GREAT FIGHT FOR RUNS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 June 1938, Page 7

GREAT FIGHT FOR RUNS

THRILLING FINISH TO TEST MATCH Brilliant Batting by Bradman HOBBS’S RECORD PASSED HANDSOMELY By Telegraph.—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, June 28. While the Test match resulted in a draw it provided a thrilling finish with Australia going after the runs in a determined manner. Bradman, in particular, played a forcing game, and registered another century. The weather was fine, and there appeared no prospect of _rain when play was resumed in the second Test match at Lord’s Cricket Ground today. There had been no further rain since the close of play’the previous evening. At lunch, England had lost six wickets for 142 runs, and Australia were is a favourable position with a chance of a win. The day’s play opened sensationally. After a maiden over by O Reilly to Verity, McCormick took up the attack to Edrich. The young Middlesex batsman again failed to gain success in a Test. After getmg a delightful four he attempted to hook a rising ball, but turned it straight into McCabe’s hands at square-leg. . Voritv In McCormick’s fifth over of the day he clean-bowled Verity. Verity had played the innings required for his side, and had occupied the wickets for a crucial period last night as well as this morning. He had made eleven and the total was 64. « Only 44 runs were added in the first hour’s play, the Australian bowling being extremely accurate. With the total at 76, Mc Cabe feneved O’Reilly and off his second ball he got Hammond caught by Waite, fielding substitute for Chipperfield. Hammond had Verity to run for him. With their early success the Australians were very keen in the field and they were looking for further wickets as they sensed the possibility of a win.

RUNS COME MORE FREELY. At 84 Fleetwood-Smith relieved O’Reilly, who had bowled unchanged from the beginning of the innings. O’Reilly’s figures at this stage were: Bowled 18 overs, eight of which were maidens, and he had taken one wicket for 30 runs. With the change of bowlers runs came more freely. Shortly after 12.30, with the score at 110, light rain began to fall, making the ball slippery for the spin bowlers. At 126 O’Reilly was ■ brought back in place of FleetwoodSmith and off his second ball Paynter was run out when attempting a second run. Fleetwood-Smith fielded and returned the ball to Barnett, who whipped the bails off before Paynter could make the crease. 6 for 127. The following over McCormick was brought back to the pavilion end. A CENTURY IN NO-BALLS. McCormick’s 100th no-ball of the tour came in his last over before lunch Ames obtaining his first four off a wild slash at it. Just before lunch a ball from McCormick struck Ames on the right hand, and during the interval an examination revealed that the little finger was fractured. The position at lunch suggested a draw. England were 214 runs ahead, with four wickets standing and 230 minutes remaining for play. EXCITING CRICKET. In an exciting morning’s cricket Paynter again stood between England and defeat. Ames gamely went to the crease after the adjournment, but was out second ball. Both McCormick and O’Reilly made the ball jump about, but Compton showed good footwork and handled them with skill and courage. Wellard, who joined Compton, when England’s score stood at 7 for 142 hit powerfully. He pulled McCabe successively for a four and a six. He was out after an exciting forty-five minutes in which England escaped from the danger of defeat. Hammond declared at 3.20 p.m., allowing Australia 165 minutes to bat. The English innings lasted 320 minutes.. COMPTON’S FINE DISPLAY. Compton batted for 120 minutes, and' hit fourteen 4’s in a chanceless and stylish display featured by powerful driving. I < Instead of any spectacular attempt to achieve the almost impossible feat of winning, Bradman, taking a cautious view of a possibility of a collapse on a worn wicket, instructed the batsmen to take their time. Fingleton was brilliantly caught low down at first slip after fifteen minutes play. Fames and Wellard made the ball fly and Brown and Bradman had anxious moments as occasional deliveries came fast from the pitch. BRADMAN BREAKS RECORD. Bradman, however, hit Wellard for three successive 4’s, and three more 4’s from Fames carried him past Hobbs’s record of 3636 runs in tests between England and Australia. Bradman, however, has only played 44 innings, compared with Hobbs’s-71. Brown was struck in the stomach by Fames and also suffered a strained

leg. He scored only 10 runs in an hour, while Bradman made 38 in forty minutes. Bradman was struck on the hand by Fames and left the field for a few minutes. BATSMEN HIT FREELY. McCabe and Bradman hit with freedom despite the bowlers working hard in the hope of a collapse. An hour before stumps Verity beat McCabe. Hassett stayed until twenty minutes before stumps were drawn, when the competitive, element vanished. Hassett was very bright and hit a sixer and five 4’s. “A PAIR OF SPECTACLES.” Badcock was out to a sharp catch in the slips and thus got the dreaded “pair of spectacles.” Barnett was caught in the last over of the match. The game thus ended in a draw. It was just as well Bradman, stayed as the conditions were too difficult for most of the others. Bradman, whose innings lasted 145 minutes, hit fifteen 4‘s and gave a chanceless display. The attendance totalled 20,000 for the day and 116,800 for the match, of whom 100,933 were paying spectators, which is a record for Lords. The scores were as follow: — ENGLAND. First innings 494 Second Innings. Barnett, c McCabe, b McCormick 12 Hutton, c McCormick, b O’Reilly 5 Verity, b McCormick- 11 Edrich, c McCabe, b McCormick .... 10 Paynter, run 0ut.... • 43 Hammond, c sub., b McCabe 2 Compton, not out 76 Ames, c McCabe, b O’Reilly 6 Wellard,, b McCabe 38 Wright, not out 10 Extras 29 Total, declared, 8 for 243 Grand total 737 Fall of the wickets: One for 25, two for 28, three for 43, four for 64, five for 76, six for 128, seven for 142, eight for 216.

AUSTRALIA. First innings 422 Second Innings. Fingleten, c Hammond, b Wellard 4 Brown, b Verity 10 Bradman, not out 102 McCabe, c Hutton, b Verity .... .... 21 Hassett, b Wright 42 Badcock, c Wright, b Edrich 0 Barnett, c Paynter, b Edrich 14 Extras 11 Total, 6 wickets for 204 Grand total 626 Fall of wickets: One for 8, two for 71, four for 175, five for 180, six for 204. « Bowling.

Bowling. O. M. R. W McCoi’mick .... 24 5 72 3 O’Reilly .... .... 29 10 53 2 McCabe .... .... 12 1 58 2 Fleetwood-Smith 7 1 30 0

O. M. R. W. Fames 12 3 51 0 Wellard .. 9 1 30 1 Verity 13 5 29 2 Wright 9 0 56 1 Edrich 5.2 0 27 2