CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 18 February 1902, Page 3

CRICKET.

FOURTH TEST MATCH. DASHING PLAY BY COLONIALS. PER PRESS ASSOC'ATION. Received 17, 6.15 p.m. Sydney, Febniary 17. The match was continued in beautiful weather, the wicket playing excellently. There were about 15,000 present. Noble and Armstrong resumed bitting, Braund and Jessop having charge of the bowling. The former was punished by both batsmen, but Foble, after adding five to his score, got leg bsfore, and, tiough in some doubt, the umpire decided against him. He was two hours snd three-quarters at the wickets, and gave one chance during the partnership, which added 41 to the score. Six wickets for 160.

Hopkins, who filled the vacancy, left the werk to Armstrong, contenting himself with defensive tao'ics. The Victorian played with the greatest confidence. Jes'op, who rat'l«d down a lot of fast stuff, was replaced by Blythe at 164. The change brought about a long interval of tedious pi ty, Braund sending dows six maidens in succession, avid Blythe three overs for a single. The batsmen only added one for twenty-one minutes' play. Armstrong then opened out aiid became aggressive at Braund's expense. The Vic.orian gave a dashing display, although excellent fielding 'rendered tho bulk of his hard strokes abortive. Armstrong made a magnificent drive for four, which he repeated, the next stroke being high in tho sime direction. Tyldesley got under the ball and caught it, but hiving inadvertently got one foot on the cycle track he fell. A consultation ensued between Tyldesley end the umpires, which led to Armstrong remaining at the wickets. The incident caused a lot of excitement among the spectators. Armstrong celebrated his deliverance by punishing the bowlers impartially with fine off-drives, reaching bis halfcentury in an hour and a-half, the second century appearing simultaneously. He had added another three when he gave a chance to Quaife, who, while running, tried to take the ball with his left hand, but it just relied out. With 204 up, Blythe gave way to Gunn, but Braund in the next over, witb a beiutiful ball breaking from the off, dismissed Armstrong, who had bitted an hour and three-quarters, and hi* seven 4's. Seven wickets for 205.

Hopkins had maintained his stonewall while Armstrong was batting, and had only put up nine for 70 minutes at the wickets.

After lunch Blythe and Braund re-. sumed bowling, the lat'er having bowled 50 overs, of which 23 were! maidens. Hopkins became aggiessivp, giving a fine display, aed bitting fourers in rapid succession, Kelly keeping ■ his end up and allowing his comrade to Kelly ftloMy got into double \ figures, and then Hopkins played | ' Braund to Lilley. His score included s'x 4's. Eight wickets for 252. Howell's arrival was the signal for th i fieldsmen to be placed at the; boundaries. Brand's second ball was sent into the grandstand for five„ Howell raised the enthusiasm of the spectators to a tremendous pitch, and bis fourth stroke saw 15 to his credit. He hit out all over the field, getting 18 ofl Gunn's over. Such a display was too good to last. Jessop took Gunn's place and Howell treated him cavalierly. Gunn took Braund's end and Howell skied his second ball ■ to MacLareD. The Windsor bat had knocked up 35 in fourteen minutes, including gjx i'», and he received a great ovation. Nine for 288. S umders, the last man, played feebly, j but held his wicket sufficiently long to Ist Kelly add eleven, and then Braund dismissed the Victorhn, "j

AtrsTEALiA.—Fir.-t innings. Trumbis, a MacLaren. b Jnssop .. 6 Trumper, c Braund, b Jessop .. 7 Hill,c Jores, b Jessop ~ ..21

G r egory, c Braund, b Jessop .. 5| Noble, b Braund .. .. ~ 56 I: Diff, c Lilley, b Blytfee .. ~ 39 j ; Armstrong, b Braund .. 551 Hopkins, o Lilley, b Braund . . 43 i: Kelly, nob out .. .. .. 24 Powell, o MacLaret), b Guon .. 35 1 Saunders, b Braund .. .. 0 Extras .. ~ .. 8 Total .... .. 299 Blythe took one * icket 57, Gunn i l one for 48, Jessop four for 68, Braund four for 118. i 1 : COLLAPSE OF THE ENGLISH TEAM. [

At four o'clock Hayward and MacLaren commenced tbe second innings of the Englishmen, Noble and Sounders opening the attack. The Sydney | biwlcr's second over proved fatal to j M'cLaren, who had just scored five when he played one into Kelly's hands, I One wicket for 5. ' Tyldeslev filled the vacancy. The plav was slow, Hayward being at the wickftt for twenty minutes before ha j broke his " duck." The Lancashire professional got into double figures in the first few minuses, but he had only just attained that position when he playei' Saunders up in the slips, Trumble effecting the catch. Two for .24. 1 Quaife followed, Jones running for Hayward, whose log was troubling hina. iWith a dozen in the latter's favour, Noble cent down a magnificent ball, I breaking in from the off and scattering j Hayward's stumps. Three for 36. Jassop came next. The demon hitter opened with a cut for four, and t,h n , camp exceedingly careful, both bowlers . keeping a splendid length. Je'sop ' had quite usurped Quaife's position i as a stoDewilier, but he played forward . to a fine ball from Saunders, which dis- , placad his s'umps. Four for 57. r Braund joined Quiife, but without . any addition to the score being effected i Quaifa was dismissed leg before. I Five for 57. I McGahey cime next, but the collapse l continued. Braund tried to pull j S underg across, but was clean bowled s Six for 57. i Lilley then partnered McGahey 'Noble had now secured three for 34 , and Saunders three for 23, the field' sjng being splendid. Lilley rscordec I, another duck, putting Noble up in thi a glips ta Trumbh. Seven for 60. I Jones succeeded, and McGahey go' into double figures, chiefly by single o t ' They played out time. [.' The downfall was remarkable, espeei i- ally as the wicket was still excellent, ' r England - Second Innings. '® Hayward, b Noble .. .. 1' g MacLaren, c Kelly, b Noble .. : is Tyldea'ev, c Trumble, b Stundera 1( 3 - Qiiaifs, l b.w,, b Noble .. .. 1' j Je«Bop. b Svuuders .. >, 1< t . Braund, Saunders .. .. 1 d McGahey, not out 1 i- lilley, c Trumble, b Noble .. 1 4 Jones, not out .. .. .. 1 y, Extras Total for earn wickets 7'