THE TEST MATCH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 17 December 1907, Page 3

THE TEST MATCH.

ENGLISHMEN'S SECOND INNINGS fel» .•-•. NINE WICK hi s FOR 2U3 3L .. Received Dec. 16, 8 p.m. Sydney, December 10. Rhodes and Fane, the two not-outs of Saturday, resumed batting to the bowling of Cotter and Armstrong. The wfcket was in excellent order, but was dry, and the weather was oppressive, with a hot wind blowing. Fifty appeared'as the result of fiftv minutes* play, and then McCartney displaced Cotter. A drizzling rain came on suddenly, but did not interfere with the play. Rhodes put McCartney up in the slips, and MacAlister made a smart catch—one for s<i. Gunn followed, but Armstrong, who was bowhng well, troubled the Imtsmen a good deal, and he sent down ten overs for seven runs. Saunders then relieved Armstrong, and play became most tedious, runs cumin" I by occasional .singles. Cotter went ,-n ' again in place of McCartnev at ;.). ..ml I a little later Fane hit Saunders l.i-h »> ' point, where Noble -prang into die air ! and effected a clever single-handed :•itch ' l —two for 82. j Hutching* went in and plived oiu I tratil the luncheon adjournment'. After !; lunch, runs came more freelv. and "he ! ' century went up after two 'hnur-i and , < two minutes' play. * j f Hutching* now liegan to hit freelv. . ] and was overhauling (limns score. The I latter was playing more on the de- 11 fensive. '

Armstrong, who kid taken Cotter's end, was, with Saunders, bowling in excellent form, the former sending down Bine maidens out of fifteen overs. Hatchings' career, however, was brief. U he lifted Saunders high to mid-oiT, vhere Armstrong made an ea-v catch—three for 105. HardstarT followed, and at 127 McCartney was again tried, and the game became so slow that manifestly the Englishmen's desire was to be dug ont rather than to make runs. Cotter came on again at 134, and both batsmen played him with greater confidence than the slow bowlers, the score IWTftwing at a more reasonable speed. {the display ou the whole »as rathei * dreary. I

(juna nude gome showy strokes, while Cardstaff obtained rum somewhat finer than hia county companion. A double change in the bowling wa» then made, Noble relieving Cotter, and Hazlett went on at McCartney's end. At showing how tedious the play was, it may be pointed ont that it took an fconr and fifty nunutes to compile 40 inns.

iWith hi* wore at 47, Guam was given ft life at iUcAlisters bands in the slips off Hazlett- The batsmen acknowledg.-d this respite by hitting three tourers oil Hazlett's over. The bowling change was acceptable, too, to liardstau, wao was making aoine brilliant stroke, and gulled Hazlett twice for four. At this stage Dull went out in the field in place oi Ransiord, who was »ui(trisg troni a slight suiisiroke. As Hazlett was becoming somewhat expensive, Saundere replaced hini. This brought the game up to the tea adjournment.

On resuming, Hardstaff increased his total to half a century, as the result Of an hour- and a-half's batting. . Cotter and Noble were contriving attacks, but iiardsUff scored freely and »pidir, scoring boundary after ummdary. He nearly lost bis wicket through hesitating in a run. McCartney return, d the ball smartly, but Cotter was unable to get hold of it, and enabled the batsman to reach his crease. Then a beautiful ball from Noble scattered llardstatTo wicket, the batsman playing lonian! to fcr-four (or 218. Braund followed, but soon lost Gunn, who was dismissed by a catch by Noble in the slip* olf Cotter. Gunn had played • great innings, showing excellent tuning, and only marred by one chance. B> had batted for i hours 47 minutes, and his total included eleven lowers. loung had a brief innings, being (eaten by a good boll from Noble, after _awotiajr three—six for 227. Noble had Bow secured two wickets for 10. _ Crawford was uncomfortable from the ttart, and after adding five was snapped op in the slips by Hazlett off Cotter—•even for 241. Barnes went in, and Armstrong and Baunders went on again. The batsmen were disinclined to triHc with the Victorians, and play became colorless. Eventually Saunders clean bowled Barnes— eight for 262. The light became bad as Blythe joined Braund, and with only fifteen minutes to play, rain came on again, accompanied by a southerly gale. Blythe got runs easily oil Cotter, while his partner, Braund, was batting .very solidly. Just as time was reached, Blythe was caught at point by Noble oil Baunders, the score standing at nine wickets for 203. It is estimated 12,000 were present. Peores:— ENGLAND.

first innings -•>> Second innings. fane, e Noble, b aauiulvia .. u Knodea, c .UaeAudter, b McCartney -•' (iunn, c Noble, b Loiter .. ii Hutclungs, c Armstrong, b Saunders li Hards tan, b Noble tia JSraund, not uut 31 ioung, b Noulc ~ i Crawiord, c Hazlett, b Cotter .. Jtarnes, b Saunders 11 JUjthe, c .Noble, b Saunders .. 1-3 Sundries ... .. 12

Li Total for nine wickets .. .. 2J3 "~ ACSTKAUA. jftngt innings .. 3*jo KeporU irom the southward ut :\»uHey at 4.30 pan. snow mat the oul:»ofc lot to-morrow is not 100 promising. Kecexved Dec. U, u.37 a.m. Sydney, December lu. {There has been very little ram, aou unless more lalls througn the nigut, tuc picket will not be affected.

" J?UFNKET SHIELD HATCH.

**' AUCKLAND I'IUS ON 53U.

Christchureh, Lost Night. Auckland put up ijuite a sensational performance to-day, when the PltinKci fihield match was continued, by amassing the huge total of 33U, and any pretentions Canterbury had as to being the premier cricketing province have been unequivocally and ignuminioualy removed JThough not yet finished, the result is as much beyond doubt ao it could well be, and it is but bare justice to the North enters to say that tliey have abuudmtly proved tliat they are the better team. | She scores to date are—

CAMEKBUtt'. ■first innings ,% I' JU Second Innings. H. B. Lusk, not out -« tW. Patrick, c Kobiwon, b Uaddon .. 10 f). Bene, l.b.w, b Ueli .. .. -J5 Extra* ... *** ft.! ~ Total for two wickets .. ..88 "T AUCKLAND.—First Innings. I?. Brook-Smith, c Boxshall, b Ma lone .. • • * • •. o'J

L. G. Hemos, c Boxshall, b Bennett. US B. Mason, c Anthony, b Bennett .. 2 G. Cuminings, c Boxchall, b Bennett 31 A. E. Keif, c Reese, b Bennett .. 157 A. Haddon, c Cuff, b Lusk ,„ ... 30 L. Prime, ruu out U J. iL llussey, c Patrick, b Crawskaw 32 A. E. Ilowden, c Hoxsliall, b Bennett 0 [W. Kobinsou, b Crawshaw .. .. 17 A. Kerr, not out 4 Extras ... ... ... ..33 Total .. .. ... .. 53" | The match will lie resumed to-inorru\v.