New Zealand v England

At Christchurch, February 28, March 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Drawn. Rain ruined this match for it prevented any play on the first, second and sixth days. In fact, after discussions between New Zealand officials and Alec Bedser it was decided to do away with the rest day, the third day, when the match eventually began following an early lunch.

Denness put in New Zealand to bat in the hope that the damp pitch would help the bowlers, but it was too slow for the quicker men despite varied bounce. The ground was freely treated with sawdust and England's hopes rose when Arnold had Morrison taken at third slip off the first ball. Then Turner and Congdon resisted valiantly against the seamers on whom Denness mainly relied. Underwood sent down only three overs during the day of four hours, Greig two and Wood four.

Hendrick, playing in his First Test since he broke down at Melbourne at Christmas, kept the ball well up. The batsmen survived many lbw appeals while in the stand was Ewan Chatfield, who had made a wonderful recovery from his accident only three days earlier.

Shortly before tea Congdon fell to a fine catch by Wood high to his right in the gully. Hastings failed, and then Parker helped his Worcestershire colleague, Turner, to add 74 before the close when New Zealand were 140 for three with Turner 62. On the fourth day, Arnold, at the top of his form, often beat the bat, but for once during the tour the fielding fell well below standard and five catches were dropped.

Turner and Parker took their stand to 115 before Greig, with off spin, dismissed Parker. In the first over after lunch, Turner, having stayed six hours for 98, was leg before to Arnold but England met further resistance from Wadsworth, Hadlee and Cairns before New Zealand were all out for 342.

At the end of the day, Amiss and Wood scored 57 without being parted and on a slow pitch that had eased, Amiss, following three noughts and 19, regained his best form and, excelling with the drive, reached 164, including twenty-five 4's, in six and three quarter hours.

Denness assisted in an unbroken stand of 151. He made only three runs in the hour after lunch and then cut loose in the confident style that had marked his batting for two months since he dropped himself for the Sydney Test at the New Year. After that he scored 804 runs at an average of nearly 115 in nine innings: 42, 157*, 99, 14, 50, 14, 188, 181 and 59*. Seldom has a captain or batsman silenced his critics so effectively.