FIGHT FOR RUNS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 July 1938, Page 5

FIGHT FOR RUNS

SEPULCHRAL CRICKET AUSTRALIANS AVOID DISASTER. BAD LIGHT AND RAIN. By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. LONDON, July 16. The match between Nottinghamshire and Australia was begun at Nottingham today in cold and showery weather, and play was interrupted. by rain. The attendance at Trent Bridge was below 3000. It was a sepulchral day’s cricket, with occasional exciting events, but it was impossible to generate enthusiasm with the damp, black clouds hanging over the ground all day. There was a series of stoppages due to bad light and rain. Bradman won the toss and decided to bat, the Australians’ first innings closing at a total of 243. At stumps Nottinghamshire had made 4 for one wicket.

Voce, who was unfit for prolonged spells of top speed, bowled dangerously, and his success, under this handicap, is a tribute to his skill and versatility. It was while Voce and Jepson were off that the Australians, who were always fighting for runs, assumed command for long enough to avoid disaster.

Harris, bowling off-spinners with clever changes of length and flight, was successful, but the form of most of the batsmen was so poor that they must be thankful that they did not face the county’s full strength. O’Reilly’s aggression got Australia out of serious trouble. Otherwise Bradman and Barnes alone had eyes capable of penetrating the gloom and sighting the ball. Bradman was coolly

masterful and seemed well on the way to saving his side unaided and, when he went out, Barnes carried the heavy responsibility. Barnes’s assurance was unshakeable in contrast to Badcock, whose Test place he threatens. The combination of weather and public indifference ap-peai-ed to depress the Australians. Details: — AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Brown, c Marshall, b Voce 4 Badcock, c Wheat, b Jepson 6 Bradman, lbw b Jepson 56 Hassett, lbw b Voce 2 Barnes, lbw b Harris 58 Chipperfield, b Jepson , 4 Barnett, b Harris 3 Waite, c Wheat, b. Harris .... 25 Ward, not out 29 O’Reilly, lbw b Voce 33 Fleetwood-Smith, c Jepson, b Harris 8 Extras 15 Total 243 Bowling analysis: Voce took three wickets for 72 runs; Jepson, three for 38; .Harris, four for # 60; Gunn, none for 38; Marshall, none for 20. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. First Innings. Keeton, b Waite 3 Harris, not out 1 Total for one wicket 4 HAMMOND TO CAPTAIN. ENGLISH TEST TEAMS. LONDON, July 17. Hammond will captain England in the remainder of the Tests. England’s team for the fourth Test match against Australia will be selected from: Hammond, Fames, Yardley, Gibb, Verity, Bowes, Paynter. Hardstaff, Goddard, Barnett, Compton, Edrich, Wright. Hutton has fractured a finger and will not be able to play in the Test. It is officially stated if Gibb does not recover from his injury, Price, of Middlesex, will keep wickets in the Test. COUNTY GAMES BATTING AND BOWLING. LEADING AVERAGES. DEMPSTER SECOND ON LIST: LONDON, July 17. The following are the leading English batting and bowling averages:—

D. S. C. Compton (Middlesex) is twelfth, 1224 runs, average 51.00, and J. Hardstaff (Nottinghamshire) twentieth, with 703 runs, average 43.93. BOWLING.

with 94 wickets, average 19.82; Wellard thirteenth with 91, average 20.13, and Smailes fifteenth with 68, average 20.67.

BATTING. Runs. Average. W. R. Hammond . ... 1807 78.56 C. S. Dempster ... 912 65.14 E. Paynter ... 1554 64.75 W. J. Edrich ... 1530 63.75

P. H. Gibb 1254 59.71 Bartlett 843 56.20 A. Fagg 1446 55.61 L. Hutton 1174 53.36 L. E. G. Ames 732 52.28

Wickets. Average. W. E. Bowes 62 12.69 J. C. Clay 59 14.15 H. J. Butler 39 16.61 M. Leyland 43 16.74 E. R. T. Mayer .... 60 ' 16.88 R. J. Pollard 115 17.17 H. Verity 87 17.52 M. S. Nichols (Essex) is ; twelfth