THE TEST MATCH

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 223, 15 June 1921, Page 5

THE TEST MATCH

ENGLAND DOES BETTER IN SECOND INNINGS FINE DISPLAY SY WOOLLEY By Telegraph—Pres, Association—Copyright London, June 13. The fielding of the Englishmen was a vast improvement on that in the first Test. Gregory, however, who had had a lucky let-off at second slip off Durston, was given another life at the same point when he was at 33, though it was a difficult change. Haig was mainly bowling the off theory, and eent down three successive maidens to Hendry, who was trying hard to get him through cover .point. In the next over Hendry beautifully drove Haig on the off to the ropes, sending up 250 in two hundred minutes. Hendry continued to give tho are of five fieldsmen on the off plenty to do, but tho fielding was capital, especially that by Parkin at coyer point. Park ill was making the ball rise sharply on the off to Gregory, who, however, got two perfect cover drives to the ropes. Hendry was dismissed by a beautiful ball, which took the off stump. He had batted for forty minutes.. The last four wickets had fallen in eighty minutes.

Gregory brought up his fifty with a magnificent hit to square-leg, which reached the boundary, and a straight drive to the ropes off one over from Haig. He had been batting for seventyfive minutes, and soon afterwards gave an easy return to Parkin. Gregory’s was a valuable innings, marked by caution and hard hitting. Parkin had been bowling well, mixing his pace, and deserved his initial success. Carter aroused enthusiasm by exploiting his favourite shots through tho slips, one of which put Australia a .hundred ahead. Parkin ran down tho pitch and caught Mailey two vards from tho crease. Carter in the next over lifted high a ball from Parkin almost to the ropes at deep leg, and drove Haig to the on boundary, sending up 300 for two hundred and forty-five minutes’ play. Carter continued confidently, timing well, and hitting with great vigour. The field was set deep, and the boundary well protected in every direction,, but Carter continued to get fours in a way remarkable to see. Durston was brought on with the object of breaking tho last-wicket stand, which had realised 2G in fifteen minutes. M’Donald got him through the covers Immediately. Then Woolley appeared, and Carter square-cut him to the ropes. M’Donald did likewise in the same over. The crowd were amazed, and cheered every stroke. Carter continued placing Woolley in all directions, and sending him through deop leg to the ropes, but the second slip was stopping many fine shots. Carter got Dnrsten past the four slips to the boundary, but Durston, with a medium-paced ball in the next over, dismissed him. The partnership had lasted half an hour, and had realised 53 by beautiful cricket. The Australians’ innings had lasted 2G5 minutes.

England’s Second Innings.

Dipper and Knight came out to commence England’s second innings. Gregory opened the attack from the nursery end. and got Knight's wicket in the second over. Knight attempted to pull a ball which rose high, giving a simple catch to the wicket-keeper. One for 3. Gregory was making the ball jump more than in tho first innings, and Woolley, who replaced Knight, was struck in the back. It was evident he was in pain, and Armstrong rubbed Woolley’s back, and was cheered and “coo-eed” from tho Australian pavilion. Dipper was aggressive early, getting two leg boundaries off M’Donald. Another rising ball from Gregory struck him on the wrist, and a small section of tho crowd shouted, “Take him off!” Dipper was driving M’Donald confidently, mainly to the leg side. The . first half-hour’s play realised 30 runs —Dipper 20. Tho clean fielding by Pellew at long-on, Taylor in tho Outfield, and Andrews at cover was frequently applauded. Woolley settled down, and gave, a graceful exhibition, mainly of cutting,, which was in marked contrast to Dipper’s forcing tactics. The first bowling change camo at 39, Armstrong relieving Gregory. Fifty went up in fifty minutes. and then Hendry wont on in place of M’Donald, who was presenting littlo difficulty to the batsmen. Armstrong’s appearance had tho desired effect, and the scoring was much slower. Dipper’s aggressiveness changing to gentle hits in front of the wicket. Armstrong’s first five overs gave one run. Hendry, also, was inexpensive, thanks to tho fielding of Pellew at long-off. Woolley broke the spell by perfect fours off Hendry to the off-side and behind square-leg.

Armstrong at 68 gave Mailey a chance to disturb the partnership, and he put Gregory on at the pavilion end. liendry dropped Woolley at first slip, low down, off Gregory. Woolley was then 36. Both batsmen found it hard to get Mailey away. Mailey was keeping a lino length and turning the ball several inches, but Woolley got in some slashing cover-drives, and square-cuts nt Gregory’s expense,’ playing him with the greatest confidence. Woolley’s 50 was obtained in 85 minutes. With the total at 96 M'Donald went on again and immediately got Dipper with a yorker on the off-stump. Two for 97. Hendren camo in, and square-cut Mailey to tho boundary, sending up the century for 105 minutes’ play. Woolley was thoroughly set, and punched McDonald to the boundary through the covers and straight-drove him to the ropes. Hendren looked like breaking his run of illluck until a ball from the edge of his bat rebounded off Carter into Gregory's hands. Three for 124.

Douglas name in, and Armstrong replaced M'Donald at 126. Woolley created enthusiasm by pulling his first ball to the boundary. England was still 30 behind Australia, and Douglas and. Woolley settled down to another dogged stand. After tea Gregory’s express deliveries from tho .pavilion end, and Mailey s slows, formed a disconcerting contrast, the batsmen taking lime to play themselves in again. Woolley, with a cut for two. brought up 150 for 145 minutes’ play. A little later Woolley drove Gregory, and England reached the Australian total, Woolley being responsible for 88. The interesting defensive play continued, relieved by Woolley getting glorious strokes through the slips to the boundary off Gregory, and by Douglas’s sterling singles. Everyone wanted to see Woolley reach his century, but ho fell to a brilliant eatc.h off a full-blooded drive, Hendry at short mid-on juggling the ball for several seconds. Four for 166. Gregory, with a beautiful delivery m tho next over, disturbed the captains off and middle stumps. Five for 165. Thus there was a remarkable change in the half-hour after tea. ‘After bowling for eoventy minutes, Gregory was perceptibly tiring, though he wiw seldom loose. M'Donald relieved him. and got Evans leg-before in his first over. Six for 193. The only cident of tho partnership between Evans %nd Tennyson was Carter's failure to hold the latter when he was 9. off Gregory. Tennyson, who had not boon really comfortable, sent up 200 for 205 minutes’ play, by driving Mailey to the boundary.

A minute later, Haig's middle stump was rooted up by M'Donald. Seven for 202. Parkin came in, and Tennyson livened up, getting Mailey and M'Donald to the ropes several times. Armstrong relieved Mailey, who had been bowling

for a hundred minutes, ten minutes before time. Parkin shortly afterwards skied a l>all to long-off, into Fellow’s safe hands. Eight for 235. Strudwick followed, and scored 6 oft' Armstrong’s last: ovor. Stumps were then drawn, with the score at 2-13. THIRD DAYS PLAY USEFUL INNINGS BY TENNYSON. (Rec. June 15, 1.25 a.m.) London, June 14. When play was resumed to-day ihe sky was overcast. The wicket was unchanged. There was a small attendance. Armstrong entrusted the winding-up of England’s innings to ihe fast bowlers. M’Donald, at the pavilion end, grazed Strudwiek’s bails with his third ball. Tennyson, though frequently mistiming M’Donald, executed useful strokes, bringing up his 50 with a sparkling legboundary at tho Victorian’s expense, and making tho total 250, which had taken 215 minutes to get. Fortunately for England Tennyson got most of tho bowling,- and on passing his 50 ho treated AUDonald lightly, driving him to the off and pulling him to the boundaries. Gregory broke the partnership with a fast ball, sending tho wicket-keeper’s offstump yards behind, Strudwick having pulled him to tho ropes tho previous ball.

Tennyson was unhappy facing Gregory, but cut a rising ball past deep third man, and hit him through tho covers several times. He managed to keep most of the bowling from Durston, whom Mailey dropped in nn attempt at a backward catch at point, when the score was 265. Tennyson showed admirable enterprise. To ensure his getting ihe bowling over after over ho would follow a boundary drive with a single off the last ball. Thus the score mounted rapidly, 48 appearing in forty minutes. But these tactics could not last, and Durston eventually faced Gregory, who rooted out his leg stump with his second ball. Tennyson batted ,105 minutes. His score included ten 4’s. Australian-* at the Wicket. Requiring 129 to win. Bardsley and Ancjrews opened Australia’s second innings ngainst the bowling of Durston and Douglas. . _ _ At th© end of f»n hour’s 'batting Bardsley had made 37 and Andrews 43, and the total was 85. A quarter of an hour later Parkin got Andrews leg before. The retiring batsman had rnadle 49, and Bardsley’s score was then 48, and the total 103 for one wicket. Tho following are details of the scoring:— ENGLAND. First innings I®" Second Innings. Knight, o. Carter, b. Gregory 1 Dipper, b. hl'Donald 40 Woolley, c. Hendry, b. Mailey 93 Hendren, c. Gregory, b. Mailey 10 Douglas, b. Gregory 14 Evans, 1.b.w., b. M’Donald 14 Tennyson, hot out ‘4 Haig, b. M’Donald 0 Parkin, c. Pellew, b. M’Donald 11 Strudwick, b. Gregory 12 Durston, by Gregory 2 Extras J 2 Total 253 Tho wickets fell as follow:—One for 3, two for 97, three for 124, four for 165, five for 165, six for- 198, seven for 202, eight for 235, nine for 263, ten for 283. Bowling Analysis. -Gregory, four wickets for 76 runs; MUlonald, four for 89; Armstrong, none for 19; .Hendry, none for 15; Mailey, two for 72. AUSTRALIA. First inning? - — 342 Bowling Analysis.—Durston took four wickets for 102 runs; Douglas, two for 53; Parkin, two for 72; Haig, two for 61; and Woolley, none for 44. Second Innings. Andrews, 1.b.w., b. Parkin 49 Bardsley, not out 48 Extras - 6 Total for one wicket . 103