England at Wickets

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 554, 5 January 1929, Page 11

England at Wickets

ONE WICKET DOWN FOR 171

Australia’s Hopes Fade

THIRD TEST GAME AT MELBOURNE

ENGLAND is in a strong position in the third test against Australia. When England’s second innings began, it needed 332 runs to win. It has scored 171 of the required number, at. a cost of one wicket.

(United P.A. —By Telegraph—Copyrightj

MELBOURNE, Friday. The position before the test match was resumed on Friday was that Australia had made 397 and England 417 in the first innings, and Australia had made 347 for eight wickets in the second innings when stumps were drawn yesterday, Oxenham and Grimrnett being not out. It rained this morning when play was to be resumed, the weather being heavy and showery at noon. The captains inspected the wicket at 12.35 p.m., and they disagreed, Chapman not wanting to play. The umpires decided on immediate play. The wicket, when it was uncovered, was dry, but the ground was spongy. Play commenced at 12.50. Geary opened to Grimmett, who sent him through the slips for two, a stroke he repeated with the third ball. The players inspected the wiclcet in a procession, carrying sand for the bowlers, who were slipping. White was pitching the ball well up. Oxenham went out to his second ball.

Blackie survived a maiden over to White, but was clean-bowled in the next over. The innings had lasted seven hours and 39 minutes.

The general opinion was that Australia had a great chance considering the state of the wicket. When England began tlic second innings, needing 332 to win, A’Beckett opened to ITobbs, who glanced the ball for a single.. The score was none for three runs at luncheon. After luncheon the weather was bright. The crowd was amused by the continual patting of the wicket by the batsmen.

TWO MISSES 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. Blackie changed with Hendry, and bowled five overs for eight runs. Hobbs lifted Blackie high to the outfield, Woodfull just failing to catch him. Oxenham changed with A’Beckett. The balls were kicking high. Sutcliffe was hit on the shoulder twice. Hobbs and Sutciffc were fighting well. Kippax threw down the wicket, but Sutcliffe was well in. The score reached 50 in 75 minutes. The wicket was drying well, and was commencing to play fast. Grimmett changed with Blackie, who had bowled 10 overs for 10 runs. Grimmett was dangerous. Swinging from the off, Ryder bowled a maiden, and then Hobbs cut him to the boundary. England’s famous pair were going strongly. HOBBS OUT LBW

Sutcliffe neatly hit Grimmett to the off for two. Off A’Beckett a leg-bye went for four. Hobbs and Sutcliffe were applauded for short runs in succession. The crowd though Hobbs was out to a catch by Richardson off A’Beckett. Sutcliffe straight-drove Grimmett for three. The partnership had scored 101 runs in 133 minutes. The wicket was playing well, and England’s stock was high. Blackie changed with Grimmett, and his fourth bull got Hobbs leg-before’.wicket. The crowd was enthusiastic. One for 105. Jardine started with two singles to leg. Blackie had bowled 10 overs for 11 runs and one wicket. The field closed in on Jardine. The spectators voiced disapproval of the batsmen s delays. The extras, now IS, proved a contrast to the one in the first, mnBlackie twice misfielded Grimmett, who had relieved Hendry. Sutcliffe was batting brilliantly, swinging hard to leg. High balls from Grimmett had Tardine twisting uneasily for one over. Sutcliffe bit Grimmett to the leg boundary, bringing up 70. V oodt ull was smart in the field, and nearly threw

Sutcliffe out when running a three. Sutcliffe brought 150 up in IS6 minutes. SUTCLIFFE BATS WELL Jardine was going slowly, but with a delightful chop he sent a ball from Grimmett to the boundary. Bradman was very smart in the field. Oxenham changed with Grimmett, and Sutcliffe greeted 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 innings. He batted 210 minutes. His score included four boundaries. The attendance was 25,300, and the gate receipts £ 1,900. A new aggregate attendance record has been made. The details of the scores are as follow: — ENGLAND

DURATION OF TESTS COUNTY RECOMMENDATION (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 11 a.m. DONDON, Friday. The Advisory County Cricket Committee adopted a motion concerning the duration of the tests, but it is keeping it secret till the next M.C.C. committee meeting.

GREAT OPENERS HOBBS AND SUTCLIFFE ENGLISH CRITICS CONFIDENT (Australian and. N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 1.21 p.m. LONDON, Friday. Mr. “Plum” Warner, in the “Morning Post,” says the test match news is almost too good to be true. “After the rain we were told the Englishmen had an impossible task, but. true to their traditions, the openers batted as splendidly as at the Oval in August, 1926. As the pitch should roll out well, England ought to win by more than, my previous prophecy, of a two-wicket win, in which I forgot the possibility of rain. “The greater the difficulties to be faced, the greater was the determination of Hobbs and Sutcliffe, whose partnership in Melbourne will rank above their others, except that at the Oval in 1926.

“Hobbs is at an age when naturally there is some falling off; but the occasion brought out his greatness, while Sutcliffe, as a back-to-the-wall batsman, equals his partner. Every minute they stayed in was momentous to England. “It was superlative batting by men of long experience on sticky wickets against bowlers, who, owing to the lack of opportunity, do not know how to take full advantage of a tricky wicket.”

F. E. Woolley, in the “Daily Chronicle,” says the Australians failed when everyone was expecting them to take full advantage of a bowler’s paradise, with, the result that England has turned an impending defeat into an unprecedented test victory. Pie adds: “I know no ground giving such aid as Melbourne when a baking sun follows a heavy rain. The Australians’ chief tactical mistake was to aim at the leg stump instead of well up to the batsmen’s off stump. We must thank the selectors for omitting Ironmonger, who would have been a trial yesterday.” It would be interesting to see what Rhodes and other left-handers would have done on such a wicket. The match confirms my impression formed at the Oval in 1926 that the Australians are so unused to a real sticky wicket that they seem to have lost the art of using it when it is offered.

‘Every credit Is due to Hobbs and Sutcliffe. If the wicket rolls out well, England should have won when this is read.”

Lord Tennyson, in the “Daily Chronicle” says the names and deeds of Hobbs and Sutcliffe will live long in cricket history. Surely their great stand at Melbourne will be accounted one of the finest partnerships. Their marvellous performance has shown what an English team can do in the tightest corner. BOWLERS’ FAILURE Clem Hill, in the “Daily Telegraph,” says the “Australian bowling failed miserably to take advantage of the conditions. No bowler kept a decent length. No blame attaches to Ryder, who did his best with the available material. “Maybe he wishes he had Ironmonger, who would make good use of the wicket. England’s performance has earned the approbation of even the disappointed Australians.”

First Innings . . 417 Second Innings. HOBBS, lbw, b Blackie . . SUTCLIFFE, not out .. .. JARDINE, not out 18 Extras 21 One wicket for 171 AUSTRALIA First Innings 397 Second Innings. WOODFULL, st Duckworth, b Tate 107 RICHARDSON, b Larwood 5 HENDRY, st Duckworth, b White . . 12 KIPPAX, b Tate 41 RYDER, b Geary 5 BRADMAN, c Duckworth, b Geary . 112 OLDFIELD, b White . . . . 7 A’BECKETT, b White .. 6 OXENIIAM, b White .. .. 39 GRIMMETT, not out .. .. 4 BLACKIE, b White 0 Extras 13 Total i. .. 351 The bowling analysis was is follow s:— Overs. M. R. Wkts. Larwood . . 16 3 37 1 Tate .... 47 15 70 2 White .... 56.5 20 107 5 Geary .... 30 4 04 2 Hammond . . 16 6 30 0