CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1926, Page 1

CRICKET.

———— -oTHIRD TEST. AUSTRALIANS 366 FOR. THREE. [Reuter Telegrams.] y LONDON, July 10. n For the third test match at Leeds, [_ there was an, attendance of thirty-five thousand people. The weather was ” warm but overcast and the wicket was ~ on the easy side, though it proved surprisingly good in view of the preceding .] day’s rain. There was no rain over- 1 s night and the pitch dried wonderfully. The English team was as follows: v Carr (captain), Chapman, Geary. Hobbs, Hendrcn, Kilner, Macaulay, f Sutcliffe, Strudwic-k, n'l’te and Woolley, s The twelfth man is Larwood, v The Australians team is as follows—e Andrews, Bardslcy (captain), Gregory, . Griinmctt, Afailey, Macartney. Richnrdc son, Ryder, Oldfield, Taylor and Woode full. The twelfth man is PonsfOrd. I England won the toss and they put Australia in to bat. A WICKET FIRST BALL, s Tate’s first hall was fatal for BardsI Icy. He snicked it low down into the i hands of the first slip. Bardsley was 1 a picture of disgust when Sutcliffe brought off an easy catch. It was a < bull which ordinarily Bardsley would I have left alone. It was bail high, and > Bardsley played a defensive stroke. -Macartney opened his score with a i couflc through the slips off 'fate’s i third ball. Then there was another ■ sensation, for Tate’s fifth ball, which i Macartney cut into the hands of Carr, was amid groans-, dropped. It was nr. easy catch. Macauley presented little difficulty to Macartney, who drove him all round tlic wicket, but Tate was bowling with ; splendid judgment, and be was more I difficult. Wood full, who replaced Bardsley, was uneasy in facing Tate, and was beaten by him three times in four overs with narrow margins. I Macartney, when thirty-six survived a loud appeal for leg before off Tate. .Macartney bad now begun scoring freely, while Woodfnll put a solid defence, but lie was confident in bis display, except against Tate, whose variety with the exception of one over, in which he was wide, was all that could bo wished. Macauley’s bowling left much to be : desired. His length was bad, and bo was soundly punished by Macartney. The first hundred runs, of which -Macartney was creited with eiglity-three, appeared in seventy-five minutes. Woodfull continued to use defensive tactics. He was very safe. He followed the ball closely, being content to keep Ilis wicket up. Woolley went on to bowl, but bo proved expensive. Macartney brought up bis century with a single off Woolley, the runs being made in 103 minutes. After lunch Woodfull was brighter and he made effective use of the turn to leg, practically all his runs coming off Geary. - Tate was howling well on the wicket, turning in good style, and he required the closest watching. Macartney was now playing brilliantly. He square cut superbly and showed excellent wrist work. Woodfull brought up the second hundred in 133 minutes with a strong olf drive. The bowlers had now lost their terror to the batsmen, who hit out freely all round the wicket. Macartney gained many runs from his favourite stroke, picking up the ball on the break and turning it square to tho boundary. Geary was the unhappy sufferer from this treatment. A GREAT INNINGS CLOSES. When the total was 235 Macartney , lifted the hall high and it went into , the hands of Hendren at mid off, and that closed his,account. He batted for , 175 minutes with amazing skill, plac- , ing the ball wonderfully. It was the greatest innings of the Australian tour. It included twenty-one fours. , OVATION FOR, MACARTNEY. As Macartney neared the pavilion, , the members rose and cheered him wildly. He also received an ovation from the crowd. : This second wicket partnership, real- , ising .235 runs, is a test match record, , beating Collins and Ponsford’s 190 in 1921. ” The fielding was keen throughout, many runs being saved by quick- ground work. Fourteen runs later, Kilner obtained a leg before decision against Andrews, who bad played with a lack of decision. * WOODFULL VERY CAREFUL. Woodfull crept slowly towards the century. He was sticking in the nineties for forty minutes. Eventually, with an on drive for a single he reachtbe goal of the century after 220 minutes' play- This is Wood full ’ s fust test century. Richardson when 23 was dropped by Geary at first slip off Macauley, the ball coming straight to the fielder, but spinning out of his bands. Approaching the tea adjournment, the batsmen were lively. Richardson getting boundaries three times off Kilner in one over. Both men were non well set, and they dominated the howling. They scored at a moderate pace and never looked like being beaten. BAIN COMES.Light rain started at five o’clock. After a few minutes,.,it became heavier, and interrupted play, which was not' resumed. Woodful up to this time had hit eleven fours and had played, a chance less innings for 134. Richardson was 70, having hit nine fours. Their partnership yielded 117 runs in 96 minutes. CARR’S JUDGMENT CRITICISED. Carr’s action in sending in the Australians on an easy-paced wicket after winning the toss is much discussed. There is no question of his courage or ability to make up his own mind in arriving at far-reaching decisions, but many question the discretion. On the other hand Carr probably counted on obtaining the Australian wickets quickly before the effects of the rain had worn off, and while the morning dew was on the wicket. Scores: — AUSTRALIA—First Innings 1 | Bardsley, c Sutcliffe, b Late ® jj Woodfull (not out) 134 3 Macartney, c Hendren, b Macauley 151 | Andrews, 1.b.w., b Kilner J Richardson (not ont) -• ,0 | Extras | Total for 3 wickets 36G | MACT,AREN’S COMMENT. 9 (Received this day at 8 a.m.) | LONDON, July 9. 1 | Maelaren, in the “News of the 1 World,” says, “whether Tatcj, Mac.au- | lay, Geary or Kilner had the ball, I g have never seen English bowling in g any test so completely dominated by g the batsmen. The wicket was no good | for Geary who always nseds life in it. | Too many cooks undoubtedly spoiled | the broth. I will always thiiik the | captain alone Should carry cult hi§ own B policy, withatit interference. We have

bowlers who will prove their worth in tests when the conditions suit them. Root would have kept Macartney quiet. His absence enabled a great batsman to transform the bat into a Lewis gun. The Australians made us suffer from 'errors with a vengeance. Carr has all my sympathy.” COMMENT ON PLAY., s THE REASONS WHY. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) I * LONDON, July 11. Ilarilsley’s downfall, which was due to nibbling at Tate’s first ball which was going away from tbe wicket brought a deep• roar of delight. Another anxious moment .followed i'll the same over, Carr twice juggling with a dunce by Macartney which came high and sideways rather wide of slip. When Macartney got going he made England’s bowling look commonplace and created a wonder''as to what ailed Carr’s judgment if Carr really was the culprit It. is rumoured that the sending of the Australians in was the result of a conclave whereof the ‘'dectors aro not ignorant. The idea "as that the sun might shine and make the wicket difficult but the sun was unobliging. Another theory was that the emergency wicket was used bemuse the real pitch was flooded by an overflow from the covers might favour the English howling, but in Ihe light ol ibis reason it; is difficult to explain why Parker and Root, who welcome dampness,- were not included. Whatever was in the minds of Carr’s advisers, it was dashingly shattered by Macartney. Tt was a sporting crowd who cheered delightfully as the little wizard wielded the bat as n merciless flail, doing what be wanted, wlicsi and liow be wanted despite how tbe field was placed. Woodfull acted as a perfect foil, safe, sure and solid, to Macartney’s exuberance. 'When Macartney’s forcing shot found Hendren’s safe hands tho crowd rose, not in mere relief Lo seo tho playing of tbe bowling over, but in splendid appreciation of the innings of Macartney’s lifetime. Richardson opened his shoulders and his driving inspired Woodful with aggressiveness. They smote the tired bowling a merry pace till rain stopped them. The day’s play is regarded as sufficient assurance that the Australian’s form in the second test was all wrong. It is states! that not fewer than six selectors and advisers examined the pitch before the decision to send in the Australians was made. It is understood that Gilligan is indignant at the course taken. Maelaren at lunch time heard a remark—“ If 1 were in Carr’s position I would put on Parker and Root to open tho bowling.” This sums up a large body ol opinion. LONDON, July ID The “ Despatch ” says the wicket which exjverts believed to be tricky and a bowler’s paradise, tricked f England. Carr’s ixild stroke appeared successful when Bardsley was dismissed by the first ball, but Macartney’s and Woodful’s record for a second wicket partnership and their ruthless flogging of England’s attack, showed tbe wicket was not a bowler’s but a batsman’s paradise. The truth is, Carr was misled by the sun’s brilliance when lie inspected tbe wicket. Ho expected it to continue, causing tlio surface to cake, resulting in trickiness, but the sun was mostly hfddc-n by clouds. Bosnquet writing giving full consideration to expert opinion behind the decision says there is no question that Carr was justified in expecting the howlers to get considerable assistance from the wicket. Therefore he adopted a hold policy and sought the best, chance of winning. That the decision failed, was due to Macartney’s wonderful display. The howling was exceedingly ineffective and disappointing. Sewell, writing in the “Sunday Herald ” declares never in the history of the tests was there such erroneous : tactics. The omission of Parker, Root ] and Larwood was tantamunt to a deci- • sion that it was not a bowler’s wicket, < therefore when he won the toss it was absolutely essential that England should bat. That many selectors mean , n greater risk the trouble his humiliatingly proved.