LOW SCORING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 May 1938, Page 7

LOW SCORING

AUSTRALIANS COLLAPSE ON A TREACHEROUS WICKET. MIDDLESEX MAKES POOR START. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Copyright. (Recd This Day, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, May 30. The match between Australia and Middlesex was commenced today. Bradman, for the fifth occasion in succession, won the toss and chose to bat, despite the ominous dampness of the pitch after the wet weekend. RAIN HOLDS UP PLAY. Both sides made changes in their teams. Fingleton was out in Smith’s first over, the ball breaking sharply from the off. Rain stopped play after three overs and there was a delay of twenty minutes. BRADMAN’S EARLY ESCAPE. Bradman had an early escape off Nevell, a right-hand, medium bowler, whom he skied, but Human misjudged the catch at fine leg. Two overs later, off Nevell, Bradman skied an outswinger, being caught by Compton at fine leg. ■ Badcock then fell a victim to the same bowler. CAPTAINS DISAGREE. Heavy rain at 12.40 o’clock again stopped play. The rain ceased after lunch, and the captains inspected the wicket at 3 p.m. They disagreed as to its condition and the umpires were called on. They decided to inspect the wicket again at 3.30 o’clock, when they ordered play to commence. At 4 p.m. the wicket was still damp. McCabe soon played a ball on to his wicket, and the score read 4 for 34. A USEFUL PARTNERSHIP. Hassett and Chipperfield were then associated in a partnership worth fifty-four runs. Both made many admirable strokes. Chipperfield, Waite and O’Reilly all lost their wickets with the score at 106. McCormick and Fleetwood-Smith slashed furiously, McCormick hitting Robins for a 6. The innings lasted 140 minutes. McCORMiCK MAKES BALL FLY. McCormick, making the ball fly faster than in recent matches, and O’Reilly, getting assistance from the pitch, immediately had the Middlesex opening batsmen in trouble. • Australia had lost 3 for 22, but Middlesex, with 3 for 16, started even more disastrously. Edrich was dismissed when only ten runs short of his thousand in May. Compton and Human managed to survive an unhappy period up till the drawing of stumps. The following were the scores: — AUSTRALIA. (First Innings.) Fingleton, b J. Smith 2 Badcock, c Human, b Nevell 10 Bradman, c Compton, b Nevell .... 5 McCabe, b Nevell 9 Hassett, lbw, b Sims 27 Chipperfield,c Compton, b R0bin5....36 Waite, b Sims 8 Walker, not out 4 O’Reilly, lbw, b Robins 0 McCormick, c Smith, b Sims .... 12 Fleetwood-Smith, st Price, b Sims 10 Extras 9 Total 132 Bowling: Smith 1 for 23; Nevell 3 for 38; Young 0 for 10; Sims 4 for 25; Robins 2 for 27. MIDDLESEX. (First Innings.) Edrich, b O’Reilly 9 Price, lbw, b McCormick 1 Webster, c Walker, b McCormick 0 Hulme, b O’Reilly 4 Compton, not out 17 Human, not out 9 Extras 9 Total, 4 wickets for 49 A SOBERING REMINDER OF PART WEATHER WILL PLAY. IN DESTINATION OF ASHES. (Recd This Day, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 30. The Australian Associated Press says that except Chipperfield, and to a lesser degree Hassett, the Australian batsmen cut sorry figures, though perhaps they gained useful experience and had a sobering reminder of the part the weather may play in the destination of the Ashes. The wicket certainly aided the bowlers, but could never fairly be described as sticky. Nevell. who got a remarkable bag— Badcock, Bradman and McCabe—is 21 years of age and is a member of the Lords ground staff.