FIRST TEST DRAWN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 June 1938, Page 7

FIRST TEST DRAWN

AUSTRALIA’S GREAT RALLY Magnificent Uphill Fight CENTURIES TO BRADMAN AND BROWN By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) LONDON, June 14. The Test match between Australia and England resulted in a draw, after a great uphill fight by the visiting batsmen. The outstanding display of the Australian innings was the batting of Bradman, who for six hours defied the bowlers on a wicket which had developed patches. While together, Bradman and Brown, who by skilful play topped the century, placed Australia in a position in which the possibility of defeat was practically removed. Ten thousand spectators were present when play was resumed. It was warm, cloudless, and the most Australia-like day of the tour. Brown and Bradman made a comfortable start in contrast to the over-night tension. Four singles off Hammond’s first over followed three consecutive maidens. Then Brown, timing perfectly, turned Fames for two. Bradman, extra careful at getting his ;eye in, patted the wicket, which was becoming dustier but.apparently still playing well. Bradman asked Sinfield, who habitually finished bowling by placing his right foot in front of the wicket and walked about on it, to desist. It is understood that this was a source of complaint yesterday. In the next over Sinfield again walked down the wicket, and Brown requested him to move off. 1 U l. . Runs came slowly but easily off Verity and Sinfield. Both batsmen were completely at home. Wright displaced Verity at 140. Brown was beaten by the last ball off Wright’s over when his score was 77 and the total 150, but it could hardly be regarded as an escape. i It was a rare spectacle to see Bradman stonewalling and only scoring 16 runs an hour, but the crowd was silent as the unyielding fight to save the game continued. . . Wright looked the best of today’s bowlers, though Verity s steady lenoth pegged down the batsmen. When Fames came on at 162 Bradman began to open out and got his first four after 1J hours. The wicket, under the influence of the hot sun, was beginning to wear. The spinners seemed to be getting more help but were weary. Fames was played easily. Brown reached 90 in 250 minutes.

SECOND CENTURY TO BROWN.

The Bradman-Brown partnership was worth 100 in 125 minutes, Brown, with a 4 through the slips, reaching his second Test century in 270 minutes.

Two rock-like hours before lunch had reduced Australia’s deficit to 48, and reduced the danger of defeat to a minimum. The total of 200 came up after lunch after 285 minutes play. BATSMEN UNPERTURBED. Repeated bowling changes were made but the batsmen, though edging several balls, continued unperturbed. ' At 2.55 p.m. Australia 1 drew level with England’s score and Brown, feeling that restraint could now safely be lifted, began to hit out, and scored two consecutive 4’s off Verity. Then, in attempting another pull in the same over, he was easily caught at fine leg. He. batted 32O.minutes and hit 13 4’s in a cool, conscientious and skilful innings. ■' BRADMAN PLAYS CAREFULLY. As 3| hours remained to play Bradman continued' his stern defence. A wearing wicket deterred o him from venturing on a normal run-getting pace. > McCabe, after opening quietly, hooked Wright twice to the square leg boundary. Barnett, England’s seventh bowler, was given a trial but his one over yielded 10 runs. McCabe was beaten by Verity’s leg break and was caught in the slips. HOBBS’S RECORD BROKEN. Bradman, after one of the slowest but most praiseworthy innings of his career, reached the century in 255 minutes, thus beating Hobbs’s record of. twelve centuries in Test matches. Hassett was brilliantly caught by Compton, who dived from silly midon. Badcock .was most uncomfortable and was beaten by an off-break nipping up from the pitch. AUSTRALIA OUT OF DANGER. Australia with five wickets intact, 122 runs ahead, and only eighty minutes remaining, were then out of danger and, now that a draw was inevitable, the crowd expected more liveliness and mildly barracked Bradman, who declined to continue play until it ceased. BRADMAN STRAINS LEG. Bradman strained a leg but his batting was not affected. He again had to withdraw from the wicket when the barracking broke out, as Verity was about to begin an over. Slamming Wright with a square leg hit to the fence, Barnett raised 400 after 470 minutes play. His 31 runs were made in 50 minutes. TAKING NO RISKS. Even after batting for six hours, Bradman declined to take risks. Perhaps it was intended as a demonstration to discourage the bowlers in future Tests. For the past hour there had been nothing at stake.

’Stumps were drawn at 6.15 p.m. Apparently the captains agreed to cease play a quarter of an hour before the scheduled time. The Australian innings lasted 505 minutes. PRODIGIOUS DEFENCE. Bradman batted for 6 hours and hit 5 4’s. It was a chanceless innings. Prodigious defence and restraint won a war of attrition against the bowlers. The scores were as follow: — ENGLAND. First Innings, 8 wickets for 658 AUSTRALIA. First Innings 411 Second Innings. Fingleton, c Hammond, b Edrich .. 40 Brown, c Paynter, b Verity 133 Bradman, not out ....' 144 McCabe, c Hammond, b Verity .... 39 Hassett, c Compton, b Verity 2 Badcock, b Wright 5 Barnett, lbw, b Sinfield 31 Ward, not out 7 Extras 26 Total, 6 wickets for 427 Fall of wickets: 1 for 89, 2 for 259, 3 for 331, 4 for 337, 5 for 369, 6 for 417.

BARRACKING BY CROWD ATTACK ON BATSMEN “UNFAIR AND UNSPORTING” LONDON, June 14. English critics say the barracking of Fingleton and Brown was an unfair and unsporting attack on the batsmen, who were playing the right game for their side. It showed an entire lack of appreciation of the position. Since the batsmen could not win, it was their duty to the side not to take a risk. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Nottingham correspondent says Fingleton, when asked why he stood away, replied, “I did it because Hammond suggested I should. He told’ me to stand away while the crowd was shouting and clapping and wait until they stopped.” TODAY’S GAME GENTLEMEN OF ENGLAND (Notes by “The Bowler.”) The Australian Cricketers will commence a match today against the Gentlemen of England, at Lords. On the last tour, in 1934, Australia won by 8 wickets. The Gentlemen in their Ist innings compiled 177 runs. Bowling for Australia, Grimmet secured 4 wickets for 76 runs, and Wall, 3 for 49. Australia, Ist innings, realised 230 runs.

The Gentlemen in their 2nd innings, made 287 runs. Australia in their 2nd innings, made 235 runs for two wickets, McCabe 105 (not out), and Brown 62 (not out), being the chief contributors.

Bowling. O. M. R. W. Fames 25 2 78 0 Hammond . 12 6 15 0 Wright 37 8 84 1 Sinfleld .... 35 8 71 1 Verity 62 27 104 3 Edrich 13 2 39 1 Barnett 1 1 10 0