THE PLAY.

NZ Truth, 15 March 1924, Page 9

THE PLAY.

A Bad Start. , Mullarkey, one of tho left-handers, tras left out of the New South Wales . side and a start was made a few minutes after two on - Friday. Before play had been m progress fivo minutes Andrews was bowled with a full toss (which one writer describes as a ball out of; the box) by McGirr. Macartney, who had joined Bardsley, after making two, snicked the third "ball of McBeath's over Into the 'hands of Blamlres, and had to make room for Kippax. A useful stand was made, both batsmen being content to wait for the balls of indifferent length to score from. Tho ground was frightfully , dead and pulled the ball up quickly. After the right-hander had made 25 he played McGirr on to his wicket. Things were looking anything but .bright for the New South Wales team' with three good batsmen out for a few. Warren. Bardsley, who had been steadily going along, was joined by Hendry, but after that player had made two ho was given out 1.b,w., also to McGirr. This was a bad decision as the batsman played the ball. R. Bardsley joined his brother and another useful stand was mude. The Australian Eleven player should have been easily Caught out at this stage by the N.Z. • skipper, Smith, Bardsley being then 27. Both players made- a number of fine shots, but the state of the ground robbed them of a lot of nuns. Smith put Hiddleston on Instead of himself . and tho change had the desired effect as, he clean.bowled the younger brother for a score of 28. His Innings was a good one. Ratcliffe was next and the two left-handers helped themselves to runs mostly at the expense of McGirr 'and Mcßeath. Bardsley, who had been batting very solidly, was now creeping up op the. score sheet. By some Bweet drives- past cover and a leg glance to tho boundary Bardsley brought his score to 70 and a few minutes later, when he had mado 84, ho ' drove a full toss from Mcßeath hard back to him, but tho bowleg refused to ' accept it. A few runs later, "however, when tho hundred appeared to bo wlfnln his reach, ho played back to a bull from Mcßeath, tho ball vtriklng him .on tho wrist and dribbling on to tho wicket. Tho batsman /had made 93 runs and was unlucky ln ' not renehlntj \he century. His innings was a wonperful one on such a wicket. Punch Joined Ratcliffe and got bUHy at once, nnaklng many finely-placed shots through the. field, but Smith, who had come m again, after appearing to have Ratcliffe tied up frequently, eventually bowled him for a nicely got 25. Oldfiuld, the other wicket-keeper of tho te/im, joined Punch and succeeded m playing out time, despite the bad light, Punch being 43 and Oldfteld IG, extras -23, and tho board showing 7 wickets j for 253. On resuming at 11.10 a.m. on Saturday to the bowling of McGirr and Hldtdleston, runs were coming slowly till Oldfield smacked Mcßeath (who had replaced Hiddleston).. to the square leg boundary, but shortly after, In attempting to repent the stroke, failed to get on to lt properly and McGirr ' caught him. Mailey was next, but after getting double (inures, lost Punch. Mcßeath: was again tho de- ' siroylng angel, McGirr catching him almost In the sumo position as he ( caught Oldfield. Punch's Innings was a lively ono from the start nnd some of his placlngs on tho on -side on Frlf day afternoon wore very fine. Everett, the last man, touched one of the Canterbury man's deliveries Into tho i hands of Hlddleßton and the innings closed for 294. - Mcßeath bowled particularly well, Hjyl_>t would have had »tJH better figures j—MW^ he had relied on that medium boll of his which goes awuy with

his arm. Smith, apart from not giving Mat Henderson a/try before Blamlres, and not bowling himself more, handled the bowling well and rang on tbe changes with judgment. '