CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1921, Page 3

CRICKET.

AUSTRALIANS’ TOUR OPENS.

LEICESTER'S SMALL TOTAL.

VISITORS SCORE FREELY.

Bf Telegraph-Press Assn.—Copyright. Received May 1, 11.5 p.m. London, April 30.

The Australians commenced their cricket tour against Leicester in glorious weather and on a good wicket. The attendance was nine, thousand. Sharp (Leicester) won the toss. Gregory secured a wicket with the first, ball of the match, dismissing Whitehead for nil. King hit the first boundary over the slips, off Gregory. Mounteney jumped out to Mailey and drove him for four and six consecutively, the first fifty being hoisted in forty minutes (Mounteney 26 and King 20). McDonald replaced Gregory with the ball. The fielding was good, but not faultless. Sharp was missed by Armstrong directly he came In. McDonald, bowling a good length, compelled tbe batsmen to play carefully. At the. lunch adjournment the score was four wickets for 99 runs.

On resuming Armstrong and Gregory bowled, the latter bumping dangerously/at times. The batting now became steady, and Coe was applauded for beautifully hooking Gregory. The fielding improved and McDonald replaced Gregory. Mailey caught Salmon brilliantly at second slip. Salmon’s innings was a stylish one and lasted seventy minutes, while Coe's score was the result of a patient seventy minutes’ play. Shipman was out first ball. The innings lasted 150 minutes. Collins and Bardsley opened for Australia. Collins tried to hook a straight one from Benskin, and it got his middle, stump. Macartney followed, and he monopolised the bowling, scoring late cuts, while Bardsley scored mostly from leg strokes. Fifty was hoisted within half an hour, and a hundred in fifty minutes. Macartney’s masterly execution arousing enthusiasm. There was little variety in the bowling until Whitehead sent down a slow right hander, and Bardsley might have been caught behie? the wicket when 21.

Changes stop the scoring. Macartney reached his century in seventy-three minutes, and though Bardsley was slow by comparison, still he was sound. The field was altered but the batsmen continued to score by clever placing. The fielding was capital. Six" bowlers were tried, but the batsmen were not separated at the end of 130 minutes. The batting became easier as the bowlers tired. Details are:— LEICESTER.

First Innings.

Whitehead, b’ Gregory 0 Mounteney, c Armstrong, b McDonald .. 28 King, c Carter, b McDonald 29 Salmon, c Malley, b McDonald 33 1 Sharp, c Gregory, b McDonald 9 Coe, c Collins, b Armstrong 23 Astill, c Carter, b McDonald 0 Shipman, b McDonald 0 Lord, c Collins, b McDonald 7 Benskin, b McDonald ..4... 0 Sidwell, not out 0 Extras 7 Total 136 Bowling analysis—Gregory took one wicket for 31, Mailey none for 33, Armstrong one for 24, McDonald eight for> 41. Fall of wickets.—One for 0, -two for 60, three for 73, four for 91, five for 114, six for 124, seven for 134, eight for 134, nine for 136. AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Collins, b Benskin 2 Macartney, not out 140 Bardsley, not out 97 Extras 4 Total (for one wicket) 243 —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

OLDFIELD’S INJURY

London, April 29. The injury to Oldfield's left elbow is <mor * serious than was first thought. His doctor has diagnosed it as sinovitis. He is able to bend the elbow and close the hand, but not to grasp a ball. He will probably be unable to play for six weeks, possibly lon-ger.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.