FIFTH CRICKET TEST COMMENCED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 371, 27 February 1937, Page 7

FIFTH CRICKET TEST COMMENCED

AUSTRALIANS SCORE 342 FOR THREE WICKETS.

BRADMAN AND McCABE BAT BRILLIANTLY.

QPresa Association—Copyright.)

MELBOURNE, Feb. 26.

Australia won the toss and has made 342 runs for three wickets in the fifth and deciding Test against England. Bradman compiled 1 65 not out and McCabe 1 1 2, both batting Experts agree that Australia has batted itself into a very strong position.

The English team comprises Allen, Wyatt, Hammond, Barnett, Hardstaff, Leyland, Ames, Verity Worthington,, Voce and Fames . The Australian team is Bradman, Badcock, Fingleton, Fie i t wood-Smith, Gregory, McCabe, McCormick, Nash, Oldfield, O’Reilly, Rigg and Brown (12 th man). The crowded ground provided a wonderful setting for one of the Test matches of the century., the jubilee match between England and Australia and deciding match of the present series, states J. B. Hobbs in his co.pyv’right comment. The weather was humid, with a very hot sun when the big crowd watched the tense ceremony of tossing. In order to let Sipectators know at once who won it was announced" thalt the captain v*ho picked the coin off the ground was tile lucky one. Allen looked dejected then, but nothing like as unhappy a,s when with Fingleton at only two he missed an easy catch off Fames’ bowling. It was bad luck to miss one so early in a momentous game to add to Alien’s already long list of worries. At the time England lost the toss I was not certain it was such a bad stroke of luck because I hoped it might have compensations in the shape of a few wickets before lunch, but when the ball did lift it Was more dut to the new ball than wickeit. Before lunch the wicket v.'as slower than that on which the game with Victoria was played. Drinks were brought out after 45 minutes, and in that period not one ball which by any stretch of imagination could be called a bumper was delivered. Just before Fingleton Ve'as dropped by Allen he had given a difficult chance to Fames off Allen. The score had reached only 24 when a good chance for a run out went begging. Fingleton called Rigg for a short run when Hai* staff at cover failed to gather the ball. Fingleton was very slow and set himself to play so carefully that when he did get a no-ball at which to make a stroke his effort was so feeble that it caused laughter and the ball rolled but a few yards.

Brilliant Catch by Voce,

The fieldsmen had little opportunity to shine before lunch, although Voce once distinguished himself by a brilliant one-handed pick up at third slip from a hard cut by Rigg. Rigg was a far better workman than Fingleton. He started by driving Allen for-three and hit a four to leg in Alien’s second over, and when England’s captain went on again he hooked him splendidly for four and played him past gully for two. This took him to 26 while Fingleton’s score v.'as six.

The total slowly advanced to 42 when Rigg in attempting to cut Fames was caught at the wicket. One stroke by Fingleton was worth mentioning. Off Verity's first ball he made a magnificent stroke off a wide well-pibched-up delivery, resulting in a four behind point. It was best described as a square drive.

The cricket before lunch was* very slow. Fingleton evidently had orders to stay there at all costs. Though he had v , a little luck be kept pegging away and Australia put up its best wicket stand of the series. Allen’s live captaincy in trying to prevent the batsmen from settling down was insanced in the constant bowling changes. He opened with Fames but after each had delivered three overs he put on Voce and Hammond for the same period. Allen and Fames returned and Verity and Voce had one over each from the same end before the interval Fames Bowls Well. Fames,, Who made a sensational start before lunch in the Adelaide Test, took a wicket with his second ball on resuming, Fingleton being caught by Voce at second slip. It was a bad stroke at an off ball that rose high and would have been best left alone-. That gave Fames two wickets for ten runs. This was surely Alien’s unlucky day, for he missed McCabe, then 11, at short leg off Fames, He got only one hand to the ball but it v.’as close enough for him to have used two. Fames had been bowling like a Trojan but after this further miss he seemed to Jose heart and length. Almost every ball of his next oyer was scored off so he gave way to Allen again. Bradman glided Allen for four. He had already made many good sho

and few balls were bowled to him except by Verity that he did not. score from, but this Was his first boundary and the crowd was wild with delight. The batsmen caused Allen to spreadeagle his field with the result that when McCabe edgtd one it went for four through a wide gap between Ames and first slip. Second slip l was almost fourth. Bradman sent up 100 with a three to the on, off Verity, and hitting two boundaries in the same over from Allen, a square cut and a cover drive., he reached his own 50. It was a sound knock that had taken him but 69 minutes, though it included only three fours. These two batsmen were playing delightflu cricket and looked well. set. A beautiful shot by McCabe off Voce v.’as the second edition of that four of Fingleton’s. 100 Runs in 72 Minutes.

Worthington took the ball to be hit for 14 in the first over. Ten runs also came from Voce’s next over. The batsmen were at the top of their form. They registered a 100 partnership in 72 minutes. Proof of the way they were progressing was given by the second 50 taking only 28 minutes.

Facing Worthington* McCabe reached 50 with a drive for a single. It was difficult to say which was the better half-hundred. McCabe, despite tv'.) slips was quite as attractive as his captain. Throughout this battering of England’s attack Ames kept ■wickets cooly, being clean and neat. Despite the handicap of his illness he is in the best form of hrs career and is undoubtedly a much improved ’keeper. After tea a. new ball was taken but Bradman and McCabe continued to entertain with sparkling cricket' Bradman was first to reach the century. McCabe followed suit but not before when at 86 he had been missed again. Once more it was at short leg —by Fames this time off Voce. Although lucky to-day McCabe has batted far better on this tour than his

scores suggest. I w’as not sorry to see him get his 100. His cutting was the best I have s'en for years. It is rarely teen nowadays and was a feature of an innings which brought into play all the strokes known all round the wicket, but with a minimum of exertion. McCabe loses some of the limelight when partnering Bradman, but admitting his chances, for pure technique his display was more than equal to Bradman’s. Bradman’s Brilliancy.

Bradman played his most brilliant knock of the senes. He neither gave the ghost of a chance nor ever looked like getting out, so much was he on top of t-he bowling. It was a remarkable thing that with 150 to his credit Bradman did not once hit the ball into the air.

The heat made the day trying for the fielding side but the bowlers stuck to their* job gamely. Hardstaff did grand work in the field, chaeing the ball all the afternoon and constantly gaining applause. Generally, however, the fielding was not as clean as in some of the Tests.

Australia has batted itself into a very strong position and at the moment I will leave it at that. The cricket had been E'low before lunch but more than atoned afterwards, and it was batting alt its best— peirhaps, the- brightest we Have seen in the Tests. England certainly lacked a good spin bowler, but as far as I could see the only difference one such would have made would have been to help runs to come still more quickly. The scores are: — AUSTRALIA.

Total (for three wickets) .. 342 Fall of the wickets: One for 42 two for 54, three for 303. Bowling Analysis.

First Innings. Fingleton, c Voce, b Farnes . 17 Bigg, c Ames, b Farnes . , . 28 Bradman, not out ... 165 McCabe, c Farnes, b Verity .. . . 112 Badcock, not out . . 12 . Extras i . . . .

0. M. R. W. Allen . . . 12 0 72 0 Fames ... 13 3 4,5 2 Voice ... 13 2 88 0 Hammond . . . 10 44 0 Verity . .. 14 0 68 1 Worthington ... 2 0 21 0 s Leyland 2 0 6