AUSTRALIA STILL NEEDS 113

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 614, 16 March 1929, Page 1

AUSTRALIA STILL NEEDS 113

Six Wickets Yet Intact

DOUR STRUGGLE AT MELBOURNE

A TENSE struggle has developed in the fifth and final- Test at Melbourne. Australia still has six wickets to fall and 113 runs to make to win. Both sides are fighting grimly for the ascendancy. ( L nited P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) MELBOURNE, Friday. Second Innings.

Australia still needs 113 runs to win the final test cricket match against flngland. fc>lie lias six wickets in hand. When play ended to-day the local men had lost four wickets for 173 of the 256 runs they had set out to make in their second innings in order to secure a victory. At the drawing of stumps yesterday tho Australians’ innings had just opened, and the score was seven for no wickets. Pleasant weather prevailed when the game was resumed this morning, on a fairly good wicket. It avus in better condition than probably it would have been had there been no jain on Wednesday. There was a very large attendance spectators. CHANCES MISSED The not-out men, Oldfield (6) and Hornibrook (I>, resumed batting. When the former had raised his score to eight lie gave Hammond an easy chance in the slips off Larwood. Only six runs were added in half an hour, but the batsmen had done good work for their side in surviving the dangerous stage when the new ball was in use. The hatting of both tnen steadily improved, but the vate of scoring was slow. There was great cheering when the first innings deficiency of 28 runs was wiped out. Hornibrook again showed line grit and surprising soundness. The first 50 appeared on the board after 93 minutes’ play. Every run was loudly applauded. Then Duckwortli missed a chance of catching Hornibrook off Tate, the batsman having then made 18. Off Hammond’s last ball before luncheon, however, Hornibrook was clean bowled, lie had batted 97 minutes and hit one four. Although he was very slow, he hud played a fine innings for his jaide.

Woodfull opened quietly as usual. Only seven runs were added in 20 minutes. Then Oldfield scored five, including three for an overthrow off LarBOWLERS IN FORM

Tute and the fast bowler (Larwood) were in good form and had to be closely watched. At one stage Tate had bowled nine overs for five runs. When the total was 80 Oldfield was clean bowled by Hammond, after a Kood and plucky display of 155 minutes’ duration. His 48 included three lours and one five. His partnership with Woodfull had yielded 28 runs. Hammond, who then had an average of two wickets for nine, was turning Uie ball slightly and making it rise •sharply. This made it appear that the wicket was not playing altogether truly. One ball struck Duckworth a nasty blow on the shoulder and play was suspended while Larwood massaged him.

Duckworth had been keeping wicket i in great style and had made many clever stops on the leg side. The century was signalled after three hours* play. Woodfull then i livened matters up by scoring two lours in successive overs from Tate and | Larwood. The bowling was still of a high standard and the fielding was very keen, every run having to be earned. Jackson reached double figures in 45 minutes. After tea only seven runs ' ere added in 20 minutes, and the crowd commented sarcastically. WOODFULL OUT Then Jackson hit a six off one of Larwood's overs. When Woodfull had i made 34 he had a narrow escape of | being run out on the third run off a i stroke by Jackson. Leyland made a good return. The rate of scoring was now steadily improving. Then Woodfull played a '•.ill, which kept very low on to his ticket. He had batted 128 minutes and had hit one four. Jackson was joined by Kippax and became more enterprising. He made some delightful cuts off Larwood. The board showed 150 after 237 minutes’ Play. At 15S White went on for the first time since luncheon and the rate of slackened again. Jackson, who was cleaned bowled by Geary, had batted 85 minutes for his 45. Pie had bit five fours and was dismissed when be was showing his best form. 166 RUNS IN A DAY t The light was becoming poor when Ryder went in. The position then "as most interesting again, as the wicket avus now inclined to play occasional tricks. The ball kept very l«»w at times. Runs were as scarce as sovereigns, the bowling being very accurate and the fielding exceptionally keen and effective. An appeal made against the light at e. 30 p.m. was not allowed. A second appeal at 5.37 p.m. also was rejected. A few runs were added and then a third appeal at 5.45 p.m. was successful. Kippax had batted 58 minutes and Ryder half an hour. The innings had °ocupied 276 minutes and it was remarkably low scoring for a day’s play. The visitors deserve great credit for their sterling fight, even though they >ad occasional assistance from the v ' k'ket. .England is by no means beaten yet. Details of the scores are: —- ENGLAND First Innings WffiSF* ,bw - l> Ryder 142 viV;r. INK - c Oldfield, b Wall 19 S&XOXt* c Fairfax, b Wall .... 38 T\r-!w-£ SIjE Y. c Hornibrook. b Ryder 31 DLCk WORTH, c Fairfax, b Hornibrook 12 i c Hornibrook. b Fairfax 95 , c Fairfax, b Oxenham .. 137 nw?sj9 OD - b Wall 4 b Hornibrook 4 A.,vbJK, c A’Biokett. b Hornibrook .. 15 WHITE, not out 9 Extras 13 Total 513 Bowling.—Wall, ?.-125: Hornibrook, Oxenham. 1-86; Grimmett, 0-40; fau-fax, 1-84, Kyucr, 3-29; Kippax, 0-2.

HOBBS, c Fairfax, b Grimmett .. .. 65 1 JARDINB, < 'lulu Id. b Wall o LARWOOD, b Wall 31 HAMMOND, o Ryder, b Fairfax .... 16 i TYLDESLEY, c Oldfield, b Wall . 21 I HENDREN, b Grimmett i LEYLAND, not out 5^ TATE, c Fairfax, b Hornibrook .. .. 51 GEARY, b Wall 3 WHITE, c Oxenham, b Wall .. .. 4 DUCKWORTH, lbw, b Oxenham m Extras 20 Bowling: Wall, ‘5-66; Hornibrook, I-5R Fairfax', 1-20; Grimmett, 2-66; Oxenham, 1-34. AUSTRALIA First Innings. WOODFULL, c Geary, b Larwood .. 102 JACKSON, run out 30 KIPPAX, c Duckworth, b White !! 38 RYDER, c Tate, b Hammond 30 BRADMAN, c Tate, b Geary 123 FAIRFAX, lbw, b Geary 65 OXENHAM, c Duckworth, b Geary . . 7 OLDFIELD, c and b Geary 6 GRIMMETT, not out .... 38 Yt ALL, c Duckworth, b Geary .... 9 HORNIBROOK, lbw, b White 26 Extras 17 Total 49i Bowling.—Larwood, 1-83; Tate, 0-108; Geary, 5-105; White, 2-136; Hammond, 1-31; Leyland. 0-11. Geary bowled SI overs and White 75. Second Innings. OLDFIELD, b Hammond 48 HORNIBROOK, b Hammond .. .. 18 WOODFULL, b Hammond 35 JACKSON, b Geary 46 KIPPAX, not out 12 RYDER, not out 8 Extras 6 Four wickets for 173 Later Scores will appear in the Stop Press as they come to hand