Wicket Flooded

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1057, 22 August 1930, Page 9

Wicket Flooded

NO PLAY IN CRICKET TEST England Expects Defeat BRADMAN AND JACKSON PRAISED United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Ilecd. 10.5 a.m. LONDON, Thursday. THERE was no play in the final cricket Test today as the wicket was soaked Already there is speculation whether the match will go over the week-end. English critics anticipate defeat, and say that only a miracle can prevent Australia from scoring an overwhelming and deserved victory—and possibly an innings win.

Steady rain fell in the night and it was still raining at 9.50 a.m. The wicket was very wet and the gates were not opened when it was realised that there would be no play before luncheon. Moreover the wicket is notoriously slow to recover. After lunch the captains inspected the flooded pitch and abandoned play for the day. The ground was absolutely soaked and the wicket saturated. It is auite possible there will be no play tomorrow. England made 405 in the first innings and has lost one wicket for 24 in the second strike. Australia piled up 695 in the first innings. England is still 266 runs behind Australia’s first innings score. The English newspapers are practically resigned to England’s defeat, and are even speculating whether she can be saved from an innings defeat. Mr. B. Bennison, in the “Daily Telegraph,’’ says: “Nothing short of a miracle can deny Australia an overwhelming and deserved victory. As batsmen, bowlers and fieldsmen they have proved the better team. BRADMAN ACCLAIMED “In Bradman Australia has produced one of the most astonishing batsmen of all ages.”

The cricket writer of the “Dailj r Express” says: “The plain tale is that England has been out-played, out generalled and out-spirited, also largely out-fielded. The Australians have proved better than the best England has been able to find.” The “Daily Herald’s” cricket writer says: “The match has revealed to the world the most wonderful batsman of all time in Bradman.” Mr. P. F. Warner, in the “Morning Post,” says: “Australia is well on the way to victory. The batting of Bradman and Jackson was magnificent.” The former English captain, Mr. A. P. F. Chapman, writing in the “Daily Mail,” says: “It is impossible to see how Australia can be prevented from gaining a comparatively easy win. Yesterday I said Bradman was a menace to English cricket. Today I will go further —I think he will be the death of it if he comes ovdr here more than once.” Writing in “Sporting Life,” W. F. Smith declares: “We want no more time-limitless cricket tests. Most of the games have been unutterably dull and spiritless.” SYDNEY STAYS AWAKE LISTENS-IN TO CRICKET TEST “THE ASHES LOOK FINE” SYDNEY, Thursday. The Sydney newspapers express delight at Australia’s strong grip in the final test match. One heading is: “The ashes look fine.” Another is: '“Larwood does his worst. Don does his best.” Writers describe Bradman -as the greatest batsman in history. Thousands of people had very liule sleep through listening to the wireless reports of the game until early in the morning. CHARMING TRIBUTE HOBBS CHEERED ON FIELD WOODFULL’S LITTLE SURPRISE Reed. Noon. RUGBY, Thursday. The newspapers today express much appreciation of the, unexpected little demonstration which the Australians had arranged yesterday evening, when Hobbs went out to play his last innings in Test match cricket. As Hobbs came to the wicket, the Australian players gathered in a ring round him at a few paces distant, and at a signal from their skipper, Woodfull, took off their caps and held them aloft. At Woodfull’s lead they gave him three short staccato cheers. An observer says it was one of the most moving tributes he had ever seen paid on the cricket field. Hobbs’s record in Test matches is a wonderful one. He first played in Australia in 1908. He has had 71 innings, and was four times not out, with the highest score 187. His aggregate numbers of runs is 3,636 and his average 54.26.