132 ALL OUT

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20512, 31 May 1938, Page 10

132 ALL OUT

BATTING FAILURE AUBTRALIA’B FIRST COLLAPSE MIDDLESEX'S EVEN POORER START (United Press Assn —r;ec. Tel. Copyright) (Received May 31, 2 p.m.) LONDON, May 30 Experiencing the first really difficult wicket of their tour to date, the Australian cricketers could not handle the conditions when the cricket match against Middlesex commenced at the Lord's ground to-day after a postponement from Saturday owing to rain. Experiencing a disastrous batting collapse, they were dismissed for the smallest total of their tour to date—l 32 all out. The previous smallest Innings total of the team this season was 5C2 against M.C.C. Middlesex opened more disastrously and at stumps had lost four wickets for 49 runs.

Winning the toss for the fifth time in succession. Bradman elected to bat in spile of Ihe ominous dampness of the pitch after the week-end. Bradman changed the team announced on Saturday, including O’Reilly in place of Ward. Middlesex introduced Nevell and Young instead of Allen and Gray. The Middlesex team Is: —Edrich, Price. Webster. Compton, Hulme. J. 11. Human. Robins, Sims, J. Smith, Nevell, J. Young. The weather cleared after further showers in the morning.

Fingleton was out to the last ball of Smith's first over, which broke sharply from the off. Fingleton ' allowed it to pass. Rain stopped play after three overs, and there was a delay of 20 minutes. Bradman Has a Life Bradman had an early escape off Nevell, right-hand medium, whom he skied, but Human misjudged the catch at fine leg. Two overs later, off Nevell, Bradman hit across and skied an out-swinger, being caught by Compton at fine leg. Badcock then was a victim of the same bowler, being caught by Human at lemg-on. McCabe should have been out when he had made two, Sims dropping the catch at fine leg. Heavy rain at 12.40 again stopped play. The rain ceased after lunch and the captains inspected the wicket at 3 p.m. They disagreed and the umpires were called on. They decided to inspect the wicket again at 3.30 when they ordered play - to commence at 4 p.m. The wicket was still damp and McCabe soon played a ball on to his wicket making the score 4 for 34. Good Partnership Hassett and Chipperfleld were then associated in a partnership which yielded 54 runs. Both batsmen made admirable strokes. Chipperfleld, Waite and O’Reilly all lost their wickets, and with the score at 106, McCormick and Fleetwood-Smith slashed furiously, McCormick hitting Robins for a six. The innings lasted 140 minutes. McCormick, making the ball fly faster than in recent matches, and O’Reilly, gettina- assistance from the pitch, immediately had the Middlesex opening batsmen in trouble. Australia had earlier lost 3 for 22 but Middlesex, with 3 down for 16, started e’\en more disastrously. Edrich was dismissed when he was only ten runs short of a thousand runs In May. Compton and Human managed to survive an unhappy period to stumps. Batsmen Cut “ Borry Figures ” The Australian Associated Press special correspondent says that except for Chipperfleld and to lesser degree Hassett, the Australian batsmen cut sorry figures though perhaps they gained useful experience and a sobering reminder of the part which the weather may play in the destination of the Ashes. The weather certainly aided the bowlers but it could never fairly be described as sticky. Nevell, who got a remarkable' bag in dismissing Badcock, Bradman and McCabe. is aged 21. He is a member of the Lord’s ground staff. Details of the score are as follows :

AUSTRALIA.—First Innings Fingleton, b J. Smith .. ~ 2 Badcock, c Human, b Nevell .. 10 Bradman, c Compton, b Nevell .. 5 McCabe, b Nevell .. ~ 9 Hassett. Ibw, b Sims .. . . 27

Chipperfleld. c Compton, b Robins 36 Waite, b Sims .. .. .. 8 Walker, not out .. .. .. 4

O’Reilly, lbw, b Robins .. ~ 0 McCormick, c Smith, b Sims .. 12 Fleetwood-Smith, st Price, b Sims 10 Extras .. .. .. 9 Total .. .. ..132 Bowling.—Smith took one wicket for 23 runs, Nevell three for 38, Young none for 10, Sims four for 25, Robins two for 27. MIDDLESEX.—First Innings Edrich, b O’Reilly .. .. 9 Price, lbw, b McCormick .. 1 Webster, c Walker, b McCormick 0 Hulme, b O’Reilly ... .. 4 Compton, not out .. .. 17 Human, not out .. .. .. 9 Extras .. .. .. 9 Total for four wickets .. 49