INNINGS LOSS AVERTED

Chronicle (Levin), 15 June 1948, Page 5

INNINGS LOSS AVERTED

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Coijiplon Bats Magnjficently f'or 154 Not Out

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Received Tuesday, 10:10 a,m. L.03SP.QN, JUhe 14, England has averfced .an innipgs defeat in the first Test at Tr.ent Bridge. At stumps, after a fiogged fourth da-y's hatting, Englaud was one run ahead of, Australia with four wickets to fall. Witliout .the truly magnificent innings of 15.4 not .out by .C.ompton, Australia might easily have forced an innings victory. Compton continued .conftdently, -but pl-ay was hamipered' by over.cast. conditions with a thunder storm, near at hahd- An appeal against the light .was disallowed, but a little later a shower stopped play.. The score mounted slowiy, and a second break -came about 10 miiiut.es later. Miller ended Hutton's excellent mnings of 74 after 50 minutes' play •this morning when he bo\vled hiip. vitn a .toeautiful ball that swung from the bat and knocked back the middle and off stumps. Hardstafi took his place, and on his owp. gr uund quiekly got into his stride. He played confidently, scoring 3jL, •mcluding a couple of boundaries, oefore the luncheon adjournment. Compton had meanwhile -continued steadily, and was 63 not out when Jie adjournment was taken. Fqr the loss of one wicket England had chus added 62 to their score, reducing the number required to save an innings defeat to 1*53 with seven wickets in -hand, After lunch Hardstafi: got Johnson nicely away to the boundary and Compton with a three brought nis score to 66 and tne total to l'G.9. •Then amid applause Hardstafi with a two brought the score past the .econd century. . Compton with a lovely shot, found the boundary and brought his score to 70.

Australia's bowling throughout the day was^ostile, and the fieldmg with one or two lapses was prilliant. Subdued bOoing foliowed two bumpers in Miller's midafternoon spell with a new bali. Compton, who batted for 347 minutes, hit 17 fours in his unfin-' ished innings and held England's h.attjng together. He did not for a moment relax his monumental concentracion after he had passed 100. He gave Ian Johnson a hard chance at first slip ofi Miller immediately he reached his century and Talion ' missed another catch ufi W. Johnston* a few minutes before stumps. ' ' | W. Johnston, who dismissed Bar-1 nett and "iardley, consistently had •Jompoon in trouble. Details: — AUSTRALJA First Innings . 509 ENGLAND First Innings 165 * .Secoiid Innings Hutton, b Miller 74 VVashbrook. c Tallon, b Miller 1 Edrich, c Tallo'n, b I. Johfison 13 Jompton, not out 154 rlurdstaff, c Hassett, b Toshack 43 Bafnett, c Miller, b W. Johnston 6 Yardley, c and b W. Johnston 22 : Evans, not out 10 Extras 22 Total (for .6 wickets) 345 Fall of wickets: One for 5; two for 39; three for 150; four for 243; five for 264; six for 321.

O. M. R. WMiller 33 0 1 2 W. Johnston 43 12 99 2 I, Johnson . 38 15 .62 1 Toshack ... 3? 14 60 "1 Barnes 5 2 11 0

Bowling