CRICKET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9017, 2 January 1908, Page 5

CRICKET.

THE SECOND TEST MATCH. Received January 1, 9.50 p.m. By Telegraph—Press Association. MELBOURNE, January 1. The second test match commenced to-day. There was an exceedingly dull day's batting on, a splendid wicket. The batsmen played' strictly defensive and painfully slow. The only relief was when Cotter came in. He hit merrily for a quarter of an hour and scored 16 off seven balls. The spectators were delighted. Braund set five men on the boundary for him in the expectation of big hitting, but Crawford "skittled" him. The Englishmen's ground fielding was loose at the start, but improved later. The bowling was splendid. Fielder and Crawford were accurate in length. Braund was tricky. Fane omitted Hayes, Young and Blythe from the team. The latter is suffering from the effect of a severe cold contracted during the extraordinary climatic changes in Bendigo, narrowly escaping pleurisy. Jones, of course, was not playing as he is recuperating at the Blue Mountains. It is problematical whether he wiil play again during the tour. Noble won the toss, and Trumper and MacArtney opened to the bowling of Fielder and Barnes. The batsmen began confidently, Trumper leading to the hope of lively batting. MacArtney kept getting the bulk of the runs. Trumper, however, batted attractively, and assumed the lead. He had luck in being, missed in the slips by Gunn, when he had scored four. He just missed his half century by one. He had batted 83 minutes, and in his runs were five 4's. Hill joined MacArtney, who was clean bowled after going in for careful hitting. He scored only one four. The Australian skipper was next in, /

and 100 went up after 1 hour and 48 ; minutes' play. Hill at 16, clean bowled by Fielder, aiid a great roar went up from the spectators. Fielder's wicket?-had cost him 35 runs. Armstrong was.next, and at 140 Fielder, who had one wicket for 45, was given a rest, Barnes going on. Soon after Noble lifted Crawford to mid-on, when Gunn again dropped the ball. Noble was then 20. One hundred and fifty was made in 2 hours 51 minutes. At the tea adjournment the score stood at 160 — Armstrong 31, Noble 25. Soon after resuming Crawford bowled, and Armstrong was finely caught in the slips after 1 hour 4 minutes' batting. Crawford's three : wickets had cost him only 53 runs. MacAllister had just reached double figures when hewas ran out, Hobbs making a splendid return. Ransford was next, and, i 200 went on the board after three. I and threequarter hours' play. Noble, in attempting to hit, was caught in the slips after being two hours 45 minutes at the wickets. Carter speedily ran into double figures and hatted in a lively fashion. Scores: — AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Trumper, c Humphries, b Crawford 49 MacArtney. b Crawford 37 Hill, b Fielder 1& Noble, c Braund, b Rhodes 61 Armstrong, c Hutchings, b Crawford 31 MacAllister, run out . 10 Ransford, not out 22 Cotter, b Crawford ' 17 Carter, not out 10 Extras 2 Total for seven wickets 255 The wickets fellas follows: —One for 84, two for 93, three for 111, four for 168, five for 197, six for' 214,. seven for 240. Bowling analysis—Fielder *one for 70, Rhodes one for 37, Crawford four for 75.

WELLINGTON v. CANTERBURY.

BY TELEGRAPH —MESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, January 1. Wellington, playina Canterbury today, scored 239 —(Williams 58, Laws 45, Mahony 44, Beechejr 43, Tucker 34, Hickson 21, extras 33). The ground was fasi, and the wicket inclined to be fiery. Several, chances were missed. Orchard took two wickets for 25, but none of the other bowlers did well. The visitors replied with 100 for no wickets —(Patrick not out 28, Wood not out 62, extras 10). Wcod drove with great vigour, and played really well.