TEST CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 15, 19 January 1931, Page 7

TEST CRICKET.

BRISBANE GAME.

Australia Gets a Total of

558 Runs.

WEST INDIES' POOR START.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

BRISBANE, January IS,

The third Test match between the West Indies cricketers and Australia was continued yesterday.

When stumps were drawn on Friday Australia Lad made 428 runs for three wickets in their first innings, Bradman (223) and McCabe (0) being the not out men.

Saturday's opening was sensational. Bradman had not added to his score when he miss-hit a ball from Constantine and was easily caught by Grant at square leg. Bradman batted 297 minutes and had hit 24 fours.

McGabe had made eight when he touched a low ball from Griffith and Constantiue took a spectacular catch in the slips. Woodfuli mad© runs cautiously till he was smartly caught by the wicket-keeper.

The. game now had dramatically changed and the visitors were further encouraged when Fairfax lifted one from Scott into Sealey's hands in the outfield, making the fourth wicket to fall before luncheon for 40 runs. Griffith was bowling with great vim and had taken two wickets for six.

Oxenham and Oldfield then became associated and offered unexpected resistance. They added 75 for the eighth wicket in 64 minutes. Oxenham was then out leg-before to Griffith, The Queenslander had batted stubbornly and occasionally with

Five hundred runs occupied 404 minutes. Grimmett was never comfortable to the fast bowlers and eventually hit up a simple catch to Constantine in the slips. Ironmonger, who is noted, for very poor batting, went in and scored two, and although Oldfield tried to get all the bowling, Ironmonger had to face Griffith and hit a lofty catch to Roach. The innings closed for 558, compiled in 447 minutes.

The visitors' task looked hopeless when Roach and Martin opened their first innings, and more so when Roach was out leg-before to Oxenham with only five on the board. The batting was most deadly slow, but this was justified, and the spectators, who numbered nearly 20,000, realised the position and were patient.

At one period five successive maidens werei bowled by Fairfax and Oxenham. Martin stoutly defended his wickets for 65 minutes, when Grimmett beat him. Of thte first 28 overs 13 were maidens.

Headley took 60 minutes to reach 10. Sealey, notably one of the most stubborn batsmen on the visiting side, took 20 minutes' to make three. Then he gave McCabe a catch in the slips. Headley and Grant played out time, the latter taking 35 minutes to make two runs.

Following are the details of the scores: —

AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. Jackson, lbw, b Francis .. . 0 Ponsford, c Birkett, b Francis ...,. 109 Bradman, c Grant, b Constantino.'. 223 Kippax, b Birkett S4 McCabe, c Constantine, b Griffith..; 8 Woodfull, c Barrow, b Griffith : 17 Fairfax, c Sealey, b Scott .....; 9 Oxonham, lbw, b Griffith 48 Oldfield, not out 38 Grimmett, c Constantino, b Francis 4 Ironmonger, c Roach, b Griffith .... 2 Extras 16 Total 558 Bowling: Francis took three' wickets for 76 runs, Constantino one for 74, Griffith four for 133, Scott one for 125, Martin none. for 85, Sealey none for 32, Birkett one for 16, Grant none for one.

WEST INDIES.—First Innings. Roach, lbw, b Oxenham 4 Martin, lbw, b Grinimett * 21 Headley, not out 19 Sealey, c McCabe, b — ..-.: 3 Grant, not out 2 Extras .............: 2 Total for three wickets 51

FENDER'S CAPTAINCY.

RETAINED BY SURREY.

LONDON, January IS

Mr. P. G. H. Fender has been reelected captain of the Surrey Cricket Olub in spite of consistent rumours that he would be superseded. His journalistic activities throughout the Australians' visit would, it was believed, deprive Surrey of his services but claims to allow him to be vice-captain were strongly advocated.