AUSTRALIA BATS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1932, Page 5

AUSTRALIA BATS

SIX FOR 290 McCABE SCORES FINE CENTURY. (Australian Pi 2 j Association.) SYDNEY, December 2. Although only 63 runs were sc°red to-day in the ninety minutes before lunch, there were thrills aplenty for the big crowd present. The teams are:— Australia: J. 11. Fingleton (N.S.W.), C. V. Grimmett (S.A.), A. F. Kippax ((N.S.W.), L. E. Nagel (Vic.), W.. A. Oldfield (N.S.W.), W. (J. O’Reilly (N.S.W.), W. H. Ponsford (Vic), V. Y. Richardson. .(S-AJ, T. W. Wall (S.A.), and W. M. Woodfull (Vic.) Hird (N.S.W.) is twelfth man. England: Jardine, Wyatt, Hammond, Sutcliffe, Leyland, Pataudi, Ames. Alien, Larvi-cod, Voce and Verity, with Pavnter as twelfth man. Ihe English selectors decided to leave th© choosing of their team until this morning. Woodfull, after winning the toss, accompanied Ponsford to a wicket which was a batsman’s paradise. The weather wae cool, with a wind blowing ■across the pitch. Larwood and Voce had charge of the bowling attack. Th© batsmen played th© former carefully, but confidently, but Voce, with five fieldsmen clustered round the leg stump, made the ball fly awkwardly. After watching several of th© bumping balls go over his head, Woodfull swung at one, and he snicked it to the wicketkeeper.

Ponsford and Fingleton were both struck on the body by Larwood, but stuck gamely to their task, and they were going along nicely at lunch. Fingleton had survived two leg-before appeals, had narrowly escaped being run out, and had .edged one dangerously into the slips. Ponsford, however,, was always at ease, his leg glances being prettily executed. The howling was accurate, and th© batsmen found difficulty in penetrating the field. Five bowlers were used, Jardine changing the combination every four overs. '

Larwoo'd shattered Ponsford’e wicket in the after lunch. Then Fingleton spooned one up at forward leg in the fast man’s second over, and iKippax succumbed in his third over. Larwood then had taken three wickets for 2D runs, and with four down for 87, Australia was in a sorry plight. In one period after lunch Larwood had captured three wickets for seven runs off five over©, three of which were maidens.

It is significant, that Larwood’s success came when lie changed from the off to the ileg theory. Tt- is quit© apparent that this type of attack has tlv Australians worried. MoObn and Richardson then became associated in a bright partnership, adding fifty runs in forty-eight minutes, and carrying the total t-o 154 at th° tea admurnmerit.

Richardson was restrained, but McCabe war forceful, reaching the fencP

five times. Voce, having' wounded all th e bats men hut Woodfull, w°, R hooted and counted out bv the Hillit e s when he continued his humping-ball tactics; A great round of ann'ause greeted the hoisting of one hundred runs fothe partnership between McCabe am 1 Richard eon, who wore now batting splendidly. They were mixing a r-oli' 1 defence with Irn’d driving, forward of th» wicket. Whenever a shot penetrated the field and reached the boundary, Jardinp changed his men round. When only one short of the lialfcentury, Richai'dson fell a victim to Voce’s l«g trap. His was a fine fighting knock. He faced the fast bowlers with absolute confidence. H e batted fo r 113 minutes, and hit five fours, and, with McCabe, saved Australia from a probable rout. The cheering was almost deafening when McCabe snicked Allen to the fence, thereby reaching the century, which i,s his first century in a test match. He scored the 105 in 161 m i n " utes, the total including thirteen fours. His was a chancele s s innings. He drove the fast bowlers through covers, and lie lifted .Voce safely over the fieldsmen’s heads. McCabe and Grimmett then added 50 runs foj- the seventh wicket in thirty three minutes.

The fielding was good, without being brilliant.

The attendance was 46,709, and the takings £4,467. The score at the drawing of stumps was 290 runs for six wickets. AUSTRALIA—First Innings. Wood full, c Ames, b loco ... 7 Foil* foru, b Larwood 32

Fingleton, c Allen, b Larwood ... 26 Klpuax, 1.b.w., b Larwood ... 8 McCabe, not out % Richardson, c Hammond, b Voce ... 49 Oldfield, c Arne'S b Larwood ... 4 Grimmett, not out 1? Extras 20 Total for six wickets ... 290 The fall of wickets was a s follows: 1 fog 22, ( 2 for 65, 3 for 82, 4 fo r 87, 6 or 216, 6 or 231. ENGLISH PRESS COMMENT. LONDON, December 1. Placards throughout London announce, in the blackest type: “Bradlimn Sensation.” The nipi’.rs devote pages to the test, sympathising with Australia’s ill-luck. Harris, the “Standard’s” special cor-

respondent, mentions the resentment as the English bowling at the man, and recalls that Englishmen in former times were similarly scared by the Australians. He says that the Australians at present are only superior in fielding. The “Morning Post” in an editorial says: “The real explanation of the failure of several of the chief Australian cricketers is th© fact that they do not like fast stuff, especially when it bumps. Bradman, whose loss is a disaster to Australia, certainly prefers medium-paced stuff that comes along half-stump high. Remembering the hard knocks that English batsmen received in the past from Australian fast bowlers, and notably the Gregory and MacDonald combination of <1922, our friendly enemies must not complain if they get an occasional dose of the same medicine.”

The article concludes by warning 'enthusiasts that Australian cricketers nave the gift of rising to a great occasion, adding: “Indeed they are never so formidable as when they seem to be beaten.” HAWKE’S BAY V. OTAGO. DUNEDIN, December 2. Til© cricket match, Hawke’s Bay v. Otago, Wrts coniriioneed at Gai’ishrook Park to*dy in line weather, The wicket phi,veil perfectly, hut gave the bowlers no assistance. Hawke’s Bay batted first, and after two wickets had been lost for three runs, Browne and O’Brien carried the score to 74. Browne scored 59 and O’Brien 21. Ellis added 22 to the. total, but tli© remaining batsmen failed, and the innings closed at 142.

Badcock; the Otago professional secured the remarkable figures of six for 24 off 20 overs, fourteen of which were maidens. Dunning took two for 56. Otago gave a bright batting display, scoring the first hundred in 70 minutes and the second in 44 minutes. At stumps, the score was 288 for nine wickets. Cavanagh 32, Maloney 66, Dickinson 80, were the principal contributors. H. Reaney took six fox 73.

NELSON Y. MARLBOROUGH

BLENHEIM, December 2.. Nelson made the fine total of 303 in their first innings' in the Hawke Cup elimination match, and then proceeded to dismiss Marlborough very cheaply in an hour and a-half. The home side were all out for 78, being unable to withstand the bowling of the two cracks, J. Newman (6 for 14) 'and H. M. McGirr (4 W 44). Marlborough had to follow on', and three wickets were down at 5.45 for 26 runs, when they successfully appealed against the light. Conditions nil favoured the bowlers, and against the New Zealand representative trundlevs the home side had no chance of making a stand.

INVITATION TO 0. MORRIS. TO PLAY FG.a CANTERBURY. OREYMOUTII December 2. The Secretary of the West Coast Cricket Association, this morning reoeleved a telegram from the Canterbury Cricket Association, as follows: “Canterbury Cricket Association invites Morris to play for Canterbury against Hawke’s Bay, in Christchurch, Friday,' (Saturday, ninth and tenth December. Plerise advise early if available. —Lnttrell. ’ ’

Morris, a reported on the “Greymonth Evening Star,” and a member of the Star, Saturday team, .and Atarist Sunday eleven, is available, and will take 1' ’s place in tlic o’iVerb”rv side. Much |)leasur v ' is expressed locally at flic chance ftiven to Morris to prove himself in big cricket.