CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1926, Page 1

CRICKET.

fifth test. A DAY OF SURPRISES. SOFT WICKET AND LOW SCORES. [Reuter Telegrams.] LONDON, August 14. England have a tight grip on the Ashes, after having been in a tliorouhly had position at the end of their first innings. That is the outstanding feature of the remarkable play on the first day of the final test. The Australians were delighted to see the last Englishman out at 280, hut in the last hour the game dramatically swung the other way. To compensate for having fourth use of the wicket, Australia, must needs (hold a lead of one hundred runs. Will they get them? The day also was remarkable for the triumph of the googloy. It was Uni ley’s day. Six wickets fell to him, and two to Lis companion googler, Grimmett. They were the mainstay of the Australian attack, hut despite the initial success of the googlios, it must have been greatly worrying to Collins to see the manner in which Chapman later threatened to slog them everywhere. When luncheon saw three leading stars. Hobbs, Woolley and Hendrcn dismissed for a meagre total of 108. after hatting for 115 minutes, England was regarded as [laving discarded the advantages gained by winning the toss. Hobbs fell an early victim to the wily Mailey, just when ho looked to ho in his happiest inimitable single-stealing mood. A woeful full-tosser shattered the wicket of England’s greatest batsman. He lost his wicket by a kind of fate. Hobbs glanced dismayed at his shattered stumps, and then ho held up his hands with a gesture of helplessness ; hut the Australian innings brought him some compensation when (Macartney, ranking with Hobbs in greatness, lost his wicket by an equally innocuous hall from Stevens. Gregory, though howling better than in the previous tests of this series, was unsuccessful until Hendren played a, fast one on in the last over before lunch. It was a happy luncheon hour for Australia while England’s supporters looked glumly at the scoring hoard. The resumption of play saw Chapman all out to win his spurs as captain. The sound of his hat rang round the oval, but there was splendid outfielding, which converted the majority of his hard knocks into singles. Nevertheless he lliit several spectacular boundaries, and had hard luck to be stumped when one off the half-century. It was the end of a partnership that was extremely troublesome to the Australians because the fate of the googlies looked over much like being sealed. SUTCLIFFE BETTER. Sutcliffe improved considerably, and lie gave indications of being the dangerous Sutcliffe of old, hut the googlv won the day. It must be said here that Collins showed judgment in adopting Bardsley’s precedent of having a silly point and a mid on to slow bowlers. This plan was remarkably profitable, putting a. stopper oil the singlestealing tactics so noticnblc at Lords, when Collins Tast captured a test team. The dismissal of Sutclift'o was hard luck, following immediately on a slight bump on the face. Tate had a glorious knock of twenty-three in less than fifteen minutes’ spectacular cricket, until Grimmett stopped his fireworks. Tile Australians figured in an extraordinary collapse, losing four wickets in ninety minutes for sixty runs. It is evident that England’s bowlers were out to redeem the failure of the batsmen." Larwood and Tate were in exceptional form. Larwood always had Bardsley worried. After swinging several fast deliveries. Bardsley touched one to Strudwick, whoso elevonth-liour inclusion in the team was most popular. He held the catch. -Macartney made brilliant shots, hut the deep field saved fours. Two of the Australians’ liest were gone for forty-four. It was a most wretched outlook, and Ronsford failed to improve it. Tt was not his day, although ho had one let-off, being missed by Tate in the deep field. Australia’s dismal procession was not cheeked by Andrews, who has been a failure with the hat in those tests. Fortunately for Australia, Collins and Woodful played out time. This ended a day of many surprises. Australia still has fighters left, hut they will need to give of their best to retrieve the position. THE PLAY. LONDON, August 14. Collins finally decided to omit from the team Ryder, Hendry. Ellis. Everett and Taylor. Taylor was twelfth man. Strudwick replaced Brown ns keeper for England.

Chapman von the toss. He decided to bat.

The weather was fine and sunny. The wicket was orfsy, contrary to expectations.

The attendance at the opening was only twelve thousand, but it increased to twenty thousand during the afternoon.

Gregory and Grimmett opened the bowling for Australia, to Hobbs and Sutcliffe, the former opening tre score with a two to leg off Gregory, whose first over contained three halls that were faster than anything which he has previously sent- clown on the present tour.

Hobbs obtained the first boundary of the mate'll, hv cover-driving Grimmett.

Gregory maintained his pace, hut his direction was erratic, four of his halls in each of his overs going wide of the stumps. Tn the fifth over, Gregory altered his tactics by moving a couple of the slip men to leg, where, however, Hobbs gathered runs, placing his strokes with excellent judgment. Grimmett. while he was keeping a good length, did not obtain any turn with the hall. The wicket was apparently too soft to enable him to reproduce his recent form.

Sutcliffe, when he was five, had a lucky escape from playing on Gregory, the hall going only two inches off tlio wicket. Hobbs played freely when facing Mai lev, hitting him strongly to leg. Sutcliffe, at eight, survived a leg before appeal from both Mailey and Oldfield. Grimmett then Changed ends, and with the assistance of a breeze, he obtained a greater variety thus calling for care. Four overs produced only one run. The fielding was good. Richardson was the only man who was uncertain. When the total was fiftythree Hobbs succumbed to a slow full toss from Mailey. Hobbs completely misjudging the flight of the ball in attempting to drive Mailey out of the ground. Hobbs bad made a sounder opening than did Sutcliffe, but he was not infrequently beaten by Grimmett. After Hobbs left, the runs slowed down, until Sutcliffe broke the spell with a well-placed three in the slips off Mailey, who was tossing the ball well up for the batsmen to 'hit. Macartney made effective use of the over-

spin, the hall keeping very low. WoolIcy played comparatively freely against Mailey, sending him throe times to the leg boundary. Then he fell a victim to a ball from (Mailey which completely nonplussed him. Sutcliffe was never really comfortable when facing (Mailey, who heat him on several occasions. Hendren, however, was unlucky. Ho was batting confidently when he played over a fast delivery, the hall rolling to the wicket. The hoard now read three wickets for 10S.

Grimmett and Richardson kept- the runs down. Both howlers were difficult without being dangerous. Chapman relieved the tedium by offdriving Grimmett to the boundary, just out of reach of Richardson. Sutcliffe followed by off-driving Richardson in a safe fashion. While Chapman was enterprising, Sutcliffe was the apotliesis of caution. He acquired practically all his runs by superb placing, and he took no risk. [When the total was 170. Chapman lifted Mailey to five yards in front of Ponsford on the boundary. The latter, however, was more intent on fielding the ball than in attempting what was a. fairly easy catch. Chapman was stumped very smartly in going out for a vigorous drive off Mailey. He had hit five fours, and made 49. He received an ovation for his spirited exhibition. The total was then four for 189.

Stevens was lively and ho compiled his seventeen runs in twelve minutes. Ho roused the crowd hy hitting Mniley over tile top of the pavilion screen for a sixer. The next hall, however, he was smartly taken by Andrews at silly point, with the total at 213 for '5. One run later saw Sutcliffe clean howled by Mniley for 73 runs. He had hatted 215 minutes, and he hit six fours. Rhodes was cheered on returning to tho international field. Before he 'had scored, Rhodes gave a chance off Mailey to Collins. Geary was unlucky in being run out. Rhodes called' a. very doubtful single, and he was half-way down the pitch before Geary had started. Richardson at square leg threw down the wicket from a distance of twenty yards. Tate then exploited the unprotected leg side, sending Grimmett for a four another four and for one in the first over that he received. Grimmett’s field was practically all on the off-side. Only Bardsley was left on the leg side: Tn the next over, Tate added runs as follows off Mailey: Two. six, and one. From the first of these hits, Ponsford, in tho long-field, made a poor attempt at a not difficult catch. With three byes, tho over yielded fourteen. Tate was then bowled from his pads, thus giving Grimmett his first wicket, after bowling 28 overs. The brightest period of the day was Tate’s partnership with Rhodes, which yielded thirty-five runs in nineteen minutes. The total was now 260 for 8. The innings was brought to a conclusion for tho very moderate total of 280 runs, when Rhodes was snapped at the wicket. Mailey howled with magnificent variety and judgment. The flight of the hail was with him always troublesome. His length was occasionally faulty. He gained the utmost from the 'drying wicket. AUSTRALIA OPENS. Just on five o’clock, Woodful anti Bardsley opened Australia’s first innings to Tate and Larwood, who after a couple of erratic halls, howled an excellent length'. Bardsley survived an uncomfortable over from Larwood, and he continued to nibble at Idm till, when the total was nine, Strudwick made a good catch at the wicket. Geary, while fielding a hot cut of Wood ful’s, had his hand cut open, n.nd Tyldeslcy replaced him in the field. Macartney turned Larwood gracefully to leg. Tate was swinging well, and he required the closest watching. Tate howled five maidens in the first seven overs. Macartney was clearly out for runs, stealing singles cleverly. He was always on his toes, and he allowed no opportunity to pass. He went out to a hall which he attempted to pull, hut which ho played on. The hoard read two for 44. Ponsford was dismissed very smartly. He turned Tate to leg and then started to run. Ho was sent hack By Woodful, hut he failed to regain the crease before Strudwick, taking Larwood’s quick return, broke the wicket. Woodful and Collins then played out time. It was owing to an injuiry to Brown’s thumb in a county match that Strudwick was summoned to be present at the Oval. ENGLAND.—First Tunings. Hobbs, b Mailey 37 Sutcliffe, b Mailey 7(5 Woolley, b Mailey I s Hondren, b Gregory 8 Chapman, st. Oldfield, b Mailey ... 4b Stevens, e Andrews, b Mailey 1' Rhodes, c Oldfield, b Mailey 28 Geary, run out 3 Tate, b Grimmett ■ 23 Larwood, r Andrews, b Grimmett 0 Strudwick (not out) 4 Extras

Totiil 280 Bow Ting analysis.—Gregory, 1 for 31: Orinmett, 2 for 74; Mailev, 6 for 13S; Macartney, 0 for 16; Richardson. 0 for 10. _ Tlie fall of the wickets tvns ns follows :—53 for 1. 91 for 2. 108 for 3 189 for 4, 213 for 5. 214 f° r 6, -31 for 7. 200 for 8. 206 for 9. AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. Woodful (not out) ; 22 Bnrdsle.v, c Strudwiek, h Larwood - Macartney, h Stevens Ponsford, run out “ Andrews, h Larwood " Collins (not out) _ Extras ° Total for 4 wickets 60 PAYMENT OF THE PLAYERS. LONDON. August 14. Tt is interesting to note the payments being made to the professional test match players for England In the three days’ matches, these are £33 for each professional, £22 for the twelfth man. £2O for each umpire, and £l7 for each scorer. The amateurs are allowed first-class railway fare and two pounds daily for expenses. , , The Board of Control has decided that, in the event of the test match lasting more than three days, the professionals shall be paid pro rata. A PATHETIC feature. unemployed sell places in QUEUES. LONDON, August 14. There were lengthy queues waiting at the four entrances. to the Oval at one o’clock this morning. \ workless Vauxhall man secured the first Place at the Harleyford Street > entrance. He said that he was keep- ■ in „ it to sell it in the morning, hut ■ that he would give it to anybody for a job.

Other unemployed men expected to get from one- to two pounds for their places in the queues. “It is worth two pounds to stay here all night,” said one. ENGLAND HOPEFUL. (Received this dav at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 15. The Sunday papers consider tho position generally is not unfavourable to England. (Maurice Tate in “Reynolds News” states—l know the Australians are worried. I think we are going to win. Larwood bowled perhaps faster than I have seen any other man bowl. The “Sunday Express” states England’s ohanees of victory at one time remote, are now at least as good as when the match started.