M.C.C. TAKE FIRST STRIKE

Chronicle (Levin), 1 November 1946, Page 7

M.C.C. TAKE FIRST STRIKE

MATCH WITH VICTORIA COMPTON BATS BRILLIANTLY Reccived Thursday, 7.45 p.m. MELBOUKNE, Oct. 31. With a perfeet wicket and fast outfield, England won the toss and went in first. A-bad start was made by Washbrook snicking the first ball he received from Johnston, the fairly' fast left.hander, who made a ball with a good length, rise higher than expected. Hutton, who was rnore eonfident, stayed 36 minutes until he lost flight of a ball from Johnson, the slow1 off-spinner, and was bowled off the pads. Gibbs was never eonfident and was nearly bowled several times but stuek 90 minutes before a ball of good length from Ring, the slow leg break, bowled him. Hardstaff was never on top although he used his feet. He hit Johnson high for four and pulled the next for three before the fast medium riglit-hander trapped him with a slower ball. Compton was the star of the innings although he had a slight early difficulty in judging flight, running out to short pitcbers and playing back to overpitched balls. When he settled down he plaved delightful strokes every where, favouring sweeping leg sliots and making full tosses of those of good length whieh were punehed straight. There were several delightful cover drives. He hit three fours, one over Ring, a short ball going behind point. He eraclced another to square leg and turned a third off the hip for five to the leg ienee, Teaching 50 ih 77 minutes, including seven foura. The highlight of the match was Compton 's 143 in 190 minutes. His 19 fours were perfeet geins of liard hitting, well timed aggression. He was a little uncertain in footwork but soon settled down, delighting his erities with strolce play. In one spell when 100 were added, only 27 came from Yardley, his partner. His sweeping leg shots were delightful and shots past cover and point were features of his innings. He was worried oecasionally with Tribe 's "wrong 'unM but he was generally master. This display indicates that Australia will have difficulty in keepiug England to a reasonable score in the Tests Yardley enhanced his Test prospeets with a sound but unspectacular displaj with his legside play especially strong Voce and Bedser hit out merrily scoring three sixes. Seores: — ENGLAND. First Innings. Hutton, b Johnson 15 Washbrook, c Barnett, b Johnston 0 Gibb, b Iling 22 Compton, c Harvey, b Bing .. .. 143 Hardstaff, lbw, b Freer 15 Yardley, c and b Tribe 70 Ikin, not out 22 Langridge, lbw, b Tribe .. *. .. 0 Voce, c ahd b Johnson 21 Bedser, not out 22 Extras * 19 Total cight wickets for . . . . 349 Wickets fell: 3, 31, 76, 132, 251, 293, 293, 318. Bowling: Johnston:! for 65, Freer .1 for 62, Johnson 2 for 79, Tribe 2 for S2, Itiug 2 for 42.