Lives in Cricket No 30 - MJK Smith

102 Zealand, only 13 of the 17-man party stayed on. Opponents who had been whitewashed in the summer now gave a better account of themselves, managing to draw all three of the four-day Tests. They were fortunate to survive at Christchurch, their ninth wicket pair batting through the last 34 minutes after there had been moments of anxiety for England earlier in the match, not least when they lost their first four batsmen for 47. A stand of 113 between Mike and Parfitt followed by 88 from Allen, his highest Test score, saw England to respectability, Mike following his first innings 54 with a top-scoring 87 to set up the declaration that so nearly brought victory. There was another New Zealand collapse at Dunedin, but time lost to rain earlier in the match helped contrive another escape. The final match, at Auckland, played in more pleasant weather, offered England the chance of victory after trailing on first innings. Needing 204 in 272 minutes, but without the services of an injured Edrich, their batsmen were confronted by ultra- defensive fields and a dilatory over-rate. Mike contributed 30, an innings in which the special correspondent for The Times praised his running and commented that he ‘deftly combined aggression with defence.’ But it was to no avail, as England were unable to increase the tempo of what had always been a pedestrian match and closed on 159 for four. Ashes frustration