CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1926, Page 3

CRICKET.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.]

AGAINST ESSEX. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, May G. The Essex match started in fine weather and on a good wicket. Collins won the toss and the Australians made a disastrous opening Collins being dismissed before a single run was scored. AUSTRALIA, First Innings. Collins, h Nicliolls 0 Woodful, h. Hipkin 201 -Macartney, c. Ashton, F>. Ilipkin Ifß Taylor, e. and b. ilipkin G Ponsford, l.h.w. b. Russell 23 Andrews, b. Ashton .’5 Richardson, b. Hipkin 45 Hendry (not out) 71 Gregory, e. Ncholls, b. Hipkin ... 7 Ellis (nut out) 17 .Extras v

• Total for 8 wickets 532 I THE PEAY DESCRIBED. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, May (5. I The attendance was seven thousand. I Collins was unlucky to get a magnifiI cent inswinger before he had found his I feet. .Macartney and Wood full quickly I settled down to work, and piled up I the score rapidly. The first hundred appeared in sixty-three minutes. MaoI artney was brilliant all round, while I AAoodfull was bright and attractive I notably in front of the wicket. The I field was kept continually on the run. Ihe conditions were wintry notwithI standing a fittnl sun. There were a couple of hail showers before lunch. I \\ bile tho Essex bowling was in no way comparable to Leicester’s, the batI ting hail undergone an entire change, being freer and more enterprising. Macartney obtained his century with a splendid cut to the boundary after being two hours at the crease. Woodlul took ten minutes longer. .V new hall did not diminish the rate of scoring, both batsmen turning and cutting fast halls trom Nicliolls delightfully and driving the medium-paced Eastman and slow Hipkin. Macartney gave an easy chance which Freeman, in the longfield missed, and a, square cut .‘next hall which was taken on ,tho boundary by Asuton. He displayed wonderful wrist work and hit ten fours. He hatted 150 minutes. The total was then 270.

Ilipkin, in the- next over, held a hot, wide return from Taylor, taking the hall almost oil the ground. Ponsford when thirteen was the subject of a curious appeal from Ilipkin. The ball appeared to remove the hail, and rebounding from the keeper’s puds removed tho other hail. The umpire derided in Ponsfurd’s favour. Wood fill continued freely, driving all bowlers impartially and found weak spots in the field. He late cut Ashton delightfully.

ichardson made an uncertain starl

t soon settled down. He relied large-

I.v on leg strokes. When the hoard showed II!), Woodful ran out for a terrific hit. missed and was howled, 110 had played a. ehaneeless innings of

forceful, superb driving and hatted lour hours. His score included I'oureeii fours and eighty singles. He Iliad i tremendous ovation on leaving the 'round: His principal partnerships vere with Macartney 270. Ponsford md Richardson (if) each. Gregory had a lucky escape in the lips when he had only one run on the

hoard and again when three he missed being stumped,. Hendry essaying a short run was sent hack and ought to have been run out easily, hut Nicliolls broke the wicket prematurely. The concluding stages of the play were quiet. Hendry played graceful all round strokes. The fielding was pateh v.