FIRST TEST MATCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 299, 16 December 1911, Page 5

FIRST TEST MATCH.

AUSTRALIA BATTING FIRST. 317 FOR FIVE "WICKETS. TRUMPER IN GOOD FORM. (By Cable—Press Association.—Copyright.) SYDNEY, December 15. The serious business of the tour of the English cricketers was inaugurated in perfect weather conditions to-day, when the first test match against Australia was commenced. There was a big attendance. The Australians wore black armbands in memory of Duff. The teams were as follows: Australia: Hill (captain), W'hitty, Trumpcr, Bardsley, Kelleway, Hordcrn, Cotter, Carter, Minnett, Armstrong, Ransford. England: Douglas (captain), Foetcr, Hobbs, Mead, Hearne, Woolley, Barnes, Strudwick, Gunn, Kinneir, and Rhoflcs. Hill won the toss, and decided to take advantage of the good wicket. Kelleway and Bardsley opened to Foster and Douglas. Both were cautious and runs were coming in singles. At 20 Barnes relieved Douglas. Bardsley a.-, this stage was late-cutting beautifully. He also snicked a fine leg boundary. BARDSLEY FIRST TO GO. After two overs Douglas again took the ball, Barnes taking the other end. When the total was 44 Bardsley, in attempting to out Douglas, tipped the ball. 'Strudwick bringing off a. onlbant catch. Hill, who replaced Bardsley, opened with a weak stroke, v.-hioh rose, dangerously to rnid-off. It pa-»ed tbe deld, however, and reached the bonndaryFifty appeared in 5(5 minuter. The cipta.n quickly founJ form, and started to punish the bowlers. Glancing and hitting to leg in ii:~ nctt style, he soon pa.-se.-i Kelleway. v. "no ;n o 's Ih. 40m. id scoring 1!'. He.irnc and Woolley took up th" boiling with the .-.ore at 76. The latter in his first over caught and bodied Kelleway off a h.ird drive, which was sent straight back to him. STRONG IH THE ARM. After tbe iunrhaou adjournmcut Armstrong joined Hill. H--' :ut Woolley fur Tour off the Srsl bail, and his next, wis a straight drive for two. The play brightened considerably, and the century was hoiste'l hi 1 hour»Si' minutes. Hoiirne bowicd erratically, jui th» bitumen punished him. Hill played all the bowlers alike. srr-rinj off pr.x'e:iei"y cverythir...-. His Ic£ play ta.i beautiful. and with Armstrong he put on -i.j runs. Ho then played a hard one from Foster to -qaaro leg au.'i Rhodcr-, returned brilliantly, and Hill, bf'ng unabio to ge* tick, was run out. K.i had bitted for ■">4 minutes, and hit six fours. The score was now 121 for three wickets. THE TRUMP OF AUSTRALIA. Trumpcr joined Armstrong, and hit Douglas's first ball for four, which were all run. Douglas wa t now bowling with a wonderful length, and with Barnes at the other end, kept the runs down. Trumpcr was twenty-five minutes before he added to his 6:"-t score. Armstrong was almost as quiet. When IS, Armstrong gave a hot chance to Douglas, who was unable- to hold the ball. The bowling was changed frequently, and play again became dull. After two hours' thirty-three minutes' play 150 went up. One reason for the slow scoring was the excellently-placed field. Trumpcr was not using his customary unorthodox' strokes. Armstrong brought his score to oO by driving Hearne for four. The last ball before the tea, adjournment Armstrong played forward. It was a googlio from Hearne. He missed it. dragged his foot over, and was smartly stumped by j-trudwick. The partnership added 77 runs. After the adjournment Trumpcr played more like a champion batsman. Hearne was particularly punished, as he was bowling a lot of loose balls. HIS FIRST BAD STROKE. Douglas and Foster again took charge of the attack. Both kept a good length. Ransford was uncomfortable, and he played several weak strokes, although they were not actual chances. He was often beaten by the bowlers. When Trumpcr scooped Douglas high to the on, but Kinneir was just unable to reach the ball in tunc. It was a narrow escape, and his first bad stroke. A couple of balls later Trumpcr passed Armstrong's total, pulling the ball from the off stump to the squa.re-leg boundary. It was a typical Trumper stroke. The 2.V> appeared in 226 minutes. Eleven runs later Rhodes howled his first ball in the match, replacing Douglas. Ransford was an hour scoring 17. He occasionally secured a. single in the. slips, which was his 'best stroke. When 26 he cut high to Hearne at point and was caught. The partnership* had yielded SO runs. COLT'S BRIGHT BEGINNING.

Minnctt. who followed, hit a four off his first hall. He drove Barnes to the boundary. Trumper continued to play faultless cricket, his late cuts and leg glances proving particularly remunerative. The 300 a-ppeared in 270 minutes. Minnett. who showed great freedom for a novice, played out time. Following is the score: AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. Kelleway, e and b Woolley 20 Bardslcy. c Slrudwir-k. b Douglas . . :;o Hill, run out 4fi Armstrong, st Strudwiek. b Hearne fin j Trumper. not 011' 05 Hansford, e TTesmc. b Barnes 2H i Minneft. not out. i.j I Extras |,q i Total frr five wirkets 317 A NEW TF.UMFEB. AS SLOW AS DOUGLAS. fßeceived 9.25 ami SYDNEY, thU cay. The weather is dull for to-day's cricket. j Warner's illness is more serious than jwas hitherto thought, and he will not ipky again on tin tour. He returns 10 ".-Thind shnrtlv, nnd possiblr will never I Thfl "■HeralrY describes t!ip pricket as ! prosaic. Even the efivn-rrsecn:. 7ruir.p->r I subdued his sparkle, snrl the panic was at the level of test match seriousness. The "Telegraph" says Trumper mnde Douglas look to his laurel o as the slowest : ever. This was a new Trumper with a I '"nfreance. The bowlers -"-ere grind, hut j if Trumper nurposes to brj dug cut t," f ' r j have sore trouble ahead.