CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1926, Page 2

CRICKET.

SECOND TEST MATCH. BAIIDSLEYLS BIG SCORE. [Reuter Telegrams.] LONDON, June 26. The second test match began on the Lords ground to-day. Play opened in brilliant sunshine. The attendance totalled twenty-five thousand. It included the King-. The wicket was perfect. The English team was as followsCarr (captain), Chapman, Hobbs, Strudwiek, Woolley, Heiidren, Sutcliffe, Kilner, Tate; Larwood mid Root. Holmes is twelfth man. Collins won the toss. He decided to bat. Tate and Root were the opening bowlers. The score started with a bj'e from Tate’s first over. Root immediately commenced with bis leg series to Collins, who resolutely declined- them. Root’s first delivery in the second over, however, had Collins completely beaten. The ball came from the off. It was one similar with those which Root did damage at Birmingham, bowling Collins. The score was then eleven for one wicket. Tate’s third over was -a maiden, but it included one ball which Bardslcv was very lucky to keep out of his wicket. Bardsley misjudged the stroke. He clipped the ball hard on to his pad, thereby saving bis wicket. Thus warned, Bardsley. soiled down to bis favourite stroke, the glance to log, which he employed to good effect.

It fell to Macartney’s lot to have to play Boot. Whereas Collins had left him severely alone, and was thus trapped by a ball which came back, instead of going away, on the other hand Macartney went forward to Root whenever possible and played the ball off the pitch. When seven. Macartney had ft lucky escape from log before from Root, who played up to Macartney’s habit of getting in front of the wicket.

Carr then made a double howling change’ putting on Kilner and Larwood. Macartney in playing against those two bowlers gave signs of overanxiety. His strokes were characterised by ail occasional uncertainty, although bis scoring shots were crisp and attractive.

Larwood’s length, after a couple of overs, became variable . Bardsley knocked some nice boundaries off him. Larwood’s fourth over to Macartney, however, was full of incident. The first ball produced an unsuccessful appeal for leg before. The second ball was a wide on the off side, and it was chopped with a strange stroke most unlike Macartney. The third ball was superbly sent to tbe boundary to square leg. The fourth was sent to the boundary through the slips. Tho fifth went for three to leg. Macartney followed up by driving Kilner to the on boundary.

Ail hour produced 63 runs. Tate shortly after this replaced Larwood, Macartney by then was set, and be played Tate stylishly. He hit a single into the slips dangerously near Chapman. who got his fingers to the all. When thirty-seven, Macartney was given the benefit of the doubt when there was a strong appeal for leg before.

Tho English fielding throughout was clean and keen. Carr and Hendren were the most prominent. Larwood, in a second attempt with the bail, found his feet, and 110 got Macartney well caught by Sutcliffe at second slip off ft rising ball, which Macartney should have left alone. Macartney hit four fours.

The board now showed 84 runs for two wickets.

Wood I'll I followed the example of bis predecessor, and lie left Boot’s leg balls severely alone. After lunch, for the first time in history, the English, amateurs and professionals came out together at the central entrance of tho pavilion.

Bardsley. when 52, cut Larwood hard and low into the hands of Carr, but the English captain failed to hold it. After obtaining a number of singles, Woodful, when IJ. over-reached a ball, and was uell taken at the uicket lou(Iomii.

Rardsley continued to give a polished exhibition of cutting and leg hitting. Tate bowled with good judgment, but, except at one period, he was not dangerous, and he seemed to give the batsmen little real anxiety. Andrews was never comfortable. Ho gave two chances before Kilner accepted a- hot return from him. A buzz of excitement came from the crowd as Gregory took up his position, but before he got going. Larwood had him completely beaten, he being howled when seven.

Rarclsley, after a slow spell, began to score by boundaries. He inade-’one brilliant leg glance, iust deflecting the hall from his wicket. He reached the century with, a fine drive past cover. The century took 195 minutes. This was Bnrdsley’s third test century, all of them scored in England. After howling twenty-three overs. Tate secured his first wicket, Taylor putting his bat to a ball which kicked badly, and he was easily taken in the slips after making nine. The total then stood 2fiS runs for G wickets.

Richardson’s position in the hatting order, in view of his recent displays, caused some comment. He was soon off the mark, and ho gave a splendid exhibition of driving. Bardsley, when 112. was badly missed by Strudwick off Tate, the wicket keeper fumbling an easy catch. After tea Bardsley "as aggressive. He straight drove Larwood’s express balls. Richardson followed suit, and Carr then changed the bowling. He made changes every four or five overs, using mainly Tate. Root, Kilner and Larwood. Richardson was taken by a hall which heat him all the way. Tie hatted eighty minutes for 35 runs. His score included six fours.

The seventh wicket had added 74 runs. Bardsley continued to hat freely. adding the larger proportion of the score from the front of, the wicket. Ryder opened shakily, but then he opened out and he drove Tate splendidly. Just on time, however. Ryder was snapped at the wicket bv Strudwick.

Hards ley’s display was superb. His score is a, record in the England-Aus-tralia tests at Lords. So far lie has hit thirteen fours in his total of 173.

Stumps were then drawn, with the total 33? runs for 8 wickets. AUSTRALIA .—First 1 linings. Collins, b Root 1 Bardsley (not out) 173 Macartney, c Sutcliffe, b Larwood 39 Woodftfl. c Strudwick. h Root- 1 Andrews, c- Kilner 10 Gregory, b Larwood 7 Taylor, c Carr, 1> Tate 9 Richardson, b Kilner 3-5 Ryder, e Strudwick. b Tate 28 Extras 23 Total for 8 wickets 333 LONDON. June 20.

The first of the test match enthusiasts arrived outside the Lords grounds at nine o’clock last evening, prepared for a. night-long wait for the nine thousand unreserved seats. By nine, thirty o’clock the queue had lengthened and policemen arrived to arrange it. They will also he on all night duty. Those among the crowd not carrying attache cases had their pockets bulging with eatables. The weather forecast is that the conditions trill mainly be fair, with some sunshine and a few showers.

(Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, June 27.

Kelleway in the “Sunday Express,” states:—“lt hag been mainly Bardsley’s day. The 'great left-hander playcd all the bowling in the same easy way and was never in doubt throughout. England fielded well following the magnificent example of Carr, who injured a hand in stopping a cut from Bardsley, Of the bowlers, Root was easily the best. The others worked hard and bowled accurately, but Root obviously gave the batsmen more to think about than all the others. As the game stands Australia lias come out very well arid reached a total which at one time seemed unobtainable.” Maclaren writes in “News of tho World ” :—“ The Australians after tea failed to push home their advantage. If their later batsmen had hit out and got out and enabled England to bat a few minutes at the end of the day it Mould have been better from the Australian viewpoint than over-cautious batting which has made a draw almost inevitable. When we lose the toss on a good wicket it is something that our opponents’ tactics have saved us from defeat.”

Tate in “ Reynolds’ News,” alludes to Collins’ luck in winning the toss and giving the Australians first knock on the most perfect pitch I have played on since I n-as in Sydney.”

POLYNESIAN RESEARCH. HONOLULU, June 26. The Pan Pacific Union has appointed committees for the Polynesian Research Conference here ill 1928. Carruthers, referring to the conference, said Polynesians shall not perish, COMMENT ON PLAY. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, June-27. The “ Sketch ” says the first day of the test M-as not exactly a feast of sparkling cricket and not garnished with Worcestshire sauce, for Root, except for his early triumph of tricking Collins, M'as not the Root of the Birmingham rout. Nevertheless that first and only closing of the leg theorytrap was (humourously pathetic. Thrice in Root’s first over Collins lifted his bat and let swingers pass with something bordering on sublime disdain. But Collins had not learned the lesson at Birmingham, and almost contemptuously he let the next ball alone and it whipped in and the leg stick M*as skittled, while his hat M-as still cocked in the air. Andrews never got his eye in and M-as a victim of Kilner’s guile in pitching up off breaks. Macartney even M-as not venturesome, a proof that the boM'liiig was consistent and needed watching. He M-as not the old superb Macartney or else he n-ould not have felt out for Larwood’s ontswinger and given Sutcliffe a spectacular chalice. Woodful seemed muscle hound and Taylor weighed down by the run of country calamities. Gregory was strangely mute and inglorious and Richardson streaky and uncertain. Ryder aroused the crowds ire hv pottering twenty minutes for tu-o before he got going. Bardsley was the unconquered hero of the day; He M-as always masterly, reproducing for the first time of the tour the most delightful left turns to fine log. He was really tho only batsman to treat Root as a mere circumstance of the game. Carr was not only the most outstanding fieldsman but lie handled the bonding masterfully. He made twenty-four quick changes. The game seems certain to be a draw.