FIRST CRICKET TEST

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1930, Page 5

FIRST CRICKET TEST

LONDON, June 14

After the first .ejay’s play in the test match, rain fell incessantly overnight, and also in the early morning to-day, which delayed play in the match at Nottingham, till 2.15 p.m, England made ~ a stubborn lastwicket stand in which Robins, who L featured as,..the “mystery bowler," was the principal..,figure, he carrying Ilia bat for fifty runs, after attacking the bowlibg in a most amazing manner.

Australia’s start was as sensational as had been England’s. Tate got throe stalwarts, Woodfull, Ponsford and Bradman very cheaply, and thus Australia’s chance of winning the game suddenly changed to the prospect of defeat. , ,

Kippax and Richardson were the only men to make a, decent showing on the tricky wicket. The ground presented a sorry sight in the morning. There were mud patches round : the wicket, and the outfield was sodden. Notices were posted up as follows:—“Play uncertain! Enter at your own risk! No money returned. Heavy overnight rain. Deluge at 3 a.m.” The captains inspected the wicket on a couple of occasions, on the last of which they disagreed. Play, however, eventually began in bright sunshine with a light breeze. About e.ghteen thousand people were then present. Fairfax, bowling;Used a new ball, which kicked sharply' on 'lie lively wicket. Tyldesley skiect one .nto Fairfax’s hands. Robins continued' to : bat daringly, shaping like a numiber one batsman. He ,and Duck Worth ran/ several smart singles. Robins relished ' Walls’s short pitched halls, from which lie scored freely, He reached..!),fly runs, by spirited batting. Duckworth, wbs out next ball, and the innings ended at 2 -10. Robins hit • five fours.

Australia was, now left vith an awkward deficit on a. wicket I hat was likely to prove troublesome. 9'he English innings had occupied A..; minutes. ■ ; !

Wood full ordered the groundsmen to use only a light hand roller between the innings. The strength of -the sun and wind increased, and so Woodfnl! and Ponsford came out with V/3 e sky almost cloudless.

Tate,spread sawdust in order to get a foothold. Woolley, Hammond, Sutcliffe and Chapman, fielded in the slips. Ponsford again, showed Ins vulnerability on the leg side, when a beautiful ball in Tate’sP third over- swung in and took his leg stump.

Fairfax came in'’ll! stead of Emuman, and he faced a position full of difficulty. The batsmen played “rock” to such effect that the total was only six after thirty-five minutes’ play. Then the second wicket fell, Woodfull cutting a ball which Chapman splendidly caught at backward point, showing fine ' anticipation. Tyldeslev worried Fairfax. who twice mishit, and Bradman was only seven, when Woolley, at first slip, fielding close to the wicket, failed to hold a catch off Tyldeslev, but in the next over Tate across the wicket and hit' the top of Bradman s stumps. Thus three good batsmen went inside an hour. Fairfax maintained a solid defence. Three times he hit Tyldeslev to the boundary. Kippax batted delightfully from the outset, and he hit Tyldeslev for two successive boundaries. This pair brought up fifty for eighty-iiyo minute's play, and they were still together at tea time. Bob ins got iFairfa-X shortly alter ■tea, Hobbs jumping to take a catch «,t cover point. McCabe opened .auspiciously, driving },i s first, ball for a fourer, but he was out off the next hall in Robins’ over, Hammond taking it running natch from the shoulder. Richardson had a ducky escape early in his innings, 'Woolley missing a hard low left-handed batch off Larwood, whose bowling increased m

pace. Richardson then punished Rooms, •scoring three fours in one over, and •one hundred runs "''went up for 130 minutes’ play. The pair had added fourty-four runs,"' when Richardson was badly beaten:' playing, right over a ball front Tyldeslev. be had lit soven fours and laid batted for thirtyfive minutes. Oldfield came next. He delended stoutly. Kippax reached filly-mu 1 runs in 115 minutes’ play. • l>uckjvorth, with a triumphant yell, htr-

AUSTRALIA V. ENGLAND — @ — t AUSTRALIAN BATTING FAILS — ® —- RAIN AFFECTS WICKET KIPPAX PLAYS WELL [United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.]

aided Oldfield’s departure, he taking a good catch at the wicket, ibis milking Robins’s third victim. After a stubborn stand for no loss than forty minutes, Robins coaxed Gl'immett to try, a hit, and this dismissed his fellow googiy bowler for a duck.

Ilornibrook came in, and he survived the two remaining balls of the day. The scores are : ENGLAND—Ist Innings. Hobbs, c Richardson, b Mc-Uahe 78 Sutcliffe, c Hornibrook, b Fairfax 29 Hammond, 1.b.w., b Gl’immett ... 8 Woolley, st. Oldfield, b Griminett 9 Heudren, b Griminett 5

Chapman, c Ponsford, b Hornibrook o2 Larwood, b Griminett 18 Tate, b Griminett 13 Robins, (not out) 50 Tyldesley, c Fairfax, b Wall ... 1 Duckworth, 1.b.w., b Fairfax ... 4 Extras 12 Total ... 270 Bowling analysis: Wall 17 overs, 4 maidens, 47 runs, one wicket; Fairfax 21 point four overs, 5 maidens, 51 runs. 2 wickets; Griminett, 32 overs, 6 maidens, 107 runs, 5 wickets; Hornibrook, 12 overs, 3 maidens, 30 runs, 1 wicket; McCabe, 7 overs, 3 maidens, 23 runs, 1 wicket. Fairfax bowled one no ball.

The fall of wickets was as follows: One for 53, 2 for 63. 3 for 63, 4 for 71, 5 for 153, 6 for 188, 7 ior 218, 8 for 241, 9 for 242, 10 for 270. AUSTRALIA—Ist Innings. Woodfull, c Chapman, b Tate ... 2 Ponsford, b Tate 3

Fairfax, c Hobbs, b Robins ... 14 Bradman, b Tate ' ® Kippax, (not out) 60 McCabe, c Hammond, b Robins ... 4 Richardson, b Tyldesley 87

Oldfield, o Duckworth, b Robins ... 4 Grimmett, st. Duckworth, b Robins 0 Hornibrook, (not out) ... ® Extras ® Total for 8 wickets 14 l) BATTING COLLAPSES. PRESS COMMENT. HOBBS PRAISED.

LONDON, June 14

It is almost miraculous how a batsman of Hobbs’ age played with such perfect confidence throughout his innings. He was timing beautifully, er'en when the light was at its woist. A dim light in the first part ol the first day was partly responsible lor the downfall of England’s best batsmen in sucli a sensational fashion. Grimmett, who was deadly, scarcely over used his high-toss hall, hut he was bowling with his left shouldei well down. He maintained probably the lowest trajectory that has ever been seen in test cricket. The “Observer” says.—lt was believed that the Australians would find the wicket difficult, but sue], a staggering start as they made was beyond all contemplation. Fairfax’s score of only fourteen in eighty minutes threw Kippax’s free hitting into praiseworthy relief, but the Australians are a side that is stiffened, not soltened, by adversity, and they fight to the last man. ’ It is n,ow beyond doubt that our visitors are of test match metal. The rubber will be finely conested.

(Received this dav at. 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, June Pi. The weather at Tottinglmm at •> o’clock this (Sunday) afternoon was li ni . and there were no signs of it breaking.

A PRESS COMMENT

LONDON, June 15

The Australian Press Association correspondent commenting on Saturday’s play say's it would not he amirit’, to describe the pitch as bad, alflioumli was undoubtedly a bowler’s wicket " The balls flow awkardly and breaks took deadly effect. Tale bowled superbly and Chapman handled the •i'la.ok cunningly An interns! ing battle of wits preceded the dramatic