A PITIFUL DISPLAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 May 1938, Page 7

A PITIFUL DISPLAY

OXFORD TEAM ROUTED SPIN BOWLERS ON TOP. HASSETT’S BRILLIANT CENTURY. By Telegraph. —Press Association, Copyright. (Recd Friday, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, May 5. The Australian eleven continued its innings today against the Oxford team, and “declared” with the score at 7 for 679.

The Oxford team in the first innings compiled 117, and in the second had 29 up for the loss of 4 wickets when stumps were drawn for the day.

The weather was bright but windy and the conditions were the best the Australians have yet experienced. Hassett, displaying correctness and vigour, went past the century. Waite eventually indulged in big hits, and was dismissed off a catch. Sound, powerful driving was a feature of his batting.

A total of 600 runs was put on the board in 430 minutes. Hassett made 100 in 95 minutes today, and his partnership with Waite realised 100 in 50 minutes. Hassett batted 170 minutes and gave a chanceless display which included twentyfour 4’s.

The Australian innings closed after 478 minutes’ play. McCormick, after measuring out his run with great deliberation, was noballed four times in four overs. The first Oxford wicket fell at 30, and thereafter there was a procession of batsmen to and from the wicket. Dixon batted 100 minutes for 17. Fleetwood-Smith and Ward had the batsmen thoroughly tied up. Both obtained a tremendous spin on the ball.

The Oxford batting was pitiable, and a considerable percentage of the runs came from the edges of the bat. The innings lasted 180 minutes.

Only Eggar, whom Bradman missed off Ward early in the innings, was able to play the spin bowling. Oxford was forced to follow on and, having lost 4 wickets for 29 in the second innings, appear certain to suffer an innings defeat. The Australian Associated Press says that the Oxford bowling was so thoroughly beaten by lunch time that the Australian total might have reached 800 had Bradman not decided to close the innings. Hassett batted with rare dash, and when Oxford was beginning to wonder when the tail was arriving, along came Walker to play a fine innings. The scores were as follow: — . AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Brown, c Evans, b Macindoe 72 Fingleton, c Whetherly, by Evans 124 Bradman, lbw, b Evans 58 McCabe, b Macindoe 110 Chipperfield, c Whetherly, b Dar-wall-Smith i. 53 Hassett, b Darwall-Smith 146 Waite, c Kimpton, b Evans 54 Walker, not out 31 Extras 31 Total for 7 wickets (dec.) .... 679 Bowling. —Darwall-Smith, 2 for 162; Macindoe, 2 for 207; Evans, 3 for 171; Kimpton, 0 for 53; Murray Wood, 0 for 55. OXFORD. First Innings. Dixon, c Walker, b Ward 17 Walford, b Waite 17 Eggar, not out 51 Kimpton, b Fleetwood-Smith 2 Grover, b Fleetwood-Smith 2 Eager, st Walker, b Ward 0 Murray Wood, run out 11 Evans, run out 0 Macindoe, b Fleetwood-Smith 2 Darwall-Smith, b Fleetwood-Smith 0 Whetherly, b Fleetwood-Smith .... 0 Extras 15 Total H 7 Bowling.—McCormick, 0 for 10; Waite, 1 for 25; Ward, 2 for 39; Fleet-wood-Smith, 5 for 28. Second Innings. Eggar, c McCabe, b Waite 0 Walford, c Waite, b McCabe 5 Dixon, c Fleetwood-Smith, b Waite 2 Kimpton, c Walker, b FleetwoodSmith 15 Grover, not out 3 Extras 5 Total for 4 wickets 29