FOURTH TEST MATCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 207, 30 August 1905, Page 9

FOURTH TEST MATCH.

■ ENGLAND V. AUSTRALIA. By W. L. MURDOCH. j Special to "Auckland Star.") MANCHESTER, July 28. This, the fourth match, was ertbered upon to-day at Old Trafford, and, there is no doubt that everything d._pended upon it from an Australian point of aiew, for if the Australians did not actually win there could be no possible chance of the "ashes" being taken back tO Australia by the present combination, for a drawn game will, mean that if they succeed at the Oval nest month the rubber will be a drawn battle and things will remain as £bey were. There cannot be any doubt that in these days the winning- of the toss is a ' *cry great help towards victory, in fact, it is half tbe "battle, and when England appointed the Hon. F. S. Jackson, she made a choice that has turn- I ed out to be a regular maseotte. I A good wicket had been prepared. ! and as the weather liad become a little unsettled, it was felt that whoever was fortunate enough to guess correctly the Way the coin went would do a" very great deal for his side. At about a quarter of an hour hefore the game started Jackson. McLaren and Lilley could be seen going out to have a look at the wicket, and as I saw them go I could not help thinking that all was over and Australia had once again lost, but it was not so, for immediately on his return Jackson sawDarling and both went to the front of the pavilion. Up went the coin, two heads were anxiously bent over, one smiling face told of victory, the other Borrowful one defeat, and to the regret of nine out of every ten it was known {that luck had again favoured Jack3on, i-vho thus put up the record of winning the toss of four test matches in s-__- , cession. True to time, 11.30, Darling led his men into the field, to be very shortly followed by McLaren and Hayward. Cotter, who was once more played, was deputed to open the attack to McLaren, who, to the accompaniment of a perfect roar, sent the first ball flying to the long leg boundary—a beautiful stroke —the remainder of the over were very short and got up considerably. McLeod was the bowler at the other end, and off bis second over Hayward opened his score with a boundary ou' the on side. V>Tien he was 6. McLaren put up one to cover that might easily have gone to hand for all Archie knew about it. After a couple of singles a desperately shor 1 run was made: Hayward played the ball just in front of bim and bolted for the other end, McLaren raced from his, with Cotter after ball; it was a regular race, and had Cotter picked the ball up at the first attempt it would have been a toss up whether he would not have had McLaren run out. However; it did Dot make much difference, for after making four more off McLeod be let out at one. anal hit it very hard to long on. Hill, who was stationed at long-off, seemed to see the stroke at once and dashed at top speed for about 25 yards and brought • off a magnificent catch. It was one of the best I have ever seen, and reminded mc very much of the catch which dismissed Hugh Massie at Oxford many years ago. We were all delighted that this most dangerous batsman -was got rid of for such a small score, and had a shake hands all round. Another dangerous customer in Tyldesley went in, but bad a lively time, for Cotter, who was bowling short and all over the place, hit bim a very nasty knock, and he could not resume for about five minutes. There is no doubt in my mind that Cotter is purely a fast bowler with no idea of anything but pace. The scoring was not at all fast, and when he was 14, Hayward snicked one of Cotter's to Kelly, who was at short stop, who did not hold it. and this turned out to be an awful misfortune for us. The score was 51—made in an hour— •when the first change was made, Armstrong relieving the fast bowler, and Layer having a turn for McLeod. No liberties were taken, but any loose ball was scored from until the score reached 77, when Tyldesley played one from Layer hard on to his wicket. He made two or three of his beautiful off-drives, but never appeared to be really comfortable. Fry was the next to appear, and before he had scored there was a general shout for l.b.w. The decision did not at ail meet with the approval of the Australians. As usual with him against us Fry was in some time before he scored, and it was twenty minutes before the first single was obtained; this was greeted with great cheers. Hayward all this time was batting beautifully, and completed his 50 just before lunch, when the score was 97. Upon resuming, Noble had a turn, and was very luckily snicked by each batsman for threes. After Fry had pleased the crowd by putting a short one from Noble to. the on boundary, Hayward, through a misunderstanding with his partner, would have easily been run out had Duff thrown the wicket down. Fry played a ball, and after starting sent Hayward back, but, unfortunately, Duff did not aim straight. Changes were made and just as Australia badly wanted a wicket, Armstrong went on, and 5n his first over dean-bowled Fry with a regular beauty, which beat him completely. This was not one of Fry's best efforts by any means.—3 —17 —136. Jackson met with a very hearty reception, and immediately proceeded to play himself in, and he did it in no half-hearted manner. Although his partnership with Hayward realised 43 runs, I think it was really the turning point in the game, because it looked as if the bowling was nothing to them. Hayward, however, was easily caught at third man off a bad stroke. From 14 to 70 h. played the most perfect cricket, making drives, cuts and on strokes with the utmost ease and precision. After the 70 he looked to play anyhow, gave chances to Armstrong at slip when 70 and at the wickets at 76. Still it was a fininnings full of the best of batting.—4— 82—176. A new recruit in Test matches in K. H. Spooner nest went in, and a very profitable partnership ensued. No risks were taken, and both he and-Jackson played the game to perfection. Spooner was a bit nervous to start with—very aaturally so—hut once he settled down it was good to watch his enterprise and the power and wrist work he put into ids strokes. He is a fine upstanding

player, and has strokes all around the wicket. He played by far the brightest 1 s innings of the day. Altogether the partnership realised 125, and they were made, in an hour and forty-five minutes., 5—52—301. Hirst nest went in. anfl' ■with this dashing player on the move be was not long in totalling 25, when he i was very finely caught at short slip try* Layer. He only made nine run-getting hits, and they were 124444114. The board showing (5—25—347. Jackson all the time was playing as if nothing could get him out. He was in the eighties for at least half an hour, and it was rather curious, for the bowlers were a bit tired. During the last half hour of play the one vital question of interest was whether he would get his hundred, an 3it was not until the last over of the day that he. did so, and completed his very great performance of making his fifth hundred in Test matches. The. total, being 352 for 6 wickets, Tuesday, July 25. The total obtained yesterday was, of course, a very fine one, but still with equal conditions not at all an impossible one, even considering that four more wickets had to fall, but the conditions were not at all the same, for when we went down in the morning we had as an appetiser for breakfast the i news that there had been heavy rain in j tlie night. Now this was simply awful, and what with this and losing the toss was certainly enough to take the heart out of any team; but it did not. On going out to the ground I had a talk -with Archie Maclaren, who acted the part of comforter by saying he thought it would not harm our boys in making the wicket bad. I certainly did not agree with him, and as the results of the early day's play went only too truly proved I was right. I wish I had not been. However, we had a very fine day's cricket, and although at the moment of writing everything looks against Australia, one never knows at this game what will happen, and the boys are in the best of spirits, and intend to try very hard to stave off defeat. To show the great interest taken in the game, when the first ball was bowled there were 15,000 people watching Jackson and .Arnold come out to continue their innings, Armstrong and McLeod bowled, and from the way Jackson started one would have thought he had been batting all night. I watched how the wicket would play, and it was very soon evident that it would be difficult. Jackson soon proceeded to force things, but was fated not to continue long, for with his total at 113 he made a miss-hit and was easily caught at mid-off. He was batting three hours and three-quarters, and obtained • his runs out of 251, and it was a superb performance. 7—113—382. Rhodes joined Arnold, and at first so badly did he shape tha€ he never looked like getting a run, but after settling down it was just the other way; be looked as if he would stay for ever. Arnold was playing very well, and two off drives were real beauties. At 16 he was missed by Armstrong in the slips, but was run out by Rhodes in trying to get his first run. 8—25—387. Li Hoy was nest, and got to work at once by sending Armstrong to the leg boundary. He forced things splendidly, and with Rhodes following the good csample a fine stand was made. Lilley hit, and Rhodes made some lovely off drives, and it was not until they had put on 59 that Lilley was out lbw. 9—28—446. Brear- ' ly whipped in and out: he is not* supposed to be a batsman, and certainly did not shape like one. England's total was a large one, and the state of the wicket made it worse. The Australians bore their long outing very w T ell, and never tired. Their ground fielding was very fine, but for the dropped catches they had to pay a very dear price. McLeod bowled much the best, and much better than I have yet seen him. At 12.15 Australia commenced her innings, and Darling tried how Noble would partner Trumper. Hirst opened to the former, and it was at once evident the noted swerve was very much in evidence, for Lilley was soon busy on the leg side. Brearly on the other end bowled at a great pace, and his first tjtree slippers were Maclaren, Hirst, and Rhodes—three wonderful fields. Noble got a very fast one through them, which went to the rails like a shot. Trumper then made two lovely back cuts off Hirst. With 21 up Aus : tralia's first misfortune befell her, for Trumper just" touched one, and was well caught at second slip. I—ll—2l. Clem Hill went in and out without troubling the scorers, being caught at mid-off. 2 —0—21. Armstrong next, and the excitement was intense, the crowd shouting at anything and everything. Armstrong put one through the slips, then just on lunch-time our cup was full, for Brearly knocked Noble's off stump out of the ground. It was one of uhe best, Noble told mc, and it certainly looked. It reminded mc very much of those old Tom used to fire at you. 3—7—27 was nice to lunch upon. Upon resuming Duff went in with Armstrong, and opened with a most perfect square cut off Brearly. He made a single off Arnold, then 2 to the on, a fine off drive, and was caught in the slips off the fast bowler. It Vas a nasty ball, got up most quickly, and although he tried could not get out of the way of it. 4—11—41. There was no doubt that Brearly was very difficult, for he got up so quickly, and was always doing a little. Darling went in with that determined air of his and joinod Armstrong, who had been batting very well, and, as he always does, with the utmost coolness. After an hour's play the 50 went up, Armstrong's share at this time being 16. Although Darling off-drove Brearly to the off-boundary, he appeared to have some difficulty in timing bim, and got a couple of tricky snicks. Still it was a case of "they all count." He ne_t turned his attention to Arnold, and at a very short interval hit him twice over the rails into the crowd—magnificent hits which so delighted the crowd they roared. Armstrong had been more quietly adding his share, but on Rhodes going on for Brearly got six off four balls and was bowled. He played a real good innings at a most critical time, and had things been going more favourably I am sure he would not have tried to force Rhodes as he did. 5—29—88. Gehrs followed Hill's bad example by going in and out. 6—0 —93. McLeod joined Darling, and stayed with him for 40 minutes. He only got six runs, but his captain did the rest. He went for every possible thing, and made some fine strokes. He hit Rhodes away out to long-on, where Tyldealey made a fine try; the ball touched his finger and pnt it out. It was soon back again, and he continued to field. Darling's next exploit was another hit off Rhodes into the country, which went plump into Fry's hands, and then out again. To appreciate this he hit Arnold high into the stands sear the press bos ..