13 MAY 1949, Page 5

Followers of cricket who were thrilled by the spectacle of

the Cambridge batsmen J. G. Dewes and G. H. G. Doggart beating the English record for a second-wicket stand, by scoring 429 last Saturday, looked forward with eagerness to seeing the two, both still not out, proceed to break the world record on Monday—which needed only 27 runs more. What could have been more startling or more discomfiting than the announcement on Monday morning that the Cambridge captain had decided to declare ? Apparently the two unbeaten batsmen were asked if they wanted to go on, and said No. It seems a pity. No doubt from the point of view of winning the match the right course was to put Essex in at once and hope to get them out twice before Tuesday evening. But a world- record would have been worth the difference between a win and a draw—and in fact, as it was, this match was only drawn.

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