THE HUNDREDTH TEST

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 129, 1 June 1921, Page 5

THE HUNDREDTH TEST

ENGLAND'S SECOND INNINGS. FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE. OUTPLAYED BY AUSTRALIA. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, May 30. In the first test match at Nottingham to-day, England, with a deficiency of 120, oppned the second innings with Knight and Holmes, and Gregory and McDonald bowled from the river and pavilion ends respectively, as on Saturday. When Knjght was 3, Gregory almost caught and bowled him. He ran halfway up the pitch for tlie ball, but slipped. Macartney relieved Gregory after two overs. He found his length immediately, and had the batsmen guessing. McDonald was bowling well with varying pace, and the batting was slow until Knight lifted a no-ball off Macartney and ran for four. Holmes at 7 was dismissed by an excellent catch by Taylor, who somersaulted, but retained the ball. Tyldesley followed Holmes. Armstrong relieved Macartney, and Gregory took McDonald's end. At 25 Armstrong, who had bowled three maiden overs, had the batsmen tied up. The fielding was bright. At the luncheon adjournment the score was 28 for an hour's play. TYLDESLEY KNOCKED OUT. Gregory and Armstrong continued the attack after lunch. Bowling of excellent length and machine-like fielding made Scoring difficult. Knight broke the monotony with two fine strokes off Gregory. Then a fast rising one off Gregory struck Tyldesley on the head, and knocked him out for several minutes. The ball fell from his head on to his wicket, and thus he was out. A section of the .crowd, alluding to Gregory, shouted, "Take him off!" With two wickets down for 41, Hendren joined Knight. Fifty appeared after n."> minutes' play. The wicket was much faster than in the morning. Gregory was still making the bail bump, and the crowd hooted and advised Armstrong to try another bowler. 'The Australian captain accepted the advice, and McDonald replaced Gregory when the score was 59. Knight was run out when 38 through a misunderstanding with Hendren. He tried to return, but Macartney picked un smartly, and hit his wicket. 3—00—38. Knight batted for 110 minutes with occasionally attractive driving, but he was never really comfortable. Douglas joined Hendren, who showed no confidence, and was dismissed at 7 by a clinking ball from McDonald. Douglas, in partnership with Woolley, resorted to stonewalling, in an attempt to retrieve the position, and then broke the spell by "leg-glancing McDonald to the boundary. He was then nearly caught by Pellcw off Armstrong. McDonald gave signs of tiring at this stage. Armstrong bowled 16 overs, including six maidens, for 21 runs, the batting being painfully slow. Woolley. after half an hour, succeeded in getting one while Douglas made 13. Both were far below the test standard. Tlie explanation was to be found in the wonderful fielding and great bowling. Douglas was dismissed by n good catch by Hendry in the slips. 5—76—13. AN HOUR FOR NINE RUNS. Jupp, who joined Woolley, attempted to enliven the proceedings, but the fielding kept down runs. Gregory replaced McDonald at SS. The crowd "was again demonstrative, shouting, "Take him off!" nnd hooting. Woolley made his second scoring stroke after 35 minutes. He had taken an hour to compile 9, when another of Gregory's struck him on the shoulder, causing a sustained outbnrst of barracking. There was tremendous applause when he hit Gregory to leg for three, and Armstrong to leg over the ropes. The century appeared after 190 minutes' play. The" score at the tea adjournment was 104 for five wickets: Woolley 31, Jupp 15.

In the first over on resuming, Jupp was brilliantly caught at mid-off by Pellew, whose fielding was one of the features of the match. 6—110—15. Rhodes came to Woolley's assistance, and Hendry replaced Armstrong. The new bowler soon discovered a puzzling length, and the batsmen could only sneak singles. Woolley made two pretty cuts oft" Gregory, and brought up the Australians' first innings score. In the next over Rhodes gave a chance to Gregory off Hendry, which was not accepted. He also survived appeal for leg-before by the same bowler. Wooley brightened up and gave the best display on the English side. His downfall came through a ball off the edge of his bat, which was snanped up by tho .wicket-keeper. 7—138—34.

The next ball completely beat and bowled Strudwick. McDonald relieved Gregory at 138, and brought about Rhodes' dismissal in the first over. Rhodes batted solidly for 75 minutes, scoring 10. McDonald then sent Richmond's bail flying 50 yards, and the English innings, which occupied 245 minutes, closed for 147. Wanting 2S to win, the Australians opened their second innings at (5 o'clock, and finished the match in 20 minutes, Macartney and Bardsley knocking up 30 runs. Richmond was bowled by McDonald, not by Gregory. Tbn Victorian's bowling figures were thus five for 32. while Gregory took two for 45.— (A. and N.Z ) Tlie attendance numbered IS.OOO.—IA. and N.Z. Cable.) TIME TO CHANGE TEAM. LEAVEN OF DARING WANTED. (Received iv.no a.m.) LONDON, May 31. The "Yorkshire Post" says that only in fielding can England he said to have [held licr own moderately well. Even |! there the Australians showed lietter judg- ! ment and fielderaft in Mocking runs, j j There wits a nwld outcry ajrainst (Jregory, | [but it was nothing new for fust bowlers j to pitch short, on a. bumpy wicket. If | England had bowlers equalling Gregory's j 'and McDonald's pace they would do the; isame. It was apparent that several of Ithe English players had lost confidence i through their defeats in Australia, and j newer players might be given a further I trial, beitig introduced ivith the certain knowledge that they could not do worse than those they supplanted. Obviously now bowlers should supersede Howell and Richmond. The "Manchester fiuardian" says: "Some of us had warmed ourselves with the belief that the loss of five tests in Australia was explicable by factors which would not function so painfully here. The real reason seems to have been that the Australians were and still are the better side. The selection committee might call back Fry and MacLaren, who have not

forgotten the wonderful fast bowlers of other days, or throw in a handful of young and daring amateurs. It is not really a solemn matter; no cricket team on earth was ever worth a wrangle, but it is a pity to lose without the fun of trying a few ways."—(A. and N.Z.) COMMENTS ON THE FLAY. ENGLAND ON DEFENSIVE. BARRACKING OF GREGORY. LONDON, May 31. The special correspondent of the Australian l'ress Association writes: "Drizzle followed by sunshine provided the English slow left-handers with a wicket to their liking, but neither Woolley nor Rhodes found their length for some time, and when they did the wicket was beginning to cut up. Woolley relied on a length which was consistent to the close, and he was more consistently troublesome than Pt-hodes, who depended on constant variations of length and spin. He is still the master of a tremendous finger spin. England played uphill in a determined fashion, but the precision of the Australian howling and fielding kept them on the defonsive. The fielding was the best display yet given by the Australians this tour, Peliew excelling himself. Celebratcj judges pronounced him the finest all-round fieldsman Australia has sent. The crowd kept barracking Gregory, who often rose head high, and there was a specially angry display when he struck Woolley on the forearm. Even when the game appeared a foregone conclusion the Australians continued to practice catching, which has become their own peculiar form of entertainment, and always interests the crowds. NOT SPORTSMANSHIP. Hendry's bowling was a revelation to the critics, having good length and rising with considerable jiaue from the wicket. Tyldesley is suffering from abrasions as a result of the blow from Gregory, but hia injuries are not serious. Tlie question has been raised whether he was out, as lie disturbed the bails while staggering. The decision was that he knocked the ball into the wicket with his foot. Collins is suffering from an injured finger, and Mailey fielded in his place most of the innings. After the dismissal of Knight and Tyldesley the Englishmen, apart from Woolley, seemed to realise that they were fighting a losing battle. Though the Australians realised that they were winning, their grimness and keenness were never displayed to better advantage. The cricket export of the "Times" characterises tho barracking of Gregory as an unseemly display of ignorance, and bad manners by a section of the crowd. Tyldesley, lie states, was more to blame for his accident than Gregory. The cricket expert of the "Daily News" states: "After Tyldesley was struck on the jaw the spectators did not relish Gregory's bowling. When he went on there were cries of 'Take him off!' No doubt this reflected a pretty general view. Our only comment on this unsportsmanlike demonstration is that there was no such outburst against Durston when he put Armstrong out of action." A HINT TO SELECTORS. Mr. E. 11. D. Sewell, in the "Daily Chronicle, writes: "The tendency of a few spectators to barrack Gregory, presumably for dangerous bowling, was surprising in such a home of the game as X T ottingham. It showed astounding shortness of memory. The outstanding reason for Australia's win was fair an-1 square cricket and beautiful fielding. Hendren made the mistake of his life when he called Knight for a short run, as Knight was well set." The "Morning Post," in a leader, states: "We hope the selectors in future will remember that youth will be served. Jardine and Holdsworth, of Oxford, deserve notice. Durston should replace Howell, who is too plain and straightforward. The claims of Morfee, the most successful bowler in the Northern Cricket League, should also be considered.— (United Service.)

THS CAMBRIDGE TEAM. fßeceivod 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 31. The Cambridge University team which meets the Australians to-morrow will consist of H. Ashton, G. Ashton, W. Ashton. C. H. Gibson. C. S. Marriott. A. P. F. Chapman, A. G. Doggart, J. C. Mcßryan, H. D. Hake, C. Hillwood, and Lowry.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)