SCINTILLATING TEST CRICKET DISPLAY

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5281, 18 December 1946, Page 5

SCINTILLATING TEST CRICKET DISPLAY

(Press Assn-

TWO DOUBLE CENlURIES BRADMAN AND BARNES IN 405 PARTNERSHIP

—Rec. 9.80 p.m.)

SYDNEY, Dec. 17. A record-breaking rifth wicket partnerghip by S. G. Barnes and D. G. Bradman, in which both scored double centuries, has placed Australia in a position to force a win in Ihe second Test match. This pair, in. adding 405 runs, broke the world record score for the Bfth wicket put up by Bardsley and Kelloway in a Sheffield Shield game in 1920. They also put up a new AustraliaEngland Test record, beating the previous figures of Bradman and Fairfax of 183 for Australia and the best by England of 206 by Paynter and Compton. Bradman has now scored a century in the last eight Tests in which he has played. He has made eight double centuries in Tests against England. His effort to-day was a remarkable one as he batted under a physical disahility, and refused to have a runner to assist him. Barnes, after his dogged display yesterday, batted freely to-day, and his knock was invaluable to Australia. The attendance was 29,6*73. The fourth da^ play ibegan in ideal weather on a wicket showing some signs of wear. Bradman suffered a gastric upset last night, but had • recovered by the time the game started ' to-day, although he was still limping from his leg injury. Wright Bowls Splendidly Bedser opened to Barnes, who with a two and a three, from the first over, carried Australia's score past England's fii'st innings' total ' of 255. Wright was the other bowler, and Barnes pulled his first delivery to the fence, making' the partnership worth 100 in 120 minutes. Bedser was played with ease, but Wright, commanding every respect, bowled two successive maidens to Bradman, who added only three' runs in half an hour. All four cf England's regular howlers, plus Ikin, were tried in the first hour, but the batsmen went xlowly forward, and 300 was reached after 119 minutes. The batsmen repeatedly patted down the bowling mark on the wicket, hut apart from Wright, the howlers did not cause them much concern. Nine more runs made the partnership worth 150 in 183 minutes. At this stage runs came a little more freely, mostly in one's and two's, and hy lunch-time Australia's scoi'e was four for 325. Australia had now largely nullified England's advantage in winning the toss and had given herself some chance of foreing a win. Batsmen. Settle Down A full toss from Wright — the first of the innings — .was cut by Bradman past point to the fence, taking him into the 90's, and he reached his century after 225 minutes. It was not Bradman at his best because his l'OO included only seven fours. A little earlier, Barnes had reached 150 after 460 minutes at the crease. With Australia 400 runs in exeess of England's score, Bradman and Barnes tried to aceelerate the rate of scoring and, despite continued accurate bowling, succeeded to a large extent. The 200 partnership was signalled after 241 minutes and then . the sixth bowler, Compton, was ! brought on. Like his predecessors, he was unable to effect a sepax-ation. Bradman and Barnes were now thoroughly set, and scored freely to ; all parts of the field. Bradntaxi revealed some beautiful straight and cover drives, wh'ile Barnes iavoured a hook shot and late cut. The howlers stuek gamely to their dispiriting task, but 400 came up with still only four men out. The ' last 100 occixpied 96 minutes — the fastest 100 in the match so far. Thirteen runs had come from one ] over by Bedser and 11 from an over , by Compton. YaxMley was the seventh j bowler tried, hut the, batsixxen were ■u.nperturbed. At tea, Bai'nes was 195 , and Bi'admaxx 151, and the score four for 441. Bradnxan's last 50 was secux*ed in ] 80 minutes. Edrich and Bedser - operated vvith the new ball, after tea, : but Bx'adman and Barnes continued 1 with attaeking strokes. The last 50 j runs were nxade in 48 minutes, and 1 Barnes reached his' 20-0. He had been at the wicket -for 570 minutes. The boundary shot, giving Barnes his double century, also made the part- ' nex'ship woxdh 300 in 323 minutes. ( Bradman Baclc to Form 1 Bx*adman v/as xiow hitting with great power and, despite the deeply- ] set field, he piereed the coixlon on : both sides of the wicket with glorious drives and trexnendous pulls to the fence. When he reached 221, Barnes was dropped at mid-off by Bedser off Wright. From the xiext hall Bradman reached 200. He had ! been hatting 369 minutes. The- batsmen, particularly Brad- ; man, were opening their shoulders to ; almost every ball and fours' were scored freely. The 500-maxdt was left behind in 610 minutes, and the next ■ 50, largely composed of boundaries, took only 22 mixxutes. Bradman was now lashing- at every hall ' and four fours in one over off Yardley carried hixn past Barnesj who was 71 when Bradman came in, Bradman was then 234, but he got no further before Yardley claimed him leg' before. L Bradman played a meritorious innings lasting 391 minutes, and he hifc 24 four-s. Barnes had added a single before Bradnxan's dismissal and he, too, was

cut for 234 without xiddition to the total, being caught at nfid-on. Barnes' marathon performance lasted 10 hours 42 nxinntes. He hit 17 foui's. Details are as follow: — ENGLAND- — Fii'st Innings: 255. AUSTRALIA — first innings e- Ikin b Bedser . . 234 Morr-is ' b Edrich ? 5 Johnson c Wasihbrook b Edrich 7 Hassett c Coinpton b Edrich 34 Bradman l.b.w., b Yardley . . 234 Miller c Evans b Smith . . 40 McCool not out, .... . . 3 Tallon not out, ...... 4 Extras . . . . 10 Total for six wickets . . '574' Bowling: Bedser one for 141; Edrich three for 79; Wright none for 127 j Smith one for 133; Ilcin none for 15; Coxnpton nougi for 38; Yardley one for 23.