SECOND TEST BEGINS

Chronicle (Levin), 14 December 1946, Page 6

SECOND TEST BEGINS

Press Assn.

— ♦ England's Weak Batting Spectacle

By Telegraph

-Copyright

lleceived Friday, 9.30 p.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 13. Having dismissed eight English batsmen. for 219 ruus, Australia has every rcasou to be satisfied "vvitli the first day's play in the seeond Test. The English batsmen shaped very badly against Australia 's spin attack. In. 45 minutes after lunch Australia gained the ascendancy. In that tiine England lost three of her best batsmen for the addition of 11 funs. McCool and Jolinson were the heroes of the day. They bowled splendidly througliout and alvvays had the batsmen guessing. A splendid crowd for a Friday of 11,710 savv the play. Winning the toss Hammond had no hesitatiou in electing to bat on a "sliirtfront" wicket. Smith was ehosen in plaee of Voce wlio played in the first Test and Hardstaif was again twelfth man. Meulcman was niade twelfth man for Australia. The weather was brilliantly fine whcn Hutton and Washbrook opened to Miller and Freer. The first ball of the match went. for four bycs and eight cauie from Miller 's first over. There was an early shock for England when Freer (Victorian . medium paced bowler wlio was clioscn as substitute for the fast bowler Lindwall) with the sixth ball of his first over, knocked back Washbrook 's niiddle stump. It was a good length ball to whieh the batsman played forward. In Freer 's seeond over Edrieh survivcd au appeal for a catelx at the wieket. This early setbaek resultcd in the batsmen being somewhat subdued but Hutton seored two fours with a straight drive and a cut past point. Both shots wero gems. Despite a few buuipers from Miller and the steady bowling of Freer, Toshaek and Tribe, llutton and Edrieh defended eonlidently and seored from anything loose.

Toshaek was the model of aeeuraey. Only six runs eanie from his prcluneh spell of seven overs of whieh two were maidens. llutton at 31 survived a most eonlident appeal for a eateh at the wieket oif Miller. The bowler, 'kceper and three slips fieldsmen all threw their arnis in the air but the umpire said it was not out to the obvious disappointment of the Australians. In the same over Hutton eut the ball just sliort of third slip. A short buniper and a ball whieh beat Hutton and grazed Ihe stunips eompleted the most sensational over. At lunch (after" 90 minutes of play) England's seore was oue for 00. Epon resuming Hutton and Edrieh seored freely from Miller and Tribe so Jolinson was brought on in plaee of Aliller. He had .immediate sueeess as Hutton was eaught behind on the leg side from tlie sixth ball. Hutton batted 112 minutes. MeCool replaced Tribe and in his seeond over Comptou was out in an extraordinary manner. The batsman ossayed. a drive but edged the ball to Johnson iielding as the only slip: Jolinson fuiublcd the ball and knocked it baek towards the wicketlcecpcr, Tallon, who dived and in falliug field the ball onehanded elose. to the ground. Hammond came in and after a few uneertain strokes fell victini to the MeCool-Tallon eonibination. Three wickets had faHeu for 11 runs and MeCool had two for fivc. Ikin who was the next batsman opened his aeeount with a single, niaking the total 100 after 115 minutes. Edrieh meanwhile had been batting solidly, if slowly, and reaehed 50 with a delightful eover drive to the fence after 1 5(5 minutes of batting. Johnson and MeCool eompletely

dominated play for the next hour. Edricli and Ikin found it almost impossible to seore off Johnson who at one stage bowled TI overs, eight of whieh were maidens, at a cost of three runs. Ikin was very uneertain and survived thre'e leg before appeals. It took him an hour to reaeh double figures. In the 105 minutes between lunch and tea 67 runs were added. Johnson and MeCool continued their hostile attack after tea and finally Edrieh missed a straight one from" MeCool and was out leg before. He batted 202 minutes and hit six fours. Ikin and. Yardley continued* to treat the bowling with the greatest respect but the latter livened proeeedings by hitting MeQool to the boundary twiee in oue over. Ikin was very troubled and onee a ball from McCool played by Ikin brushed against his stumps without dislodging the bails. Both umpires examined the wieket before Ikin was allowed to continue. After being in all sorts of trouble, Yardley snicked one to the wieketkeeper. Smitli was next and was out in Johnson 's next over. Ikin, who was 36, was dropped in the same over. A total of 200 was raised after 275 minutes and thcu Jolmson bowleil Evans. Ikin reaehed 50 in 15'5 niinuten and despite a very lucky innings, was undefeated at stumps. ENGLAND. First Innings. llutton, c Tallon, b Johnson .... 39 Washbrook, b Freer 1 Edrieh, lbw, b MeCool 71 Compton, e Tallon, b MeCool .... 5 Haimnond, c Tallon, b MeCool . . 1 Ikin, not out 52 Yardley, e Tallon, b Johnson .. 25 Smith, lbw, b Johnson 4 Evans, b Jolmson 5 Bedser, not out 1 Extras 15 Total, for eight wickets . . . . 219 Fall of wickets: 1 for 10, 2 for 83, 3 for 97, 4 for 99, 5 for 148, 6 for 187, 7 for 197, S for 205. Bowling, Aliller 0 for 21, Freer 1 for 25, Toshaek 0 for 6, Tribe 0 for 62, Johnson 4 for 31, AleCool 3 for 56.