THE FIRST TEST

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1930, Page 2

THE FIRST TEST

■ United Tress Association—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright).

TEST MATCH PROSPECTS

(Received this day at 8 a.m.)

LONDON, June 12

Rain fell' at Nottingham yestcrd.lv night, but the wicket was covered and the pitch is reported to he in sph **- did condition, and guaranteed,ttb lasl four days.

The forecast, states' the weather should be ideal' with plenty of sunshine to-morrow.

WEATHER IM PR O'VING

(Received this day at 8 a.mA IKLVDON. June 12.

The weather prospects for the test match ate improving. The A.r Ministry’s forecast states to-morrow will probably be fair and rather warm.

A writer in an exchange commenting; on the tour of the- Australians, in view of the first test commencing to-day at Nottingham says so far the Australians- have ipllaved twelve matches ‘with seven wins, and - five draVs. It is interesting tu compare this record with that of the 1926 team, which won three mill drew nine, of which one was virtually ,n defeat, The 1926 team certainly had Macartney and Bardaley as batsmen and Gregory, Mailey and Everett as bmvL ers. but I think the present team is proving itself a better side, I say this because Everett was a fallvue with the ball, while Gregory suffered as much from a leg strain that he was practically hors-de-combat as far as renllv fast bowling was concerned, and lie was of little use in the tests. 'Collins had to deoeiul for the most part on Mai lev and Grimmett, almost similar bowlers, with Macartney and A .Richardson as bis principal changes. To-day, Grimmett is a better bowler, and he lias no ideal foil in IToxnibrook, the left-hander, while Fairfax and Wall' are' bowlers with possibilities. A=' the 1926 s^e did not do so badly in the tests—one loss and four draws—Woodfutl and liis merry men should set their faces towards ‘ Nottingham ' with higher hopes than those of a . month ago. With the exception, perhaps. of Jackson,' all the Australian batsmen are in form, while, the bowlers have done all that was required of them Certainly some weak sides have been met. but also some strong ones. As only four of the side had had previous experience of English wickets, the success of the team is all the more to -their credit. Again, tlio very personnel of ■ the English, team and the Notts wicket should give the Australians confidence.' Certainly the Englishmen won four teats out of five in Australia, but it wa« not till the fifth test —.wbrnh Australia won—that Australia put its colts’ temp, most of whom are in England to-day. 01 that English touring team nine nrin the prospective side for Friday s game, Woolley ami Duleepsinh.ff played in Australia last season, while R, TyWesley vfLanoashiro’) and Robins (M.C.C.) have also been tested on this tour Thus it will be seen that every member of each si<le has had experience of the other fellows. There is just a feeling, too, that Hobbs, Tate and Woolley have' pas-ed their zenith, but still the Englishmen have a fine all-round side.

The Nottingham wickets have .a cushion of marl underneath, and with manures and plenty of rolling tlierA is little life in grass, and the wickets are the batsmen's ideal. <

In 1928-29 against Lunv'ootl, White and Tate, Richardson ■ made 231, Woodfull 111, 107, 275 not out, lp2; Kippax 100, 136 not out; Jackson 164; and Bradman 132, 112, 123, so the ability is there. On tho other \hand, Hammond knocked u|p seven centuries. Hendreu three, Hobbs and Sutcliffe two each, am] Chapman one on Australian wickets. The bowling averages naturally suffered. 11l the fve tests, Grimmett’s 23 wickets cost him 44 • runs apiece, Hornibrook took four for 193, and Wall, eight for 189. On the English side, White’s 25 cost him 39 runs apiece, while Larwood and Tate took 18 and 17 respectively at a cost of 40. There is, however, the general opinion that Grimmett and Hornibrook, by. the very nature of their bowling, are better bowlers in England than, on the fast wickets of Australia.