THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 66, 18 March 1905, Page 6

THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS.

! SECOND TEST MATCH. J MAGNIFICENT PLAY BY TRUMPER AND HTT.T.. (By Telegraph— Special to the "Star.") WELLINGTON, Friday. The display of batting by Truinper and Hill this atternon will live long in the memory of those who were privileged to see. It was incomparably, the tinest and most eniertaining exhibition of cricket ever seen in Wellington. The batsmen had the bowlers completely at j their mercy, and the enthusiasm of the ! crowd Mas worked up to concert pitch by the marvellous rate of run-gettin<* I indulged in by the champion pair. The bowling was slammed to and over the boundary ropes and fences with an ease and artistic finish which held the crowd almost spellbound, Trumper in particular bringing ';down the house" with the execution of ' those many strokes for which he is world-famoiis. Never has New Zealand bowling been made to look so simple as it was during the HillTruniper combination. The crowd were not sorry that Trumper had been missed early in his innings, nor that Hill had two lives during his tenure of the batting crease. They were not treated to such superb exhibitions of cricket every day, and the opportunity was too good to miss. For their mammoth score the Australians have to thank the New Zealand fierdsmen, whose catching can only be described as "awful." If all the chances given had been snapped up the visitors' total would not have reached 200. There was no excuse for the colonials, as the catches were by no means difficult. Callaway alone o"f the bowlers quietened the m batsmen, and he at times was pimished'terribly. When the score was 214 there was a strong appeal for Trumper, leg before wicket to t'pham, but Bannerman answered in the negative. The batsman hit the bowler's next ball to Mason in the outfield, but the offer was declined. Trumper's score was then 33. Bennett relieved Callaway. and his first was cut by Hill beautifully to the ropes. The telegraph then showed 220. Fourers to each batsman was now the order, and the tens went up rapidly, Hill scoring slightly faster than his colleague. At 2-5, and wl\en his own score was 27, Hill was misled by Sims in the outfield, off Cpliani. Tlie chunce was not a difficult one. Sims had injured his finger in the attempt, and Gregory tool: his place in the field. Trumper made the biggest bits of the match at this stage. He clouted Bennett clean over the ropes, and followed it up with a sweet cut off the same bowler to the fence. Bennett's one over had put 1j ou the score-sheet. Trumper lifted Upham twice in an over ritrht over the fence, the crowd applauding vociferously. A double change was made in the bowline;. Piedeberg and Olli- \ icr relieving Bennett and Upham. The run-getting was not checked, and Trumper put 300 on the score-sheet with' a beautiful carpet drive to the ropes. The n°xt he smacked over the ropes, both at the expense of Ollivier, who had hatl 17 knocked off him in the over. Callaway took .Siedcberjrs place. Hill was partial to Ollivier, and clouted the Canterbury man over to the -ropes, and to the fence, in successive balls. A roar of applause followed the signalling of Trumper's eenturv, obtained by SO minutes' batting. Hill dealt out terrible punishment to Ollivier, notching three sixers and two fourers in one over. At four p.m., when the tea adjournment took place, the telegraph reading was 395—Trumper 127. Hill 93. When operations were resumed Hill lost no lime in putting the fourth century to his team's credit, and registering his second century of the tour, a task which has occupied '85 minutes. The bowling changes were repeatedly rung, but without stemming the run-getting. When [fill's score was 114 Mason again dropped an easy catch off his bat, Bennett being the sufferer. The total was then 440. The great partnership, which had Produced 269 runs, was several by Hill jumping out to Bennett and Boxshall brilliantly stumping him. Hill had been batting 110 minutes for his runs, which included five sixes and 10 fours: 4GS—G—I29. As often happens in a big partnership. Trumper soon followed Hill to the fnvilion. Mason making nmends for his previous failures by catchin? him in the out field off Bennett. Trumper was at the batting crease two hours and 35 minutes, and his score included 20 fours and four sixes: 479—7—172. Noble partnered Armstrong, and had two singles to his credit when Ollivier 'Iroppcd him in the slips off Upham. The hoisting of 500 raised applause. Noble returned a fairly hot one to Bennett, who failed to hold it, and Armstrong drove one hard back to Ollivier, but again the opportunity was declined. At 5.35 the umpires decided that the lisrht was too bad to permit of the game bping proceeded with, and stumps were drawn for the day. Scores: AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. McLeod, st Boxshall, b Callaway.... 12 Newland, b Ollivier * 34 Cotter, c Siedeberg, b Callawiy 44 Oehrs, c Sims, b Upham 32 Duff, b Callaway 51 Trurnper. c Mason, b Bennett 172 Hill, at Boxshall. b Bennett 129 Armstrong, not out 22 Noble, not out 16 Extras 7 Total for seven wickets 519 The gates en the first day of the match totalled £59 3/6, and on the second day £ 145.