ENGLAND'S HUGE SCORE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1938, Page 5

ENGLAND'S HUGE SCORE

POSITION IN THE FINAL TEST Hutton Beats Bradman’s Record POOR OPENING BY AUSTRALIA By Telegraph.—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, August 23. The final fight-io-a-finish Test match between England and Australia was resumed at the Oval today when cricket records were smashed as the result of England making the huge total of 7 wickets for 903 (declared), thus eclipsing the 701 runs put up by Australia ■against England in 1934, and in which Ponsford scored 266 and Bradman 244. Hutton went on to break Bradman’s Test record of 334 compiled at Leeds in 1930 against England. Hutton (300) and Hardstaff (40) reopened England’s first innings from the over-night total of 634 for five wickets, and at the lunch interval England’s total had reached 758 without further loss. It was shortly before the lunch interval that Hutton broke the world individual batting record for Test matches between England and Australia. This also surpassed Hammond’s 336 scored at Auckland in the 1932-33 series between England and New Zealand.

LEG TRAP FAILS. The'weather was warm and sunny when the Australians, facing defeat, began their third day in the field minus Fingleton, who is still unable to walk and whose reappearance in the Test is most unlikely. He may not play on the rest of the tour. Hutton, whose innings of 11 hours already is believed to be the longest in the history of first-class cricket, came out to face O’Reilly and FleetwoodSmith determined to beat Bradman’s 334, which eventually he did, but added only three runs in 20 minutes. Hardstaff was brighter and scored 50 in 9Q. minutes. When Hutton was 305, FleetwoodSmith set a leg trap consisting of Bradman and McCabe, Hutton promptly cover-drove for four, making the partnership total 100 in 100 minutes. Hardstaff then off-drove O’Reilly for a perfect four and took England past the previous record score of 658 scored at Nottingham. Fleetwood-Smith’s leg trap was unsuccessful, Hutton slamming another four to square-leg. Waite and McCabe took the new ball when the score was 670, but both batsmen continued to punish the bowling. Seven hundred were up in 725 minutes. Fleetwood-Smith returned and abandoned his leg trap. Hutton slammed his first bajl to the square-leg fence, then missed a no-ball off O’Reilly, attempting to hit a six, which would have broken the record. Square-cutting Fleetwood-Smith for four, Hutton reached 336 and broke Bradman’s record. Bradman, fielding at silly mid-off, was the first to congratulate Hutton, who was shaken by the hand by all the Australians, while the crowd sang “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” to a bugle accompaniment. Rounds of cheers followed as the butler brought out drinks. Hutton hit thirty-two 4’s, batting 740 minutes. Bradman’s-record took a little more than half this time. The next record to go was Australia’s total of 729. ABEL'S RECORD BROKEN. With the attack reduced to slows, the scoring rate remained only moderate, Hutton next broke Abel’s record of the highest total hitherto scored at the Oval. The partnership with Hardstaff was worth 200 runs in 185 minutes. The Australians applauded Hutton as he preceded them from the field at lunch. The quality of the bowling this morning had fallen off from sheer fatigue but the fielding remained astonishingly safe and fast. Hardstaff reached the century in the first over after lunch after 190 minutes batting. Hutton added only 3 runs in fifteen minutes and when he mistimed a drive he was caught in the covers. He had batted 13} hours and gave only one chance at 40. He hit thirty-five 4’s, fifteen 3’s, and eighteen 2’s in an innings of monumental solidity in which he rarely attempted severe hitting. Hardstaff continued scratching. miserably, and scored three in half an hour, but Wood hit spiritedly and showed up Hardstaff’s pitiful caution in its true light. At one stage Hardstaff was twenty-five minutes without scoring, which brought on Bradman himself in disgust. The total of 800 was passed after 13} hours play. No full size eight was available on the scoreboard in the hundred column and a small one was substituted. Wood reached 50 in seventy-five minutes, but Hardstaff added only 29 in the same time. It was meaningless cricket which even the complaisant crowd was beginning to resent. The partnership was worth 106 in 90 minutes when Barnes dismissed Wood. BRADMAN INJURED. Bradman in the third over caught his foot in a pothole in the bowling crease and collapsed. He was carried off the field, Mr Jeanes later announced that Bradman had severely strained his right ankle and was being sent to hospital for X-ray examination. It is not certain whether he will be able to bat. With Verity in, the total was carried past Yorkshire’s 887, hitherto the highest first-class score in England. In the last over before tea 900 was raised, after 15} hours play. Hammond declared at the tea adjournment. Hardstaff batted five hours and hit

twenty-one boundaries. It was of the poorest innings imaginable in the circumstances. He was especially strokeless after passing his hundred and failed to take advantage of the ample scoring opportunities. AUSTRALIAN TENACITY. England’s gargantuan innings was memorable for the tenacity with which the Australians bowled and fielded. Australia opened at 5 p.m. Badcock pushed the third ball in Bowes's first over straight into the hands of silly mid-on. McCabe made 14 in ten minutes and then turned a ball straight into the hands of short square leg. Hassett began with steady confidence. The total reached 50 in forty minutes, a bright beginning for a forlorn hope. Hassett after a brilliant 42 in thirtyfive minutes was caught at long leg. Meanwhile solidly entrenched, Barnes began gloriously and 100 was posted after only seventy minutes play. The attendance was 31,000. The scores are as follow: — ENGLAND. First Innings. Hutton, c Hassett, a O’Reilly 364 Edrich, lbw b O’Reilly 12 Leyland, run out .... 187 Hammond, lbw b Fleetwood-Smith 59 Paynter, lbw b O’Reilly x-.- 0 Compton, b Waite 1 Hardstaff, not out 169 Wood, c and b Barnes 53 Verity, not out 8 Extras 50 Total (declared) 7 for 903 Fall of wickets: 1 for 29; 2 for 411; 3 for 546; 4 for 547; 5 for 555; 6 for 770; 7 for 876. / BOWLING.

AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Badcock, c Hardstaff, b Bowes .... 0 Brown, not out 29 McCabe, c Edrich, b Fames 14 Hassett, c Compton, b Edrich 42 Barnes, not out 25 Extras ?

Total, 3 wickets for HI Bowling: Fames, 1 for 42; Bowes, 1 for 21; Edrich, 1 for 27; Verity, 0 for 15; Leyland, 0 for 5. Fall of wickets: 1 for 0; 2 for 19; 3 for 70.

BRADMAN SERIOUSLY INJURED. WILL NOT BE ABLE TQ BAT. ■ (Recd This Day, 10 a.m.) LONDON, August 23. Mr Jeans announced that Bradman had fractured the tibia leg bone and would not be able to play again in the Test match.

“A TIRING JOB” HUTTON ON HIS ENDURANCE TEST. UNPARALLELED TEAM SCORE AND DULL PLAY. (Recd This Day, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 23. Hutton, in an interview, said: “It was a tiring job. The Australian bowled well and did not give runs away. I am pleased it is all over. It was very difficult to get the last runs.” The Australian Associated Press says: “With the accident to Bradman capping Australia’s misfortunes, defeat is inevitable in face of the unparalleled score built up by hair-shirt methods. After the excitement of Hutton breaking Bradman’s record, a prodigious feat of endurance, the mass emotion may best be expressed by thirty thousand yawns. Had Hardstaff shown even normal batsmanship, England should have had at least a thousand runs on the board when Hammond declared. How a young and active cricketer, with a reputation for forcing play, could go on playing maidens from McCabe, Hassett, Barnes and Bradman remains a mystery. It was not the gigantic score, but the wretchedness of the batting after all worth-while records had been broken that reduced the game to a state nobody wants to see repeated.”

O. M. R. W. Waite 72 16 150 1 McCabe ..... 38 8 85 0 O’Reilly 85 26 178 3 Fleetwood-Smith 87 11 289 1 Barnes 38 3 84 1 Hassett 13 2 52 0 Bradman 3 2 6 0