CRICKET TEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1921, Page 5

CRICKET TEST.

THE FINAL CONTEST ENGLAND MAKES 403. AUSTRALIA 3 FOR 162. By Telegraph.—-Press Assn—Copyright. London, August 15. The final test match between England and Australia was continued to-day on an excellent wicket, and in dull and unsettled weather. The attendance numbered 20,000, including the Prince of Wales and rhe Duke of York. When stumps were drawn on Saturday England, in their first innings, had lost four wickets for 129. On resuming to-day the not out men—Mead 19, Sandham 1 — continued, facing the bowling of Gregory and Mailey. Mailey immediately had Mead in difficulties, but one lucky shot behind the wickets realised four. The batsmen began a. forcing game, stealing many clever singles. Though they were well set the fielding made scoring shots difficult. Teased by Mailey's googlies, Mead tried turning him to the leg side for singles, while Sandham played him in front of the wicket. Both were more at ease with Gregory. A double change was made at 173 to Macdonald and Armstrong. Runs came more freely off the new bowlers. Mead reached 50 in 115 minutes, and shortly afterwards Macdonald broke the partnership, which had added 62 in an hour.—s for 119. MEAD’S FINE INNINGS. Tennyson began by lashing out, and Mead, afraid of falling into Armstrongs leg-side trap, stepped out and dr,ove bin. ; Runs came steadily, but fhe fielding never slackened. Tennyson was bent on rapid j scoring, but many of his punching strokes 1 were not allowed to reach the boundary, i Mailey, at second slip, dropped Mead when ; he had made 75, off Macdonald. Although I many risky shots went over the heads of the slips both managed to score freely off ' ! Macdonald behind point. Mailey relieved • ; Armstrong at 236. Tennyson, when at- I I tempting to hook Macdonald, was struck l on the chest, and play was stopped for a ' time. The batting continued of the brightest, both going for the bowling, freely. Mead reached his century in 199 minutes. Gregory relieved Macdonald, and Mead then gave Mailey a very hot return at 104, which he dropped. His frequent powerful drives delighted the crowd, who had not seen the Australian bowling so (daringly attacked before. Armstrong went on for Mailey at 281. The partnership put on 100 in 80 minutes, and at luncheon the score was 300.

Mailey had a finger of his right hand split when he dropped the catch off Mead. Macdonald and Gregory bowled after luncheon, and rapid scoring continued. Tennyson reached 50 in 90 minutes, and immediately afterwards hit out blindly and his stumps were scattered. This ended a partnership which had added 121.—6/5/ 312, Mead 130. Fender was caught the same over, after shakily surviving three balls. Hitch, who came next, was unhappy against the fast bowlers, and mainly lashed out aimlessly. After the adjournment the batting became distinctly slower. Hitch played on Macdonald, who had taken three wickets in half an hour.—B/18/339. Douglas justified his late arrival by proving that he could not play a forcing game. He left Mead to improve the rate of scoring by crisp cuts and hooks. Pellew was specially brilliant in the field, stopping many hard shots. Mead reached 150 in 265 minutes, and a great cheer went up when Douglas, after twenty minutes, got his first single. He took 40 minutes to make 4, both bowlers constantly beating him. Mead became affected by the goslow germ, and play dwindled to a repetition of Saturday’s batting. When the innings was declared closed at 8 wickets for 403 Armstrong shook Mead’s hand. AUSTRALIANS’ PLAY. Collins and Bardsley opened for Australia, Hitch and Douglas leading the attack. Collins began by brightly hooking Douglas to the ropes. In Hitch’s second over he was struck on the knee, and rolled over in pain, but he survived an appeal for leg before. Bardsley was slow in starting, and then gave a delightful display of cutting and driving. Collins was hooking beautifully, and when 11 snicked Hitch into Brown’s hands, but was let off. Bardsley was the first to go; playing forward to Hitch he was badly beaten and his off stump removed.—l/22/33.

Macartney, who followed, had a lucky escape when he had made two, Woolley, at first slip, dropping him off Hitch. He continued to shape flukily, and runs came slowly, Collins being 26 minutes without scoring. This spell was broken by a single, while Macartney was a quarter of an hour making 3. The latter then got going against Douglas with several fine drives, and 50 had appeared in 55 minutes when Collins, in attempting to get Hitch behind the wicket, had his bails flicked off.—2/ 14/54.

Andrews, who came next, opened with rare dash and caused a double change of ; bowling. Fender and Parker came on, the ! latter bowling fast and bumping heavily. Both batsmen weije lively, though the bad light worried them, and they frequently mistimed their shots. The fielding generally was fairly clean, Hitch at short leg having a lot of runs to stop. The pair added 30 in 20 minutes, both showing scant respect for Fender, and the century appeared in 85 minutes, Macartney’s share being 34. Hitch then relieved Parkin, and with improved light the runs came fast, including numerous boundaries. The crowd was especially appreciative of Andrews’ squareleg strokes off Parkin to the ropes, which he made time and again. Both men showed masterly cricket, and the various changes did not affect the scoring. Andrews took 50 minutes to reach 50, and Macartney took 20 more, for the same number. A hundred and fifty appeared in 120 minutes. Just as they had a chance to play out time, two minutes before stumps would have been drawn, Douglas beat Macartney’s defence. Australia has lost three wickets for 162. Details of the play are: ENGLAND. First Innings. Russell, c Oldfield, h Macdonald ..... 13 Brown, b Mailey ' 32 Tyldesley, c Macartney, b Gregory ... 39 Woolley, run out 23 Mead, not out 182 Sandham, b Macdonald 21 Tennyson, b Macdonald 51 Fender, c Armstrong, b Macdonald .. 0 Hitch, b Macdonald 18 Douglas, not out 21 Extras 3 Total (for eight wickets) 403 ■ Bowling analysis.—Gregory, 1 for 128; Macdonald, five for 143; Mailey, one for . $5; Armstrong, none for 44a

AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Collins, b Hitch . Bardsley, b Hitch 22 Macartney, b Douglas ....61 Andrews, not out 59 Extras .......... ® Total (for three wickets) .162 YESTERDAT’S PLAY. AUSTRALIA 3 FOR 172. Received August 17. 1.10 am. London. August 16. Australia has lost 3 wickets for 172 (Andrews 64, Taylor 3). The weather fine and the wicket excellent and the ’•.tendance large, Douglas finished the over and Fender and Hitch took the bowling.