Worrell Out To Appeal
SOBERS MASTERLY IN SCORING 132 DURING"GOLDEN DAY OF GOLDEN CRICKET"
BRISBANE,Friday.—The West Indies had one of their finest days ever in cricket when they scored 359 runs with a loss of seven wickets against Australia in the first Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground today.
This was a golden day of golden batting — a day made memorable for many lucky people by the handsome and commanding batting by young Garfield Sobers and his veteran partner,Frank Worrell.
Sobers,a 24-year-old left-hander,played one of the greatest Test innings of our time.
Garfield Sobers on December 14,1960.Staff photographer
Australia will need a good start in the attempt to gain a substantial first-innings lead to compensate for possible last use of a pitch that is likely to take more spin as the match,scheduled for five days,advances.
Sobers scored 132 runs (21 fours) in just under three hours,having reached his first century against Australia and his tenth in Test cricket,in 125 minutes.
His 100 included 15 fours.
Sobers'batting was distinguished by brilliant stroke play and remarkable power.
Sobers and his 36-year-old captain Frank Worrell,who scored 65,shared in a near record fourth wicket stand of 174 runs (in 152 minutes) after the West Indies had lost their first three wickets for 65.
Even with the early setbacks,the West Indians scored 130 runs in the two-hour session before lunch.
They followed with 142 runs in the two hours between lunch and tea.
MAJESTIC
This was really remarkable going.
Aided by a fast outfield,the West Indians hit 48 fours,plus a six by young lefthander Peter Lashley — 198 runs in boundary shots.
The crowd of 10,678 feasted on the great batting of Sobers and his majestic partner Worrell.
Even the perspiring Australian bowlers,and the fieldsmen with hands sore from stopping — or trying to stop - powerful strokes,voted it a"wonderful day's cricket."
They were unstinted in their praise of Sobers. Worrell played a thoroughly admirable part.
TROD WICKET
"West Indies star Garfield Sobers watches tensely after edging a ball from Alan Davidson at Brisbane Cricket Ground yesterday. It was a chance,but though Bobby Simpson got one hand to it he could not hold the ball. Sobers then was 128."Staff photographer
He brought discipline into the batting and steadied Sobers at a crucial stage of the innings,after two of his early batsmen,Conrad Hunte (24) and Rohan Kanhai (15) had been caught off rash strokes.
Sobers and Worrell had been dismissed within seven minutes of each other,soon after 3 o'clock.
Then little Joe Solomon,from British Guiana,playing his first Test against Australia,batted most creditably to reach 65 and help consolidate the position.
Solomon was out,unluckily,six minutes before"stumps."
In playing a forcing shot to square leg off spinner Bobby Simpson,he trod on his wicket and dislodged a bail.
Wicketkeeper Gerry Alexander,who had shown unusual restraint for an hour and three-quarters,will resume tomorrow with Sonny Ramadhin.
Ramadhin hit Lindsay Kline's last ball of the day to the boundary.
OUTSTANDING
Heavyweight Alexander could do some damage to the Australian attack if he gets another start tomorrow.
Alan Davidson,who captured the first three wickets at a cost to him of 33 runs off six overs,finished with 4-102.
He did a big share of the toil,with 22 overs,and was the outstanding bowler.
But the other fast lefthander,Ian Meckiff,was most disappointing.
He failed to produce his top-pace — he is just not thumping down that extra fast ball,the fairness of which some English observers used to query.
Meckiff had some ragged overs.
He was very lucky to claim the wicket of Sobers with a dreadful full toss outside the leg stump,at a stage when skipper Richie Benaud was ready to take him off.
The ball,hit too softly,flew from the top edge of Sobers'bat,and was easily caught by Kline near the square leg umpire.
Kline,preferred by the selectors to Johnny Martin in the final Eleven,showed fairly good control,although Sobers pelted him as well as the others.
Benaud,who found it difficult to counter Sobers,came through the ordeal of 19 overs with no sign of his recent throat infection.
The pitch,perhaps because of some lingering moisture,showed some variation in height in the early stages.
Davidson made some balls lift off a good length.
But the pitch soon became easy in pace. The sun shone warmly.
THREE"Ws"
Garfield St. Auburn Sobers,from the little island of Barbados which produced the West Indies'famous three"Ws."thoroughly established himself in Australian eyes with his magnificent batting which followed a recent unlucky period.
Sobers'only other score of note on this tour was 119 against Western Australia.
His previous highest score against Australia was 64 at Kingston (Jamaica) in 1955,when he was 18.
He and Clyde Walcott then had a fourth-wicket partnership of 179 runs—the best for that wicket for West Indies against Australia.
Sobers and Worrell today failed by only five runs to equal that stand.
Sobers'big performance in Test cricket came with a rush after he had turned 21. He holds the Test record with a score of 365 not out against Pakistan.
OFTEN DARING
He is now playing his 33rd Test against all countries,and with today's innings,he has aggregated 3,052 runs.
We will be seeing a lot more of this coffee-coloured young man of medium height,and we will be grateful for it.
His stroke play today was often daring;often elegant;he placed the ball extremely well,and,with perfect timing,imparted great power.
He made only two dangerous false strokes—an edge off Davidson early,past fourth slip,and another edge off the same bowler when 128.
One will remember forcing shots past point and some terrific straight-drives off Benaud.