FIRST TEST MATCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 293, 10 December 1910, Page 5

FIRST TEST MATCH.

AUSTRALIANS OPEN WELL 494 FOR SIX WICKETS. I CENTURIES BY BABDSLET AND HILL. (By Cable.—Press Association.-—Copyright) SYDNEY, December 9. The first test match between the South African cricketers and Australia was com-mencedto-day. The weather was hot and sr;,5 r ;, ™ * gentle breeze blowing, and the p,tch was like a billiard table Trumper and Bardsley, Australia's opening pa,r, soon made it apparent that bowling on such a wicket was not going to be troublesome. After a few feelers Trumper started to hjt out to Llewellyn and Sinclair. Bardsley started more slowly, but soon got into his stride. When the score stood at 52 Trumper, running for a short hit, was cleverly thrown out by Llewellyn, who was fielding at point. Hill followed, and the two left-handers made the bowltog look exceedingly cheap. Several changes were tried in succession, Llewellyn, Sinclair, Schwarz, Vogler, Faulkner, and Nourse being put on. The chief trouble lay in the lack of variety in their bowling, as they are all slow to medium pace trundlers. The wicket, too, prevented their work from taking effect. Both batsmen hit out, and after 65 minutes' play 100 appeared on the board. From then on no incident occurred until the second century appeared, which took 108 minutes. There was little to choose between Bardsley and Hill, and they showed no apparent preference for particular bowlers, each ball being hit hard, and only good placing of the field prevented almost all from reaching the boundary. When 111 Bardsley gave his first chance, pulling Faulkner to square leg. Tlie ball went straight to Zulch, -who missed a fairly easy catch. Hill quickly followed Bardsley to the century, Bardsley scoring his century in 119 minutes and Hill in 98 minutes. WTien Bardsley was 126 Cherwell, apparently in desperation, gave Pearse the ball. The first delivery was short-pitched, and Bardsley promptly placed it to the boundary. The second ball went for two, while in attempting to slog the third the batsman was clean bowled. He had been in for 150 minutes, and hit 10 fours, the partnership contributing 224.

Gehrs joined Hill, and the scoring continued fast, Gehrs treating the attack in just the same easy manner as his partner. At 07 he was bowled by Pearse with an ordinary straight ball, which apparently he tried to lift. A few balls later the same bowler, who had never before been considered in the first class, nor even good enough to bowl when at home, clean bowled Hill for 191. Hill's innings was a chanceless effort, and lasted 202 minutes. He hit 18 fours. These champions gone, the South Africans took heart. Schwarz relieved Pearse, and soon had Ransford uncomfortable. When 11 the latter was clean bowled with the slow, straight, but leg-break action of the googlie. Macartney, who came next, never appeared comfortable, and fell an easy victim to another of Schwann's googlies. Armstrong, who followed Geh«s, soon showed brilliant form, while Kelleway held up his wicket. The big Victorian bit out in all directions. Schwarz continued to bowl, with Nourse at the other end. for although Pearse was not punished, he was taken off soon after bowling Hill, apparently to be kept as a change. Armstrong and Kelleway were still unbeaten when stumps were drawn. Following are the scores:— AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. I Trumper, run out 27 | Bardsley. b Pearse 132 Gehrs, b Pearse 67 Hill, b Pearse ~ 191 | Ransford, b Schwarz 11 Macartney, b Schwarz 1 Armstrong, not out 43 j Kelleway, not out 6 Extras 10 Total for six wickets 494 Bowling Analysis.—Pearse took three wickets for 56 runs", Schwarz two for 84, Nfourse none for 61. Faulkner none for 71, Vogler none for 87, Sinclair none for SO, Ldewellyn none for 39.

FAILURE OF THE GOOGLIE. (Received 10.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The weather is fine for the cricket. The newspapers comment on the failure of the bowling and the freedom with which the batsmen treated the famed googlie.