SECOND TEST MATCH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 310, 7 January 1908, Page 3

SECOND TEST MATCH.

AUSTRALIANS' SECOND INNINGS. REALISED :t!l7 Kl \s.

ENGLISHMEN lo WIN. Hill! WICKETS DOWN Ft lit I.l:i. lieceivi'ii .lan. 0, 111.25 p.ni. -Melbourne. January 6. Ihe w-eatli r was hot lor the match to day, !IB , Wing registered in the shade and 140..) in the stilt. The erowd numbered !Km. which, with the previous •lay* attendance, aggregated 81,1180. W '' n ' U7,i - aggregating liemg 130 under the record. Jhe wicket, notwithstanding the len-ili of the match, is in excellent order. " AUSTRALIA'S INXIN'GS did not last long, farter should have . P" 1 . scoring, hut Hutching missed him in the slips off Fielder Cotter Was the first to go, losing his wicket lejr-before to Crawford. Hazlitt and Carter were as>o<iatcd I'm a very briif period, w hen Barnes howled the colt. THE END SOON" CAME. Carter wa« caught mid-on easily bv rane off Barnes. }),. l >a ttcd for K:i minutes, and played verv attractively being strong in cutting. He readied' the lwundary seven times. Australia'innings lasted six hours thirtv-five minutes. THE ENGLISHMEN" AT THE WICKETS.

England were set 282 to win. Fane and Hobbs, as usual, opened, with Cotter and Saunders attacking the batsmen, who dkiplayed caution and keenness They scored very slowly, neither batsman being out, each with ten to his credit, when the lunch interval wan taken, the score then being no wickets for 26. On play being resumed, some \eir uninteresting changes were made in the bowling, Armstrong and Noble going on. A separation was soon ef-' fected through Noble bowling Hobbs, who had been in sixty-six minutes for a patient and useful, if uneventful, innings. which included only two boundary strokes.

Gunn was the next man. He made a reputation in the first innings, but he had the misfortune to get out leg before to Noble without scoring. llutchings was cheered on entering, but the expectation of lively cricket was not fulfilled, both he and the captain playing correctly, quietly, and making the game exceedingly tame for the spectators. Fane was the first to go, after being 161 minutes in batting for his hali-century, which included only two fourers. His dismissal was brought about in a peculiar manner. He played . a ball from Armstrong to his pad,'! Whence it rolled dafely on to the J wickets, dislodging the bails. With Brannd's appearance at the wickets, McCartney relieved Noble. Still there was very dull cricket, and the end came by Cotter at mid-off catchimr Hatchings, who had 39 to his credit" which had taken him 87 minutes io knock up. He showed great restraint. Although batting quietlv, he was not unattractive. He had only three fours, llardiitaff and Braund occupied fifty minutes in reaching double figures, while ordinary rapid HardstaiT made a dozen in an hour. They played out time. .Altogether it was a day of wearisome cricket. At times it was painfully slow. It was never brkk; it was inoffensive and quite defensive. The bowling was excellent, Armstrong keeping the tuns down and preserving an accurate length. Noble and McArtney also were excellent, the former at one time having averaged two for one run. Noble's captaincy was excellent. The fielding, notwithstanding the heat, was smart. Ransford was excellent in the outfield, saving many runs. The wicket is still wearing, and, considering the fluctuations of the game, England vet has a chance. SCORES. AUSTRALIA.—Second Innings (eontd.). Cotter, Lb.w., b Crawford ~ ~ 27 Haditt, b Barnes .. 3 Carter, c Fane, b Barnes ~ ~ 63 Saunders, not out .. , .. 0 Sundries 20 Total 397 Bowling analysis—Fielder, one for 74; Crawford, three for 123; Barnes, five for 72; Braund, none for 68; Rhodes, none for 38. ENGLAND.—Second Innings. Hobbs, b Noble 28 Gunn. Lb.w., b Noble 0 Fane, b Armstrong 50 Hutchings, c Cotter, o McArtney .. 30 Braund, not out 27 Hardstaff, not out '.7 Sundries 8 Total for four wickets .. .. 15!) The wickets fell as follows:—One for 54, two for 54, three«for 121, four for 131. ________