CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1926, Page 3

CRICKET.

FIFTH TEST. [Reuter Telegrams.] (Received this day at 9.0 n.m.' LONDON, August 10. The weather is dull and cloudy ami the wicket good, but somewhat cut up ’ by the bowlers’ footholds. ENGLAND.—First Innings 280 AUSTRALIA—First Innings. Woodful, b Rhodes 35 Rardslcv, <■ Strudwick, b Larwood 2 Macartney, b Stevens 25 Lunsford, run out 2 Andrews, b Larwood 3 Collins, c. Stevens Ip. Larwood Cl Richardson, <:. Geary b. Rhodes ... 16 Gregory, e. Stevens b. Tate 73 Oldfield, (not out) o;i J Grirmnett, b. Tate 34 Maile.v, o. Strudwick b. Tate 0 Extras J 7 Total 302 Howling.—Hi to 3 for 40, l.arwood 3 for 82. Geary 0 for 44, Stevens 1 for 85. Rhodes 2 for 35. The fall of the wickets was—-1 for 9, 2 for 45. 3 for 51. 4 for 59, 5 for 90. 6 for 122, 7 for 229, 8 for 231, 9 for 293EXGLAND—Second Tll niiigs. Hobbs, (not out) 03 Sutoiiffe. (not out) op Total for 0 wiykcts 4<J Stumps were then drawn. The play described. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) LONDON. August 1(>. Collins opened confidently against Tate, playing the ball safely, plumb in the middle of the bat, but was somewhat uncertain facing Larwood and showed a disposition to edge the ball dangerously into the slips. He gave (•bailees when eight and ten and then proceeded to dig himself in. Tate drew the field in, until seven men were closely encircling the wicket. Only Sutcliffe at third man was anyway

'loop. It bodes started ivith two maidens, which Woodful played with apparent ease. It hades enticed him further out and then sent down a ball much fuller in length, which Woodful entirely misjudged and played on to the wicket. 5 for 90.

Tate had Richardson guessing he had a lucky escape from playing a hall on. lie then survived a leg before appeal. Collins played his accustomed game well, and hatted for an hour for .sixteen. Me was never in difficulties and met all the howling with ease, not attempting to score except under the safest, conditions.

A curious incident occurred when he had reached twenty-two. He was beaten by Tate and the hall rebounding off Striidwick's pads was caught by Collins, who returned it to the wicketkeeper. No appeal was made by the field, however, and Collins continued his innings.

Chapman changed the howling frequently and gave the batsmen no chance of settling down. Rhodes after an over in which only three singles were scored, sent down maiden after maiden to Collins, who was only once beaten. The grimuess of the struggle was shown, by the fact that three hours hitting produced only 120, including eleven byes.

Richardson sent a hot return to Rhodes, which he was unable to hold. Fie was then called on to play several overs from Rhodes, who repeated the tactics that were fatal to Wopdful. He induced Richardson to leave the crease ho hit. and eventually lie drove one hard in the direction of midoff, where Cleary made a magnificent two-handed catch very low and wide. The hoard then read 122 for ti.

Gregory arrived and proved to he in fine form. After ten overs, nine of which were maidens. Rhodes was dispatched to the boundary from all excellent cut by Gregory. Collins had a narrow escape when twenty-seven, mistiming an offhreak from Geary. He edged the ball past the leg stump. The first hull Gregory received from Geary he despatched straight to the boundary, but in the remainder of the over he. was beaten five times. Gregory. however, introduced life into the game. Geary trying the leg theory, had Tate, Hendren and Woolley close up on the leg side for Collins, hut the latter refused to he trapped. The attendance was thirty-three thousand. Except that Gregory was more careful, lie played his usual game. When thirty-eight lie gave n difficult return to Larwood hut his luck held. After lunch ho skied the first ball from Stevens just out of reach of the howler. He was then cheered for a magnificent '•ut to the boundary. Collins continued his sterling game alul was a monument of patience. He had been batting for ho minutes before he hit his first four, pulling a short ball from Stevens to the boundary. Stevens was not difficult. and lacked variety. Gregory made a couple of lucky snicks off Larwood just wide of Chapman at first slip, the second of which brought the seventh wicket .partnership to one hundred in 97 minutes, of which Gregory’s share was seventy-two. Next over, in trying to hit Tate to leg he tipped a hall gently into Stevens’ hands at short leg, alter a magnificent, all round display, full of courage and enterprise. It was a superb otfort to pull the game round. He hit ten fours in 102 minutes, the partnership yielding 107. . A couple of overs later, for the addition of two runs, Collins was caught by Stevens from a faulty stroke oil the fast howler. He had hatted 223 minutes. It was a great effort characterised by doggedness and determination throughout and was a splendid example for a captain to sot. His score included only two fours.

Eight wickets were now down for 231, and the total still well behind England’s score. A further effort was wanted and Oldfield and Grimmctt supplied it. The former was stylish but a trillo uncertain, and had a life early. The pair added a .series of most useful singles. The fielding was very keen, and the batsmen took no risks, being content to await loose balls which were very few.

Grimmctt followed Collins’ model closely. When sixteen after a lucky four through the slips oft Rhodes, he had a narrow escape of being run out and was only saved by the slowness of Stevens in taking a good retuin lioiu Geary. The partnership was characterised by quick running, four being obtained from a cut by Grimmett in the direction of third man, which ordinarily would have been two. Every possible run was gathered in. Grimmett especially found Stevens, to Ins liking. A couple from Geary brought the total to 280 and a quickly run single by Oldfield off Tate put Australia ahead.

Tate, with a superb inswinger, eventually uprooted Grimmett’s middle stump, after an invaluable partnership of sixty-seven for tho ninth wicket. Grimmett was confident and in nowise affected by the critical state of the game. ,He hatted magnificently for seventv-six minutes. Only four more were, added, -Mailer being caught at the wicket. Oldfield was brilliant on both sides of the wicket and only grand fielding saved a much heavier total. When England went in again, Gregory and Grimmett opened Australia s attack. Tire former was not difficult. Hobbs secured the first four after 25 minutes, swinging Grimmett Ao the leg boundary, Hobbs with another smug

off the same howler wiped off England’s deficit. In the half an hour left for play both Hobbs and Sutcliffe hatted cautiously and found runs difficult to obtain through the well set field, Alailey again mixed his howling well and utilised the full toss, which was, so successful in the first innings, but this time it was sent to the boundary repeatedly. Macartney was tried and his first over was a maiden which mode Hobbs think furiously as he was thrice beaten. Time arrived before fifty was reached, despite the encouragement of the crowd.

LONDON, August lfi. Warner adds: “ Collins was a monument of patience and grit. Even the most ardent Englander could not fail to applaud his gallant effort. Without him Australia, would probably have been sixty or seventy runs behind.” Referring to Oldfield and Grimmett, Warner says they “played quietly, but soundly. The score sheet will show how amazing was the tail of Australia.” Ihe official forecast indicates some possibility of thunderstorms and rain. Obviously this would make a big difference to the fate of the match. The wicket at- the close of the play was in splendid condition. The Australians see no reason why it should not last. They are delighted at the splendid recovery.

FURTHER CRTTICISM. LONDON, August lfi. Warner describes the day as one of tremendous cricket. At the close, fortune had in nowise decided upon which side 'it will eventually smile. The Australians true to traditions, seetn to delight in getting into a tight corner and then getting out. This greatness in adversity was always a marked characteristic of their cricket. The time to fear the Australians most is when one thinks they are beaten. This match is deigned to rank among the most famous. In the last hours when it was vitally important for England that neither Hobbs nor Sutcliffe should he dismissed, T lived through an eternity of time. 1 never once liked the look of Collins. He revels in a crisis and as he held the breach, he excelled himself. NOBLE’S COMMENT. (Received this dav at Lfi p.m > LONDON, Aug. lfi. Ah' A. Noble writesCollins’ stand will he remembered long after other ji'ayers for centuries are forgotten. Gregory played spectacular in a valuable knock-out hut it was Collins who broke the hack of the howling, and made run making possible and inspired his sido as few men could. Batting glovofess, and after each jarring hit, his massaged thumb, which was broken at NottinsrLim in 1021. the injury was sorely increased when the swollen thumb struck a rising hall from Larwood. Referring to the Ohliield-Grimmelt stand the writer says both deserve a place in. any team for sheer gritty bntsmanship against odds. The cricketer who on score when better men fail is great.