ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 15, 19 January 1898, Page 5

ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN CRICKET.

THIRD TEST MATCH.

ENGLAND'S FIRST INNINGS CLOSES

FOR 278,

VISITORS AGAIN FOLLOW ON.

FOUR WICKETS DOWN FOR 161.

ADELAIDE, January 18. The test match was resumed this morning under extremely unpleasant conditions. A gale of wind blew across the ground, carrying with it considerable quantities of dust.

Noble and Howell resumed bowling, and with nine runs added Stoddart was splendidly taken by Jones at mid-oil" from a hard drive. . » When Briggs had made five lie was missed by Howell at slip oil" Noble. The batsman showed his gratitude by hitting Noble to the boundary twice oil' successive balls, but off- the last ball of the over he was caught at the wickets. Two balls from Howell were too much for Hearne.

Richardson and Hirst made an unexpected stand. Both hit freely, though Richardson had some luck with his lofty ones. Jones was tried instead of Howell without effect. When 56 runs had been put on in- forty minutes Trunible at slip caught Hirst. The Yorkshireman was hatting three hoars and twenty minutes and did not give a chance, one having been ■wrongly debited to him yesterday. He hit eleven fours.

The duration of the whole innings was five hours and twenty-live minutes.

Maclaren and Mason began England's second innings to the bowling of Howell and Noble. Maclaren's first hit was a warm return to Howell, and he also gaVe Noble a similar chance directly afterwards. With. 10 up Mason was caught at mid-oil".

Kanjitsinhji made .19 quickly, and then was misled afclong-oll'by Darlingofl'Noble. Fitty runs were reached in an hour. At this stage Trumble displaced Howell, who had bowled a dozen overs for 19 runs. After a spell of slow play Maclaren got the bowler to square leg for 4. At 75 McLcod relieved Noble. Kanjitsinhji cut each bowler to the boundary. At the adjournment the score was 91, Kanjitsinhji making 45 and Maclaren 43.

Trotfc and McLeocl resumed the bowling, and a hundred went up as the outcome of an hour and fifty-two minutes' hatting. Directly afterwards both batsmen reached their half-century. Ranjitsinhji made light of Trott, whom he hit for two fours, and at lIS Trott gave way to Howell. The batsmen were playing masterly cricket. They took no risks, but played all the bowling with the utmost respect. At last Kanjitsinhji made a miss-hit and skied a ball to slip, where Trnnible held it. Kanjitsinhji was batting two hours and a-half, and after the first few minutes his batting was in his best form. He hit eight fours. The partnership produced 142 runs. Hayward was in 20 minutes for one run. Then he returned a ball low down to McLeod, who made a fine catch.

Storer having made six in two hits, cut a ball to Hill, the third man, who held it. Both wickets fell in the same over.

Druce and Maclaren played out time

Howell finished up the day by bowling eight maiden overs. Maclaren played a great innings. He was in three hours and twenty minutes, and after the first two difficult chances to the bowlers he did not make a mistake. He hit live fours.

The Australians fielded brilliantly, apart from Darling's mistake. Iredale, Jones and Gregory were very smart. They were unfortunate' in respect to bowling, as Jones, owing to bis injured shoulder, could not bowl at all. The following are the scores : — Australians. —First innings, 573. Englishmen.—First Innings. Maclaren, b Howell * 14 Mason, b Jones .. 11 Kanjitsinhji, c Jones, b Trumble ... G Storer, b Howell 4 Hay ward, b Jones 70 Druce, c Darling, b Noble 24 Hirst, c Trumble, b Noble 85 Stoddart, c Jones, b Howell 15 Briggs, c Kelly, b Noble ... \ y .. 14 Hearne, b Howell 0 Kichardson, not out 25 Extras " 10 Total 278 Bowling Analysis. Howell, 4 wickets for 70 runs. Jones, 2 for 07. Trumble, 1 for 39. Noble, 3 for 87. Trott, 0 for 14. Englishmen.—Second innings. McLaren, not out 70 Mason, c Jones, b Noble ... ... 0 llanjitsinhji, c Trumble, b McLeo'd ... 77 Hay ward, c and b McLeod 1 Storer, c Hill, b MeLeod 6 Druce, not out 0 Extras ■ 7 Total for four wickets ... ... 161 Bowling Analysis. Trumble, 0 wicket for 17 runs. Noble, 1 for 44. Trott, 0 for 18. MeLeod 3 for 36. Howell, 0 for 41. NOTES ON THE PLAY. ADELAIDE, this day. At one time the match did not look a certainty after all for the Australians, for the Englishmen, with only one wicket down in the second innings, were less than 150 runs behind. Ranjitsinhji and McLaren appeared like going on for ever, and a heavy score seemed probable, with the prospect of the Australians having to make a couple of hundred runs or so in the fourth innings on a pitch necessarily afi'ected by wear and tear. However, in accordance with the characteristic vicissitudes of the game, three more wickets went down for an additional ten runs, and the Englishmen, with'only six wickets yet to fall, still required 134 runs to avert a single innings' defeat. For this favourable position the Australians have in the first place to thank fche batsmen, but a tribute is nevertheless owing to the bowlers, more particularly MeLeod and Howell. The. excellency of. McLeod's work is expressed with some precision in the bowling analysis, whilst Howell's performance is somewhat better than the figures indicate. Owing to an injury to his muscles he will take no part in the intercolonial match, Victoria v. New South Wales, to commence in Sydney on Saturday next, but will rest in this quarter of the world, with a view to playing in the fourth test match in Melbourne. Yesterday afternoon, seven of his last eight overs were maidens, and off his eighth only a single run was scored.

■ The explanation of the English collapse is perhaps found in the fact of the huge total that had to be faced, and that an element of nervousness entered into certain of the cracks. McLaren in particular scratched dreadfully. Hirst's score of 85 was not only the highest, but, what is not always the same thing, was absolutely the best. Mason started his tour in great form. He gave abundant promise, but his last seven or eight innings have shown unimportant cricket, making people wonder how he got his earlier scores. The few runs he obtains come uncertainly without decision. He has never given the impression of being at home. McLaren played a very different game to that of his ' first innings against

Howell. Ranjitsinhji, observing caution, recognised that it depended mainly on the partnership as to whether his side make anything like a creditable result, for if two such batsmen got going all things would be possible, McLaren playing his own game at this point, with strong, determined, and fearless scoring. However, although steady, he is not fast. The batsmen recognised the responsibility upon them, except for a burst of recklessness when in the tens, during which they gave a chance to Darling. Ranjitsinhji's play was free from fault, full of life and grace, but nevertheless he did not give us his best

LONDON, January 17.

Intense disappointment is expressed at the poor stand made by the Englishmen in the third test match. The newspapers refer to the batting as a wretched display, and the score as paltry. . ..