondent of the United Press Association with the team.) LONDON, June 20. Inspired by tile importance of a momentous occasion the New Zealand cricket team bowled and fielded with commendable determination in the first Test match against England at Lord’s and with well-deserved success. Although the wicket and outlield and tlie weatlier were perfect, the ba.tsmen were Kept under restraint even in the late afternoon. England opened and at stumps had scored 37U for seven wickets (Hammond 140, Hardstaff 114). The teams were:— ENGLAND. NEW ZEALAND R. W. V. Robins M. L. Page (captain) (captain) W. R. Hammond J. L. Kerr (J. J. Burnett W. A. Hadlee H. Verity M. W. Wallace j_/. Hutton tl. G. Vivian W. Voce D. A. R. Moloney J. Hardstaff E. W. Tindnl L. E. G. Ames A. W. Roberts E. Paynter J. A. Dunning A. R. Dover J. Cowie J. H. Parks M. P. Honnelly Bel ore lunch the bowlers were predoiiiinant. Uowie opened impressively with a hue p.ice and an accurate length, and bowled Hutton off ins pads. . i lie young opening batsman was in nearly naif an liour without scoring. Parks, the other opening batsman, had ins oft-stump knocked hack by a beautiful ball from Cowie, who howled for over ail hour without a rest. His uguies when lie was relieved were:—l2 over, 2 maidens, 27 runs, 2 wickets. TWO DOWN FOR 31. With two wickets down for 31 runs, elaborate care was displayed by Hammond and Hardstaff, in lacing the menacing speed ol Uowie, the steady accuracy ot Roberts, and the tantalising length"and flight of Vivian. Only 6/ inns were sooreu in two hours betore lunch, when the tourists were able to look hack on a satisfactory morning ol resolute work. After lunch the batsmen gradually gained the mastery, and the scoring quickened to GO in the lust hour, anu ill) in the second. Fortune deserted the fieldsmen just when a little luck was required. Hardstaff was missed in the slips at 50 off Vivian. Hammond snicked a ball just out ol reach of Tindill at 71, also off Vivian, and at 80 mis-hit the left-hander almost into his stumps.

FAST, CLEAN GROUND WORK

The fielding was generally bright and rounds of applause were raised at the fast, clean ground work of Hadlee, Kerr and A\ allace. Page placed his field intelligently, cutting down to singles many of the strongest strokes by Hammond.

When the batsmen were entrenched effective service in slowing down the scoring was performed by Dunning. The Gloucester champion, Hammond, batting over two hours lor 50 runs, reached his century in three hours. Hurdstnff’s 50 took 40 minutes and his century 220 minutes. The pair added 245 ruiis. Both were dismissed by good catches, the former front a snick to the slips and the latter from a hard hook to midfield.

After breaking the big partnership the bowlers became supreme, lour wickets falling for 36 runs in three-quar-ters of an hour alter tea. Cowie yorked Barnett and Ames played on to Vivian. VIVIAN, VERY STEADY. Vivian was wonderfully steady and in one period bowled 11 overs lor eight runs and two wickets.

Robins and Paynter forced the pace till tlie captain was well caught behind the wickets. Paynter played the brightest innings of the day, and even he scored at less than a run a minute.

A crowd of 18,900 people paid for admission. Counting members of the M.C.C., the attendance was probably 20,000. Roberts and Wallace both played with injured lingers, which were bandaged. New Zealand finished a strenuous day comforted by the knowledge that it had restricted a powerful batting side to almost even time scoring on a run-making pitch. ENGLAND. First Innings. Hutton, b C'owio 0 Parks, b Cowie 22 Hardstaff, c Moloney, b Roberts . 114 Hammond, c Roberts, b Vivian ... 140 Paynter, not out 42. Barnett, b Cowie 5 Ames, b Vivian 5 Robins, e Tindill, b Roberts'' 18 Voce, not out 12 Extras 12 ;Total for seven wickets 370 Bowling Analysis.

“UP TO TEST STANDARD.” CRITICS PRAISE THE TOURISTS. (From the Special Correspondent of the United Press Association with the team.) Received June 28, 10.15 a.m. LONDON, June 28. Most critics agree that the New Zealanders performed outstandingly well to keep the score below 450. The bowlers and fieldsmen are warmly praised, especially for regaining their control of the game alter breaking the long partnership. They concede that England’s innings was practically a two-man affair, five batsmen making only 50 runs. Dir E. W. Swanton, writing in the Evening Standard, says: “Almost everything the New Zealanders did was up to Test standard. Even although Hammond was out to collar the bowlers they still bowled as they liked and not as he dictated.” , Mr J. B. Hobbs, writing in the Star, says: “The bowlers pegged the batsmen to a scoring rate that was too slow for a three-day game.” “The Watchman,” in the Observer, declares that, except for brief periods, the batsmen were, struggling almost desperately. The bowlers and fieldsmen were not slack for a moment. Mr Elton Ede, in the Sunday Times, is enthusiastic over the ground fielding, which saved scores of runs. He says: “Cowie,'with a little luck, should run through the rest of the batsmen Vivian earned more wickets and often was played with the edge of t.he bat.” Lord Tennyson, in the News of the World, admires the effortless consistency of Vivian and'tlie dogged persistency of Cowie and Roberts. He says: “The New Zealanders may congratulate themselves on a very fine show.” The Sunday Dispatch says; “All the bowlers may plume themselves on the

fact that Hammovul took an hour to get 25 and two hours to get 50. Hardstaff was on 24 for half an hour.” “Coverpoint,” .in the Sunday Express says: “The way Cowie moved the new bali must have made Barnett and Paynter thankful that they were batting fifth and sixth instead of first and second.” HAMMOND’S RECORD. LONDON, June 27. Hammond yesterdav completed 100 runs in 185 minutes and his 123rd century in first-class cricket. He also passed J. B. Hobbs’s total of 5410 runs in Testa. He hit 16 fours, all during the last 97 runs. Hardstaff was tedious. Paynter was 50 minutes making nine. Critics emphasise the dullness of the cricket in view of the mildness of the bowling. New Zealand’s vigorous fielding saved many runs.

Cowio 0. yy M. 7 R. 97 W. 3 Roberts .... y? 9 8.3 2 Vivian 44 10 93 2 Dunning ... 20 3 04 0 Moloney .... 2 1 9 0 l’ago y 0 12 0