CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1924, Page 1

CRICKET.

FIRST TEST AIAT’CJI. tUSTKALIAN AND N.Z. OAIILB ASSOCIATION SYDNEY, December 23. Play on the fourth day of the first test match commenced in bright and very hot weather. The wicket was on the hard side, and the outfield was good. A. Piehardson and Kellewav carried on from the previous day, to the howling of Tate and Gilligan. Tale was in good iorm. hut ltichardsoii cut his oft .stufi nicely, and piled up a score in good style reaching JO in 02 minutes. \\ lien the hoard showed 81, Richardson was nearly run out. He called on Kellewav, but tin* latter did not move, itichardsoii was then three-quarters oT the way down the pitch. He bad to rush back, and just succeeded in beating the ball. Gilligan nursed his howlers, and made frequent iliangos, lnit Richardson j laved them all confidently. A favourite stroke of Bichurdsou’s is the hard drive down the pitch, Hoarne, evidently remembering his .Saturday’s painful experience, left them alone. Gilligan, howling n nice length, with the assistance of a breeze, maintained a good pace.

Kellewav scored slowly, 23 runs Liking 7o minutes. The second wicket yielded 7J runs. Collins, on going in to hat. received ail enthusiastic welcome. He open, cd cautiously, and in the half an hour before lunch, made only two runs. Freeman’s deliveries were pitched well up. and they dropped quickly, and, although Richardson was stepping well out. he was usually unable to get properly under them. Tate sent down a few loose halls. The runs against him were mostly stolen singles, with an occasional “bif”, cut or glance. The English fielding was excellent. Chapman, Gilligan and Freeman being responsible for some sharp returns. The hundred was signalled after 7S minutes' play. Gilligan’s bowling showed a considerable improvement over Ids last week’s performance. After lunch lie had the batsmen tied up and In* sent down three successive maidens. Talc, Mifi'ering' from an injury to his foot, was unable to reproduce his first day's form. Nevertheless, he was responsible for some good work. Piehardson, when two o[f the century. tapped the ball back into Freeman's hands. Piehardson has an unfortunate habit, when within short dis-taui-e of a century, of trying to pass it with a big hit. Just before he was dismissed, he had a narrow escape. No occupied the crease for IGO minutes and hit nine fours. Collins now look upon himself the burden of scoring anil the play livened up. The slow howlers Hearne and Freeman, were not proving very deadly. hul smart fielding was keeping the runs down. Collins showed splendid judgment in placing his strokes, and he gained much applause from the onlookers. The second century took I'dß minutes. When the total reached 210. Collies pul the hall into Woolley s hands in fin* sli] s. hut the fieldsman dropp'd ii. Collins’ own tally was then 3i. Wool ley redeemed himself somewhat by brilliantly catching I’onslord. SYDNEY, December 23. Heavy clouds made their appearance during the afteriicon, and the condit ions "been m«* sultry. At the tea adjournment. lie* wind dropped, and al | ;,() ;i heavy gale, with a dust storm, arrived, and compelled an adjournment with the score at ■* for 2-iS, ns it was almost impossible to see across tin* ground. A phenomenal scene 10lIm.vcd. Tin* crowd wore .scurrying for shelter, while mvriads of newspapers, whirl, had been used to sit upon, wore blowing up in tin* air and across the ground. A little rain fell ahonl five o’clock, and play was resumed al .Toll in a heavy wind, hut it had Gi he abandoned for the day six balls later. The al tendance was sixteen thousand. AUSTRALIA Ft. Timings h’ n ENGLAND. Ist- Tunings -0. \I\STPAid A 2nd. Timings. oo Pardslcy b. Tale "" V. Richards.,n c and h Freeman ... *£ Kellewav. b. Gilligan (ol I ins (nnl out) U.iu ford. e. Woolley, b. Freeman -< \- uicliai ds-on. e I iendren. h T ale 18 || inlrv (md out) Extras /’ . • 1 1 O‘Q f i\il:il for five WH-KOls “