THE FIRST TEST MATCH

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 300, 25 June 1896, Page 2

THE FIRST TEST MATCH

ENGLISHNEN WIN BY SIX WICKETS. (Per Press Association.) London June 23. The ground was again crammed to-day and the weather was delightful when the test match was resumed. Giffen took four wickets for 95, Eady 3 for 49, Trott 2 for 13, Trumble 1 for 55 Jones 1 for 64. Australians.— Second innings. Darling, b Richardson 0 Eady, c Lilley b Richardson ... 2 Giffen, b Richardson 32 Gregory, c Lohmann b Richardson ... 103 Trott. c Hayward b Richardson ... 143 Graham, b Richardson 10 Hill, b Hearne 5 Trumble, c Lilley b Hearne 4 Jones, c Jackson b Hearne 4 Donnan, b Hearne 8 Kelly, not out 24 Extras 12 Total 347 Richardson took 6 wickets for 134 rune, Hearne 4 for 76, Lohmann 0 for 39, Hayward 0 for 44, Jackson 0 for 29, Grace 0 for 14. England. — Second innings. Abel, c substitute b Jones ... ... 4 Grace, not out 7 Hayward, not out 4 Extra 1 Total for 1 wicket 16 Gregory was rather lucky at the beginning of his innings, several strokes going in the air, and Richardson more than once stuck Trott up. Both men soon settled down and began to punish the bowLng. Hayward appealed for a catch in the slips when Trott was 61, but the decision was in the batsman's favor, a verdict with which the Englishmen appeared dissatisfied. Upon resuming after lunch, Grace and Richardson were bowling, the latter being severely treated, the crowd applauding the free hntiug of the two Australians. Lohmann replaced the fast bowler at 177. The fielding was rather loose at times, and Lilley missed Trott off a difficult chance before he reached the century. Once the captain had a narrow escape of being run out. Frequent changes were resorted to before the separation could be effected, but at 283 Gregory was grandly caupht in the slips, Lohmann falling over in hie effort. Gregory was batting for tw © hours and three quarters and never gave a chance. His 103 included 17 fours. Only 6 runs later Trott was smartly caught at mid off. His innings lasted three hours and a half, and among his hits were 24 fours. Both men received a great ovation from the crowd for their spirited batting. June 24. After Trott and Gregory were got rid of the batting collapsed. Hearne, who had not met with any success in the early part of the innings, bowled with considerable effect, and the wickets fell rapidly. Hill left at 300, Graham at 804, Trumble at 308, and Jones 10 runs later. Donnan went in last, and though virtually only able to bat with one hand, played up pluckily for half an hour and enabled Kelly, who hit spiritedly, to advance the score to 847.

Upon the Englishmen going in again Jones and Trumble opened the bowling. With the score at 6 a dangerous batsman was dismissed in the person of Abel, who was smartly caught in the slip by Iredale, who was acting as substitute for Donnan. Twelve thousand four hundred people paid for admission on the second day. England won by six wickets ; Stoddart, not out, 30; Gunn, not out, 13. The last 28 runs were knocked up in 17 minutes. Brown hit up several in dangerous proximity to fieldsmen, and was once missed by Kelly. The fielding of the visitors was excellent.

One of the most exciting and remarkable test matches played between All England and the Australians took place in 1882 on Kensington Oval. The visitors only made 63 runs in their first effort (Blackham with 17 being top 6corer), and the Englishmen responded with 101 (Ulyett 26). In their second innings Australia put together 122 (Massie 55, Murdoch 29). Requiring only 84 runs to win it looked an easy victory for England especially when the telegraph board showed 51 for ono wicket. Then Spofforth got to work and a panic ensued. Wickets fell in rapid succession, and the innings closed for 71, Australia thus winning one of the greatest battles ever fought in the cricket fields by seven runs. The excitemeat as the game progressed was intense. Men who were noted for their coolness at critical, moments were trembling like a leaf. One spectator dropped dead and others fainted. Spofforth and Boyle never showed a symptom of flurry Blackham made only one mistake, and the fielding of the Australians was as near perfection as fielding could be. Spofforth's bowline; showed : First innings seven for 46 ; second, seven for 44.