INTERNATIONAL CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 34, 10 February 1892, Page 5

INTERNATIONAL CRICKET.

ENGLAND V. AUSTRALIA.

SECOND VICTORY FOR AUSTRALIA,

The second greab test match between Lord Sheffield's team and combined Australia came to a termination on the 3rd inst., and the result of a long and exciting struggle, extending over five days, was a magnificent and well-earned vicbory for Australia. The fall of three wickets on Tuesday afternoon for 11 runs had, says the S.M. "Herald, set the Englishmen the task of scoring 218 more runs, or 229 altogether, in order to claim the victory. It was a serious position for them, because, having already lost their first match played in Melbourne, the second defeat meant the loss of the "rubber," and even a win later on in the third match at Adelaide would be but poor consolation. For such a day for such a match, the attendance, numbering about 8,000, must be considered rather email, bub as a set-off it should be noted that from first to last nearly 55,000 people entered the gates, the largest attendance being on Saturday, when, according to the official estimate, the spectators numbered jusb over 20,000. Overnighb and yesterday morning the sky was eagerly watched for some change. Would it rain heavily enough to make the wicket easy, or would a blazing sun shine out to crack the wicket and make the bowling unplayable ? Neither event came to pass.

A DULL CLOSE DAY BROKE, and when play started it was nt once apparent that the wicket was practically on its best behaviour, exception being of course taken for a solitary ball that gob up at long intervals. The number, 229, had become a charm ; it had gained a mystical power that people could neither avoid nor shake off. Hardware, 6oftgoods,_ scrip, stock, and all the serious responsibilities of commerce and professional duties were for the time laid aside, and the only calculation that men seriously took up was, "Can the Englishmen make the runs?" Taking the average throughout the innings, the old country team required just under 23 runs per wicket to win ; and never once did they reach that average. Bub it wanted very little play yesterday to show that three wickets would never again fall in that innings for 11 runs. The English batting was nob yet broken, and for the start it remained to be seen whether Maurice Read and Stoddarb would worthily fill their placee, and whether Read could do anything worthy of his big ecore of 135 against Yorkshire or against the North of England last season. He and the Middlesex man made a powerfull combination such as would quickly find out a weak spot in the bowling. At once the batsmen showed that they intended to take no risks, for just now a wickeb lost or a few runs put on might turn the scale to defeat or victory. Blackham placed bis men to a hair's breadth, gave the bowling to Turner for the opening with Giffen as his partner, and

THE DUEL TO THE DEATH commenced. A leg ball was always looked on as good for runs, a straight one was played, and an off theory watched carefully as it went by untouched. The batsmen could not afford to try experiments, and yet they were doing well. How fast the runs seemed to mount up on the scoring board. Up go 20 and 30." This will never do for Australia, and Blackham tries what resources there are in his change bowling. Whab a pity McLeod had to go away on Tuesday! He took five wickets for 53 runs in the first innings of the teet match in Melbourne, and now he would have been invaluable as first change. But the batsmen are merciless, and 40 go up. No, the numbers are , taken down; true, but only to give place to 50. By apme mysterious chance a ball gets clean past Blackham, and the Australian captain watches three byes run with a look of melancholy. Probably he is giving himself a severe lecture. The bowline; is too good to go without results, and when George Giffen scooped up the ball from a low.straight drive by Head, the South Australian had well earned the wicket. The spectators liked it well, but still there was reserve in their applause, for had not THAT WICKET PUT ON OVER 50 RUNS? Peel trudges across from the pavilion, and chows that he will either do or die. He dies. Did he care ao little for the wfttchful eye and quick hand of Blackham that he must jump out at two successive balls — one hit to the fence, and another intended for it? But good intentions fail, and the error of the second cost him his life. With the same swing of his bat as that with which he made the hit he threw himself round again for his crease. Quick, certainly. The stroke and the after swing of the bat could not have been made with greater speed, but there was a move like a flash behind the wicket, and the bails went flying to right and left as Blackham performed a marvellous piece of stumping. Five for 83, and still the iesue was doubtful. Would Stoddart never go ? He was the rock against which the bowling was now breaking ; there was neither peace nor safety for tho Australians while he remained. Next Lohmann played his part, another costly wicket. Six for 117. Now the end began to show itself, for even with Stoddart the remaining bats were not worth another li 2; but

THE END WAS HASTENING more rapidly than was expected. It seemed quite a simple ball that Turner sent down to Stoddart; he played at ib apparently in an easy manner, and yet his wicket was spread oub like a fan, the ball slapping the stumpe with a sharp rattling sound. Then at length the spectators gave vent to their pent-up feelings in a riot of excitement, for they knew that the last sound pieco of the defence had been beaten down. No longer did that terrible number 229 haunt them, and, undisturbed by fear, they were able to look on in comparative complacency. Giffen faced McGregor, and came down with his customary sharp run. Immediately he delivered the ball the South Australian sprang wildly in the air. McGregor had driven the ball back above the bowler's head. True, but not safely. As high as he could reach, Giffen threw his hands in the air. Was there a spice of luck in it ? Perhaps. The ball should have gone for a couple of runs at least, bub instead of doing so the check sent it into the air almost directly upwards, and Giffen had the pleasure of seeing it sink down into his own hands. Tho average was now coming down with a vengeance ; Sfor 140. Again Giffen made his run, again the batsman played forward, another catch, this time an easy one, and Giffen received an'ovation such as he will not forgot for many a day as he disposed of Attewell. LAST SCENE OF ALL. Sharpe and Brings ab the wickets, and the Englishmen nearly 90 runs behind. The suspense was soon ab an end, Briggs being the victim, and the innings closed for 156 runs, the Australians thus winning 1 the most exciting match ever played in Australia by 72 runs. For a time the spectators rushed about as though demented, such hand-shaking, such congratulations, such cheeiing and waving of bats, canes and umbrellas. In town the scene was repeated, and throughout the day the newspaper offices and other sources of information were surrounded by impatient crowds. A presentation of nearly 100 sovereigns was made after the match to Lyons and Bannerman jointly from the public, and the healths of the two teams were drunk very warmly, Grace expressing the opinion thab but for some chances

missed by his men in the field the finish would have been closer. Ib would be ungenerous and unjust. to refer specially any particular colony as having con* tributed a greater or leiser share to tho via* tory. The batting of Lyons, Bannerman, and Bruce, the bowling of Turner and George Giffen, the wicket-keeping of Blackham, and the fielding of the whole team, all had their place and all helped to win, whilstamongeb thelosers honourable mention must be made of Abel's score of 132 nob oub. There was a tendency at times on the part of some of the spectators to display hostility towards Grace, but ib is only fair to the English captain to state that the incident out of which thie feeling sprang was founded on fiction.

Australia.—First Innings. A. Bannerman, c Abel, b Lohmann M £ G. Giffen, c Abel, b Lohmann „. mt , ? & J. Lyons, c Grace, b Lohmann ... «. 4* C. Turner, c McGregor, b Lohmann ... W. Bruce, c Bean, b Attewell .„ ... 15 H. Trott, b" Lohmann ... .„ ... v- 2 H. Moses, c Grace, b Lohmann 29 W. Giffen, c and b Lohmann ... «. | 1 R. McLeod, c Attowell, b Lohmann, M J l3 S. Cttllaway, run out „, mm ' l J. Blackham, nob oub *»•*■■■'*» 3 Sundries ►«, Mc *«, / ... 6 Total «,. M ... «. «. 144 Bowling Analysis.—Briggs, 60 balls, 2 maidens, 24 runs, 0 wicket; Sharpe, 60 balls, 1 maiden, 31 runs, 0 wicket; Lohmann, 260 balls, 18 maidens, 58 runs, 8 wickets; Attewell, 186 balls, 20 maidens, 25 runs, 1 wickeb. .; - England.—Firab Innings. W. G. Grace, b Turner «. „. «, 26 G. Bean, b G. Giffen -19 A. E. Sboddart, c Blackman, b McLeod „. 27 M. Read, c Turner, bG. Giffen M 3 R. Peel, cG. Giffen, b Turner — M 20 G. Lohmann, bG. Giffen .« *. 10 G. McGregor, lbw, b McLeod ... »«. 3 J. Brigge, lbw, b Trott... «. 28 W. Attewell, b Trotb ... _ „ 0 R. Abel, not out „. 132 Sharpe, c Bannerman, bG. Giffen ... 26 Sundries „ M wm «. 13 Total ... «"'„-..-. 307 Bowling Analysis.—Turner, 222 balls, 11 maidens, 90 runs, 2 wickets; McLeod, 108 balls, 6 maidens, 55 runs, 2 wickets; Giffen, 170 balls, 5 maidens, 88 runs, 4 wickets; Trott, 84 balls, 3 maidens, 42 runs, 2 wickets; Callaway, 102 balls, 10 maidens, 19 runs, 0 wicket. Australia.—Second Innings. H. Trott, c Sharpe, b Lohmann _ ,„" 1 J. Lyons, c Grace, b Lohmann.«. ..„ 134 G. Giffen, lbw, Attewell .«..«. 49 VV. Bruce, c Brigge, b Sharpe... ,« 72 A. Bannerman , , c Grace, b Briggs i m 91 R." McLeod, c Read, b Peel ... .» 18 W. Giffen, b Briggs ,$■ ...;; 3 J. Blackham, lbw, b Briggs ... _', 0 S. Callaway, c Grace, b Briggs... _, 0 C. Turner, not out „. M -, 14 Sundries M M M — 9 Total .- «. ... .- .- 391 Bowling Analysis.—Lohmann, 306 balls, 14 maidens, 84 runs, 2 wickets, 1 wide; Briggs, 196 balls, 8 maidens, 69 runs, 4 wickets; Attewell, 276 balls, 24 maidens, 43 runs, 1 wicket; Sharpe, 210 balls, 7 maidens, 91 runs, 1 wickeb ; Peel, 210 balls, 13 maidens, 49 runs, 1 wickeb; Grace. 96 balls, 2 maidens, 34 runs, 0 wicket; -Stoddarb, 24 balls, 1 maiden, 12 runs, 0 wickets. England.—Second Innings. ... . R. Abel, c \V. Giffen, bG. Giffen '..."• I G. Bean, c Lyons, b Turner ... •»< 4 W. G. Grace, c Blackham. b Turnw •. 6 M. Read, c and bG. Giffen ... — ?*J R. Peel, '_ 6 G. Lohmann, c Bruce, bO. Giffen ... 15 A. E. Stoddarb;■fyTujftwr- , ... ... 69 G. McGregor, Wffen Jj 12 W. Attewell, c and bG. Giffen I ... 0 J. Briggs, c Trott, b Turner „.: / ... 12 J. Sharpe, nob oub , ... —. ;/*■, ••• 4 Sundries „ ._. ~. , _...:',:-".— 6 Total ... _ ...'*".-. —156 Bowling Analysis.—Turner, 140 balls, 46 runs, 7 maidens, 4 wickets; Giffen, 168 balls, 72 runs, 10 maidens, 6 wickets; Trott, 3Q balls, 11 runs, 0 maiden, 0 wipket; Callaway, 60 balls, 21 runs, 6 maidens.