CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1929, Page 5

CRICKET

rjJLKI> TENT. At'S'I’KAI.!AS SECOND HIT. (Aiirt!ralian .Press Association) (United Service.) MELBOURNE, Jan. 3. Tiie weather was lino and warm lor the. resumption ul’ the third test match, ine wicket was wearing well. Wo'dlull (04) and Kippux (34) continued their innings with the score at 2 lor 118. t hajnna n opened with V. lute, howling into 1!le wind to WomL inii. v. |i> scored a single ami the same olf Lar.vood. Tate howled two maidens, i.e was relieved hy deary, Chapman c .niiging the howlers (jiiic.vly. Tate, howling with the wind, and was liit ior three hy W'o.dl’nll. Kippux had added seven when lie was cie.in howled hy Tate, lie had halted lor 94 minutes. His innings included lour lours. 1 iis was artistic bulling. 'I lirce lor 138. The pavtuer■inp had added 78. Tate was in grand

ldrm, and kept a good iengi.li. Kydcr suoreil a single off Tate and tlimi hit deary to the boundary, hut he played the same howler on with the inxr hall.' i’lnir tor 143. Bradman opened slowly, and was content to hold his wicket. Woodfull, who was flatting solidly, brought up led in 193 minutes. Tate had six ..vers for 8 runs ami one wicket. White and deary kept the hatsinen quiet. The placing oil' the field by Chapman was i.rilliant. Bradman was forcing White hut there was no score. Hammond was in great form in the field. Wood full’s eighty came up, only eight runs being scored in twenty minutes. The batsmen wVre lighting hard, playing carefully and scoring slowly. White was exceptionally accurate. Prior to lunch lie howled eight overs for four runs. Woodlull’s century came up, the batsman driving White for three, m minutes. He did not change bats. Homlren was prominent in the field. Wood full played White to leg for three. Two hundred runs came up in 21)9 minutes. The Tate-Duckwortli combination got \\oodfull, who had batted for 271 minutes. His score included seven fours. It was a fighting innings. Five for 201. Oldfield joined Bradman, who batted safely. White had bowled sixteen overs for fifteen runs. He was very troublesome. Hammond was tried. Oldfield cut him to leg for four, but fell for White, playing him on. Six for 226. Then the two colts, A’Beckett anil Bradman, were partnered. Chapman was still saving many runs. Bradman now took the offensive, giving a masterly exhibition. He drove White to the boundary three times. It was delightful batting. A’Beckett was shaping well when White, with a. great ball, howled him in.the last, over prior to tea. "Seven for 252. The outlook was not so promising. Oxenliam joined Bradman and got two off Tate. Bradman continued merrily treating the bowling aggressively. Chapman missed stopping a hot one, his first miss for the day. The batsmen gave a brilliant display between the wickets. Duckworth was hooted for an appeal against Bradman for a leg before to White.

Larwood had not been bowled since tlio morning, and then only for five overs. Chapman persisted with White, who sent down twenty consecutive overs. Bradman favoured drives. The fielding was well placed. AA’liite left the field with an injured hand, received wlie'n taking a throwin from Leylaiul Oxenliam was lioldingup his end well, getting an occasional single. Bradman was wonderful and received appluse for pulling Geary for two, making his total 80. AA’liite returned and commenced bowling. Oxenliam drove him for four from the third ball and repeated the shot. Hendren was great with liis bright fielding, anil his shots at the wicket kept the batsman in place. Oxenham hit Geary'to square leg twice. Bradman’s placing was excellent. Then Oxenham pulled Geary for three, bringing up 300 in 388 minutes. '

, A diversion was caused hy Duckworth fielding a hall while the batsmen ran three. Both batsmen were goiitg well and scored 65 for an hour’s play." Then there was a quiet period of batting, with runs coming slowly. White once appeared to have difficulty placing one of his field.

Brail mail pulled White and a hard run for four brought his first century in test cricket. The ovation was deafening. He was congratulated all round. His innings was chanceless. Continuing, he straight drove Geary for a smashing boundary, cut White and passed Wood full’s tally. Duckworth made another excursion in fielding while the batsmen ran two. Oxenham was plodding along. Bradman changed his bat at 111. Geary bowled, and after a single the batsman was caught by Duckworth off Geary. Bradman had batted for 246 minutes and hit seven fours. It was a magnificent display. Eight for 345. The partnership added 93 runs in 93 minutes. Grimmett replaced Bradman, taking Geary and Larwood, who bowled the last over. The attendance was 36,300 and the gate receipts £2600.

AUSTRALIA 351. ENGLAND ONE FOR. 171. MELBOURNE, Jan. 3. It rained in the morning for the resumption of the test, the weathci being heavy and showers at noon. The captains inspected the wicket at twelve thirty-five and disagreed, Chapman wanting no play. The urn-

pirns decided on immediate play. The wicket when uncovered was dry, but the ground was spongy. Play commenced at twelve fifty, deary opened to drimmelt, who sent him through the slips for two. Proceeding lie repeated with the tliir.l ball. The players then inspected the wicket, a procession carrying sand to • the bowlers who were slipping. "White was pitching well up, Oxenliam goin ■ out second ball. Blackic survived the maiden to White, but was clean bowled in the next' over. The inning; lasted lour hundred and lifly-nine minutes. The general opinion is that Australia lias a great chance considering the state of the wicket. AUSTRALIA—First Innings ... 397 SECOND INNINGS. Wood full, e Duckworth, I) Tate ... 107 Bieliardson, b Larwood 0 P 1*11(1 ry, st. Duckworth, b White 12 Kippux, b Tate 41 Ryder, b Geary ■•> Bradman, e Duckworth, b Geary 112 Oldfield, b White 7 A’Beckett, b White 0 Oxenliam. b White 39 Grimmctt, (not out) 4 Blackie, b White 0 Extras 13 Total 351 Bowling analysis: Larwood 1 for 37, Tate 2 for 72, White 5 for .107, Geary 2 for 94, Hammond 0 for 30. A'Beckett opened to Hc.ibbs, and glanced for a single, the score reading none for three at lunch. Alter lunch the weather was bright. ’l’lie crowd was amused at the continual patting of the wicket by the

batsmen. Hendry missed a chance from Hobbs off A.’Beckett, whom the batsman hit for three. Sutcliffe lifted a short pitched ball from Hendry to the boundary. Bhickie changed with Hendry and howled five overs for eight runs. Hobbs lifted 'Blackie high out Woodfull just failing to catch him. Oxenliam changed with A’Beckett. The balls were kicking high. Sutcliffe was hit on the shoulder twice. Boibbs and Sutcliffe wero fighting well. Kippax threw down his wicket, but Sutcliffe was well in. Fifty was brought up in seventy-five minutes. The wicket was drying well and was commencing to play fast. Grimmctt changed with Blackie, who had bowled ten overs for ten runs. Grimmett was dangerous, swinging from the off. Ryder then howled a maiden, then Hobbs cut .him to the boundary. England’s famous pair are going strongly.

Sutcliffe nearly hit Grimmett to the off for two. A’Beckett bowling rt leg bye, for four. Hobbs and Sutcliffe were applauded for short runs in succession. The crowd thought Hobbs was out for a catch iby Richardson off A’Beckett. Sutcliffe straight drove Grimmett for three. . The partnership scored a hundred and one in 133 minutes. The wicket was playing well and England’s stocks wore high. Blackie changed with Grimmotfc. The fourth hall got Hobbs leg before. The crowd was enthusiastic. One for 105. Jardine started with two singles to leg. Blackie bowled ten overs for eleven runs, one wicket. The field closed in for Jardine, the spectators voicing disapproved of the batsmen’s delays. The extras (18) proved a contrast to the one in the first innings. Blackie twice misfielded. Grimmett relieved Hendry. Sutcliffe was batting brilliantly, swinging hard to leg, and high balls from. Grimmett had Jardine twisting uneasily for one over. Sutcliffe hit Grimmett to leg for a boundary, .bring his score op to 70. AVoodfull was smart in the field, and nearly threw Sutcliffe out. Running three, Sutcliffe brought a hundred and fifty up in a hundred and eighty-six minutes. Jardine was going slow, but with a delightful chop he sent Grimmett to the boundary. Bradman was the smartest in-field. Oxenham changed with Grimmett and Sutcliffe greetod him with an off drive for three.' Batting stubbornly Sutcliffe continued to improve England’s prospects of victory, which' • are now bright. Sutcliffe played a capital’ hand. He batted two hundred and ten minutes, and included four bounaries. The attendajnoei ’was I Twenty-five thousand three hundred, and the receipts £l9oo—a new aggregate attendance record. ENGLAND—-First Innings 417 SECOND INNINGS. Hobbs, l.b.w. b Blackie 49 Sutcliffe, (not out) ... ... 83 Jardine, (not out) ... ... 18 Extras ... 21 Total for one wicket 171 TEST COMMENT. LONDON, Jan 3.

Commenting on the test, Clem Hill agrees it is anybody’s chance. He praises Duckworth’s catch in dismissing Woodfull, and adds:—“He is an excellent keeper, but must curb his weakness ifor appealing. Woodfull merits the warmest praise, but I consider Bradman’s effort the greater. Ho has the ways of a veteran, and many shots akin to Trumper. Australia is fortunate to have discovered such a. champion, who is certain to go to England in 1930.” Woolley expects Black'io and Grimmett to be severe problems for England on a worn wicket. He says:— “ It will be necessary for all batsmen to pull their full weight. If Hobbs and Sutcliffe touch form, 350 will not bo too big a task. The thing of the moment is what Australia has done in this match. If you are fairminded you will realise she has revealed she can put up a fight comparable with those in the days of Darling and Noble.”

AUSTRALIA’S OPENERS. , WOOLLEY SUGGESTS AVOODFULL AND OLDFIELD. LONDON, Jan. 2. F. E. AVoolloy, writing in the “Daily Chronicio,” says that he tears that England’s hopes of retaining the ashes must Ij-e deferred. Australia . deserves to be rewarded with the match for the way in which she has fought adversity. He places Blackie’s performance next in merit to iiiiininoiid’s. He criticises Ryder’s policy of opening with Richardson, who is essentially forceful, an ideal number five or six. The policy lias been distinctly to England s advantage. lie says that it may seem strange hut he would open with AA’ondfnil and Oldfield. The fact that AATkk!full is still in impairs England's chances considerably. He goes not predict, but he thinks that Australia is slightly on top.

» ENGLISH SPECULATIONS. LONDON, Jan. 2. AA’arner writing in thb' “Morning Rost,’’ says that the odds, at the moment, are slightly in Australia’s favour, but lie anticipates a close finish. He continues: “J have heard it suggested that Australia will win by between thirty and forty runs. T venture to prophecy that England will will by : two wickets. Larwood is doubtless feeling the effects of the concrete-like ground and lie; will need a month’s rest before the fourth test. One lias to go back to Clem Hill and Hearne to find such a youngster as Bradman making a century in a test match. To Blackie, ■’ AA’oodfull, Bradman, and Oxenham,. »Australia .owes ; her possibility of victory.” Tennyson writes; “It is 1 impossible that the injuries to AA’hite .and Larwood will make any real difference to the fortunes of the day. England lias no real cause to complain of her bowlers even if Australia, comes out on top, as they are against a really good batting side wliith at last has found itself.” He expresses the- opinion that, splendidly though the Australians have done in the third test, England has not yet seen them at their best. He repeats that the using of Richardson as an opening batsman is the present of a cheap wicket to England. Be expects that the Queenslander Thompson and Bettington will be included in the fourth test team. GERMAN ENTERPRISE. “GREAT KRICKETT MATCH.” LONDON, Jan. 3.

The “Vossiohe Zeitung” lias set an example to German newspapers by publishing the latest scores in the “Great Krickett Match,” in order to provide British residents with early news, for which they were previously dependent on the arrival of English newspapers Sometimes the ityiowledge of the game is very inadequate. Hobbs, apparently, is regarded as a complete side in himself. For example, at the close of play on Monday the paper said: England forty-seven for eleven wickets, namely Hobbs.” SHEFFIELD SHIELD MATCH. SYDNEY, Jan. 3. In the Sheffield Shield match Queensland in the second innings scored 364 (Thompson 76, iNotlding 121). Nicholls took four for 111, Jordan 3 for 65, and Fairfax .2 for 66. Nothling hit fifteen fours in most aggressive style. New South Wales in the second innings has made 201 for 4. (Punch 91, Seddon 59). N.S.W. DEFEATS QUEENSLAND. SYDNEY, Jan. 4. Now South Wales in the second innings made 304 for scven-i-Jordan 41, Jackson (not out) 53. Bowling: Nothling- 3 for 64, Thompson- 3 for 48. New South Wales defeated Queensland by 22 runs on the first innings. TESTS DURATION. (Received this day at 9. a.m.) LONDON, January 4. The Advisory County Cricket Committee adopted a motion concerning the duration of test’s, but. is keeping it secret till next M.C.C. Committee meeting.