CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1921, Page 1

CRICKET

FIRST TEST MATCH

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION. LONDON, May 28. The weather at the start of the first Test Match at Notts was alternating sun and cloud. The wicket was easy. Owing to the easy state of the wicket, Hendry played instead of Mailey, who is twelfth man. Douglas won the toss, and sent Knight and Holmes in to open for England to the bowling of Gregory and McDonald. The scoring at the start was brisk, eighteen being hit up in ten minutes. Then Knight played Gregory into Carter’s hands.

Tyldesley followed, but he succumbed to Gregory’s first ball, with the score unchanged. The bowling had plenty of devil in it, and Gregory had quickly found his length. He made tho ball hum. McDonald kept the batsmen strictly on the defensive.

Hcndren was next, and there was consternation when Gregory sent his two stumps spinning before he had broken the ice. This left the score at 3 wickets for 18 runs, after 25 minutes’ play.

Holmes was batting . finely, making pretty leg side glances and hooks. He was joined by the Captain. The fielding was keen and clean. Douglas shaped without confidence, preferring to stop Gregory’s fast ones with his pads. Armstrong relieved McDonald at 38, and immediately found his length. Douglas, in trying to pull one to leg. fell into Gregory’s hands at the slip. Ho played purely defensive cricket, but Gregory was unplayable and Armstrong had a ring of fieldsmen round the wicket. The Australians showed fine team work. Wolley followed. When tho score was at 50, rain stopped piny for half an hour. There was a second stoppage after a few minutes’ play. These interruptions hampered the howlers. Both batsmen scored freely lxrfore Gregory recovered bis length. Tho fieldsmen often slipped. At the luncheon adjournment tho score was 4 for 63 —Holmes 2(5 and Wool lev 10.

Oil resuming, Gregory and McDonald had charge of the attack. The batsmen scored freely. Then Woolley, in attempting a late cut, was taken finely by Hendry at second slip. In the same over, TTohnos, in trying an off drive, was clean-bowled. 6—3 o-

Woolley had batted crisply," driving to tho off, and cutting superbly Holmes was cautious, smothering the ball.

.Jupp signalised bis appearance by square-cutting, both Gregory and Hon dry, who wero now howling Rhodes started briskly with a lucky four over the heads of the slips. The century was hoisted in 110 minutes. The crowd continually applauded the fielding, particularly that of McDonald Andrews and Pellew.

•Tup]) at eight, tapped an easy one off McDonald to Armstrong. Carter then claimed another victim. Then Rhodes tipped a rising ball from Gregory into his hands. Rhodes played pluekily. 8—19—107.

The remainder of the Englishmen were soon disposed of. Collins accepted an easy chance in the slips from Stnulwick ,and Richmond drove ono back to Gregory, which he held. Though the wicket assisted the bowling Gregory and McDonald were superb. They were assisted by the great catching in th slips. Gregory bowled throughout. Tho weather was now sunny, and the attendance was probably twenty thousand when the Australians started their innings. Collins and Bardsley faced Howell and Douglas. The batsmen opened cautiously. Then Bardsley square-cut each bowler to the boundary. Richmond relieved Douglas at 28. Bardsley pulled his googlies to tho boundary. Next over Collins treated him twice similarly. Collins, at 17 had a narrow escape from being run out, and before he added to his score he got his leg in front in attempting to drive. Fifty runs occupied an hour in compilation. Mneartne v immediately got to work, and hit Howell to Hie boundary. Ho made ten off ono over off Richmond. Douglas eam<> on in place of Howell at fid. Bardsley was in fine all-round form.

Macartney, after 20 minutes’ dashing play, stopped ono from Douglas with his leg. 2—2o—Bfi. Bardsley was 40. when Taylor joined him. The newcomer, after a narrow escape from being run out in attempting a long drive, was caught by .Tupp at mid-off. Armstrong had a great reception. Bardsley brought up the century, and his own 50 in 100 minutes. Armstrong was slow in getting going, making only a single in n quarter of an hour. The howlers were keeping a good length, and the fielding was excellent, many of Bardsley’s cuts being saved on the boundary. Woolley displaced Richmond at 114, and .Tupp bowled instead of Douglas. Armstrong continued cautious. and scored two in half an hour. Rnrdslov also slowed down. Armstrong went at 11. heinrr clean-howled by .Tupn.

Bardsle.v was fill when Gregorv arrived He onened his account hv an off drive to the homidarv, and then got. a. flukey three off Woollev. Bardslev took three-quarters of an hour to make 15 runs after his hnlf-eontury. Then he fell leg before In trying to turn Woollev. this heinrr bis onlv mistake in two and a half hours’ "teat hatting. He bit seven fours Bellow came next. He should have boon caught aud bowled in the same over. UHrmoud resumed at 188. Gregory plnvod eoufident cricket nil round thpFE'M, mm 14 lip mw!e th* mi*-

• |*•'!**!* * « take of putting his leg before to Richmond. Carter partnered Pellew with only five minutes to go. In view of the rain, there was no tea adjournment. Pellew was confident and lively, and he marked the close of play by two smashing hits off Richmond. England hatted 1&) minutes and the Australians 170 minutes. Tho Australians’ hatting generally was marked by solidity and hard hitting. Tho English bowling and fielding were always of a high standard. The detailed scores are: - EN G LAND—First Innings. Knight ,st. Carter, b. Gregory 8 Holmes, b. McDonald 30 Tyldesley b. Gregory P Rendren, b. Gregory 0 Douglas, c. Gregory, b. Armstrong 11 Woolley, c. Hendry, b. McDonald 20 Jupp. c. Armstrong b. McDonald 8 Rhodes c. Carter, b. Gregory IP Strudwick. c. Collins, b. Gregory 0 Richmond c. and b. Gregory 4 Howell (not out) ® Extras 12 Total 112 The wickets fell as follows:—1 for 18, 2 for 18. 3 for 18, 4 for 43, 5 for 77 6 for 78, 7 for 101, 8 for 107, 9 for 108, 10 for 112. Bowling analysis Gregory 6 for 58, McDonald 3 for 42, Armstrong 1 for 0. t AUSTRALIA—First Innings. Collins, 1.b.w., b. Richmond 1/ Bardsley, 1.b.w.. b. Woolley 60 Macartney, l.b.w. b. Douglas 20 Taylor, c. Jupp. b. Douglas 4 Armstrong, b. Jupp H Gregory, 1.b.w.. b. Richmond 14 Pellew, (not out) 21 Carter, (not out) 3 Extras ” Total for six wickets 167 STRIKE RESULT AT NOTTINGHAM. i Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, May 28. On tho eve of the test, the Australian eleven went to bed by candle light owing to the coal strike. Severe restrictions prevail in Nottingham, the town being practically in darkness at night. At the Hotel Victoria where the Australians are staying the elevator was not worked in the evening and the visitors were obliged to obtain on the ground floor, candles which generally were affixed to beer bottles, and then ascend flights of stairs to thenbed rooms.

A PRESS ATTACK. (Received this day at S a.m.) LONDON, May 29. The “Observer” signalises the commencement of the tests with an amazing article on the hours of play dispute. and a heated attack in unmeasured terms. The paper says: “The management of the team is governed -by all take, and little give principles." It talks of farcical excuses and blames the Counties for weakly giving way.. It suggests that M.C.C. should have played on after six o’clock and claimed the match, if the Australians refused to play. The "Observer” twits the Australians with unsporting behaviour at Bristol, and hours of play condescension. It assets, that the hours fixed for .Tune 29th., 30th., and July Ist., have set the Midlands aflame. Other unpleasant statements include the accusation that the Australians objected to the publication of the names of umpires for the first test, on the grounds that the umpires might be got at. The writer urges the Australians to reconsider tho question of hours and abandon the policy which flouts and insults English cricket from the M.C.C. downwards “and what is graver still, is a breach of good manners.”

ENGLTSTP COUNTY CRTCKET. LONDON, May 28, At cricket, Lancashire defeated Hampshire by 27 runs. Parkin took nine wickets for 90 in the second innings.