AUSTRALIA'S REPLY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1938, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S REPLY

TO ENGLAND’S BIG SCORE Situation Saved by Brown BRILLIANT AND AGGRESSIVE INNINGS By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright. LONDON, June 25. With Australia needing only 46 runs to save the follow-on, a great day’s cricket came to an end at Lord’s on Saturday. A fine innings by Brown, who scored 140 not out, was the basis of Australia’s reply to England’s score of 494. At stumps Australia had made 299 for five wickets. Hammond (210) and Ames (50) reopened England’s first innings with the overnight score standing at 409 for (five wickets. Hammond concluded the greatest innings of his career by scoring 240, which altered the picture of the match and converted Australia’s early triumph, into dismay. The representative of the Australia Associated Presss says:— The highest innings ever played by an English captain against Australia, at last revealing Hammond in his greatness on his native soil, with another demonstration of Paynter's remarkable big-match temperament, completely changed the outlook of the game between noon and 4 p.m. ’ With Bradman bowled by Verity after scoring 18, the Australians were not in a much better position than England had been after the loss of their first three wickets, particularly as they faced the prospect of losing Chipperfield who injured his finger attempting to take a hot chance off is own bowling from Hammond. It was stated ..at first that he had broken his finger,.but this was later denied. It is not yet certain that he will play today. Waite fielded for him on Saturday. The weather was fine and hot when England resumed their first inninas. The attendance was a record, 33,800. The queue began to form at 9.30 p.m. on Friday and by 8 a.m. on Saturday extended along three sides of the ground.

GAME MAY END IN DRAW. The Australian Associated Press representatives says, that, with the saving of the follow-on practically assured, Australia has gone a long way toward achieving a draw. Had Brown and Barnett not shown such determination in the last half-hour after the dismissal of Hassett and s Badcock had keyed up the bowlers, outright defeat might have threatened. One of the features of the match was the good rate of scoring maintained by each side when the positions might have justified intensive caution. Brown played with natural confidence and was never afraid to take a four from a ball inviting it. He showed bursts of positive aggression and took many honourable bruises from Fames. The English bowling as a whole did not appear to be an better than Australia’fi, though long-hops and fulltosses were less flagrant. The Eng- . lish fielding was below the Nottingham standard. It did not equal that of Australia, which was remarkably consistent. The attendance would, doubtless have been twice, as great had there been room. The M.C.C. takes the view, in common, with the English administrators,, that, the cost of expansion would be too great to provide for the crowd that could be expected only every . fourth summer. ENGLAND RESUMES PLAY. The same fine, hot weather greeted Hammond and Ames today for their resumption, of the innings. They both scored freely for-the first twenty minutes. McCormick lacked yesterday’s fire/ one ball .striking Hammond’s elbow and causing a temporary stoppage. Ames was content to keep up his end for Hammond, the pair adding 43 in half an.hour. CLASSIC INNINGS ENDS. A well-pitched-up ball in McCormick’s twelfth over rooted up Hammond’s leg stump. His innings had lasted 370 minutes. He gave two extremely hot chances. His score included 32 4’s and was the greatest innings of his career, compiled with classic grace. His straight driving was immensely powerful. It was later announced that his arm was severely ■ bruised, necessitating strapping. LEG TRAP FOR WELLARD. O’Reilly returned when the score was 472 and got Verity in his first over after twenty minutes’ dull defence. O’Reilly set a leg trap with no slip for the tall, powerful Wellard, who slammed the first ball to the boundary. He was caught next over when he skied one to deep mid-on. Ames tried to keep the strike, but Fleetwood-Smith caught him in two minds whether to play forward to a legbreak. He was well taken by McCormick at first slip. BATSMEN AMUSE CROWD. Ames batted three hours and threequarters, giving a chanceless and mostly restrained display, including ten fours. The crowd shook with laughter at the ferocious attempts of Wright and Fames to hit the slow bowlers until a leg break shattered Wright’s wicket. A COMFORTABLE START. Fingleton arid Brown opened Australia’s first innings twenty-five minutes before lunch to Fames'and Wellard and wore the shine off the new ball. After lunch Fames was faster, and one delivery struck Brown in the stomach. Fifty runs were up in 40 minutes after a comfortable start. Wellard, who appeared to lack accuracy, was played with ease. Fingleton was going nicely after an hour’s batting when he finally snicked the ball from Wright straight to Hammond at fine slip. BRADMAN GOES EARLY. Bradman began crisply against the high speed attack from Fames. He played Verity so comfortably for the first three overs that it was a shock to see him play on as a result of attempting a cut after a stay of one hour. The ball that dismissed Bradman seemed

to come quicker from the pitch than was expected and the batsman failed to get properly on to it. Verity was accorded an ovation at the end of the over. . McCABE OPENS BRIGHTLY. Brown meanwhile was playing steadily and cautiously. McCabe opened with his usual brightness. He hooked a rising long-hop from Wellard to square-leg for six and raised the score to 150 in two hours. Fames was rewarded with McCabe’s wicket when the batsman cut him hard straight and low to point. Verity held a brilliant catch. McCabe hit one six and five fours. HASSETT GOES FOR BOWLING. Hassett sent the score along at an excellent rate and Australia’s position at tea, though insecure, was a little happier. Edrich had a brief turn at bowling without success. Hassett when 32 gave a difficult chance off Fames to Wellard, while Brown when 99 was nearly bowled bp Wellard. Brown’s hundred took 195 minutes. MANY DAZZLING SHOTS. With the total at 231 Brown was struck in the neck, but soon recovered. Both he and Hassett played many dazzling shots, off all the bowlers. Hassett square drove Wellard for a- powerful four, but was out the same over. His admirable and versatile innings included sixfours. Badcock deflected the ball from Wellard to the wicket and the crowd roared. Brown and Barnett played out time, the latter, after a shaky start, defending resolutely. Brown was at the wickets 265 minutes for a chanceless display which included fifteen fours. Australian need only 46 to have the followon. The scores are as follow: — ENGLAND. First Innings. Hutton, c Brown, b McCormick .... 4 Edrich, b McCormick 0 Barnett, c Brown, b McCormick .... 18. Hammond, b McCormick 240 Paynter, lbw, b O’Reilly 99 Compton, lbw, b O’Reilly 6 Ames, c McCormick, b FleetwoodSmith 83 Verity, b O’Reilly 5 Wellard, c McCormick, b O’Reilly 4 Wright, b Fleetwood-Smith 6 Fames, not out 5 Extras 24 Total 494 Fall of wickets: One for 12, two for 20, three for 31, four for 253, five for 271, six for 457, seven for 472, eight for 476, nine for 483. , Bowling.

McCormick bowled nine no-balls. AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Fingleton, c Hammond, b Wright 31 Brown, not out 140 Bradman, b Verity 18 McCabe, c Verity, b Fames 38 Hassett, lbw, b Wellard 56 Badcock, b Wellard 0 Barnett, not out 8 Extras 10 Total for five wickets 299 Fall of wickets: One for 69, two for 101, three for 152, four for 276, five for 276. Bowling analysis.—Fames took one wicket for 99 runs; Wellard, two for 67; Wright, one for 59; Verity, one for 59; Edrich, none for 5. WEATHER FORECAST LIGHT SHOWERS LIKELY. (Recd This Day, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, June 26. The Weather Bureau stated that light showers were likely at Lords late tonight or early on Monday morning but should not interfere with play.

0. M. R. W McCormick .... 27 1 101 4 McCabe 31 4 86 0 Fleetwood-Smith 35 5 139 2 O’Reilly 37 6 93 4 Chipperfield .. 9 0 51 0