CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1926, Page 3

CRICKET.

FOURTH TEST.

CONDITIONS ON SUNDAY,

[Reuter Telegrams.] LONDON, July 15. There lias been intermittent rain throughout the day, but the weather was improving towards evening, the barometer rising quickly. Play may be resumed at eleven.

CARR ILL. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, July 26. There was little rain on Sunday, leaving a hope for piny to-day. The weather is warm but there is no sun, witli threatening clouds. The wicket is soft. Carr (captain) is in bed with tonsiliti.s and will not field to-day. Hobbs will lead the team and Chapman field in place of Carr. The start was delayed till 11.30 when bright sunshine shone out. The Englishmen took the field headed by Hobbs. (Received this day at 9.0 a.m.) AUSTR.A LI A—First Innngs. Bardslev c. Tvldesley b. Stevens ... 15 Woodfull, o. Hendren b. Root 117 Macartney; b. Root 109 Andrews, c. Chapman b. Stevens 8 Ponsford, c. and b. Kilner 23 Richardson, c. Woolley b. Stevens 0 Ryder, c. Strudwick b. Root 3 Gregory, e. Kilner b. Root , 31 Oldfield, (not out) 2 Grimmett, (not out) ; 4 Extras 7

Total 8 wickets for 322 THE PLAY DESCRIBED. (Received this dav at 11.1) a.m.) LONDON, July 27. The attendance was thirty-five thousand. The softness of the ground demanded an early and copious application of sawdust. Tate opened with four maidens. lie had an excellent length, but was slightly off tlio wicket. Bardslev was uncertain and twice was badly beaten, lie also played across a ball dangerously. Early runs came off Root from Woodful, wlio found gaps to leg. The first dozen overs produced only thirteen of which Woodful scored ten. Then Bardsley hit Tate for four all run. Root continued to peg away at Woodful’s leg, but the latter declined temptation, as Sutcliffe, Tate, Hendren and Chapman were all ready to snap up unconsidered trifles. Stevens took up the attack, his second ball being a long bop, winch Bardsley hit strongly to leg anil was well held by Tykleslev, high up. The total was then twentv-nine.

Macartney had a magnificent reception. He was confidently appealed against for leg before, first ball. Stevens third over was most varied. The first hall had Macartney hopelessly beaten. 'Pile second he nearly pulled on to tlio wicket. The third was a long hop which was duly despatched to the boundary. The score mounted slowly mostly by singles. Hobbs, who was acting as captain, in Carr’s absence, rang tlie changes on t/he bowling frequently, giving tlie batsmen no time to .settle down. A long spell of quiet play ensued, Macartney breaking the monotony by cutting Kilner just off the slumps to the boundary. Root, meanwhile, continued accurately, compelling Woodful to follow the ball most carefully. He sent down seven successive maidens* before Wood fill, who bad monopolised Root’s attention obtained a single past third short leg.

When the total was 64 Woolley replaced Kilner and the scoring brightened up. Woolley had no length and Macartney cut and drove him superbly. His two overs cost nineteen runs. Wood ful’s patience in playing Root roused the crowd to facetiousness. There was a great roar as Strudwick fielded a hall and a portion of tlie crowd appealed. Woodful took two steps towards the pavilion but the roar was nipped in the biul when it was discovered the batsman had .not played the ball. He sent Tate to leg for a single and brought up one hundred ill/ two hours.

The bowling, apart from Tate and Root was loose in length and variety, and left much to be desired. The trundlers gained no assistance from the easy paced wicket, the sun having disappeared inside half an hour. Woodful was stolid and- content to follow the ball right up to the bat. Macartney was as brilliant as ever, after the first jolt timing magnificently and driving powerfully. When 59 and 62 he survived appeals for leg before, and a. catc-b at the wicket respectively. Ayiieu 64 be fell into Root’s trap, and edged a ball just in front of Tate, escaping by a font only. Root who was bowling continuously on the teg side and breaking back, gave tlie fewest runs. Macartney obtaining tlie only four by booking him square to the boundary.

When the total was 159, and Macartney 71, ho called for a., quick single, and started racing down the wicket, but was sent back by Woodfull. Chapman at deep point threw to the bowler’s end and missed the wicket by indies, with Macartney well out of the crease. Runs came easily and quickly. The Sydney batsman restrained himself and awaited loose balls, of which there were too many', especially from Stevens, who was having an offday and giving the outfields plenty of work. Hendren and Chapman were frequently applauded for smart saves. Macartney crawled towards bis hundred, and only scored a couple of singles in the course of six overs, which brought him to 99, where lie stuck, allowing hall 'after ball from Root to go past bis leg stump. A single to leg off Tate, brought up his century in 173 minutes, bis third in the present series of t?sts, thus equalling Sutcliffe’s record in Australia. After this, Macartney took risks and lifted Root to the on boundary. He then bad a. wild drive at a breakback, missed it completely, and was' bowled. He hie fourteen fours and batted for three hours superbly and characteristically. The partnership yielded 192. Woodfull with a boundary through the slips off Tate, also reached his second test century in four hours, only live hits being fours. When 105 be bad a lucky escape, skying Root beyond Ivilner at mid-on. The latter was slow and made a poor attempt to get back to an easy catch. Just before tea Woodfull was dismissed by the only poor shot in bis innings, cocking Root up to silly leg. He played soundly for 250 minutes and bis score included six fours. The Board then showed 252 for 3.

Andrews fell to a magnificent catch by Chapman, who ran in and judged the swerve of the ball cleverly. Ryder was uncertain and unhappy throughout his short' stay. The bowlers now had a say, Andrews’, Richardson’s and Ryder’s wickets falling for 14 runs. Gregory and Ponsford carried on brightly. The former when six had a life smacking Root hard into Tate’s hands at square-leg, but he could not bold it.

The cricket after tea was slow. The sun and breeze were drying the wicket gradually, but not sufficiently to be of much value to the bowlers. The third century appeared as the result of a wide from Tate, and without addition to the score Ponsford fell a victim to Kilner, who magnificently held a, low-, hot return to the left hand. The cricket then became slower still, only two being scored in twenty minutes., '

Gregory who was. suffering from a gum-boil and obviously in pain, played one of his soberest innings of the tour, but presently' he woke up and knocked a five, four, one and one, o"ff Kilner, and four, two, four off Root, after which he was easily caught by Kilner in attempting another drive. The total was 318 for 7.

The fielding throughout- was quick and clean, but it was observable that Tate tired towards the end and was occasionally at fault. Oldfileld and Grimmett played out time with the score 8 for 322.