GALLANT FIGHT BY SOUTH AFRICANS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 9

GALLANT FIGHT BY SOUTH AFRICANS.

WURSE MAKES 231.

Record Individual Score Against Australia.

VISITORS REQUIRE 314.

United Press Association. —Copyright. (Received 10 a.m.) JOHANNESBURG, December 27. At the end of the third day's play in . the second cricket Test between South Africa and Australia the visitors were left with 314 runs to score for victory, with nine wickets to fall.

On Tuesday South Africa was dismissed in the first innings for 157, and on Thursday (no play having been arranged for Christmas Day) Australia replied with 250. At stumps South Africa had 254 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets. The home side went on to make 491 to-day, leaving Australia 398 behind, and Brown's wicket was lost for 85 runs.

The Press pays tributes to the magnificent recovery of the Springboks. H. W. Taylor, a former South African captain, writing in the "Rand Mail," says Wade made deadly use of the leg-theory as taught by masters of the trap, the Australians themselves.

The weather was fine and the wicket was showing signs of slight wear. A north-west wind brought clouds of dust across the ground when Nourse (98) and Briscoe (10) resumed South Africa's .innings. Nourse received a great ovation on reaching his hundred, which included 1G fours, in 151 minutes.

Grimmett and O'Reilly were always threatening, making full use of the worn patches. Nourse took nine off one of O'Reilly's overs, and he drove with terrific force and abandon.

Briscoo was bowled inside his bat with a good length ball.

McCormick continued to bowl dead on the wicket. The batsmen treated him with respect. Nourse now was properly set and took the score past 300 to the accompaniment of lusty cheers.

The Australians never had to work so hard in the hot sun as this morning. Frequent changes of bowlers failed to shift Xourse, who began to take toll of Fleetwood-Smith, off whom he hit two successive boundaries. Nicholson, too, was batting courageously and penetrating the keen field. Exhilarating Display. Nourse continued his exhilarating display. Once he had an escape from being stumped. Nicholson played his usual solid game. The Australian fielding began to lag. Nothing seemed to stop Nourse's powerful hits, boundaries being the order of the day. Nicholson lifted O'Reilly into the members' stand. The weather was threatening after lunch when the crowd of 10,000 cheered Nourse and Nicholson. At 2.25 p.m. rain caused 15 minutes' delay. Nourse, upon resumption, hit Fleetwood-Smith for three successive boundaries, and reached 200 in 270 minutes. Nicholson was bowled in the same over. Nourse became breezier than ever, treating all the bowling alike. Langton hit Fleetwood-Smith for six. McCormick, at point, held a magnificent catch to bring Nourse's great innings to an end. Nourse batted 298 minutes, and hit 30 fours.

Langton and Kobertson were beaten by McCormick's pace.

Bock, despite ah injured hand, batted gamely while Crisp attacked the bowling, making 35 in 25 minutes, and the innings closed after 406 minutes.

Nourse, who suffered a severe blow in the stomach just before being dismissed, established a new record individual score for South Africa against Australia. The previous highest was 204 by G. A. Faulkner at Melbourne in 1010-11. Brown Brilliantly Caught. Fingleton and Brown shaped confidently in Australia's final innings until the latter touched a fast ball, and was brilliantly caught behind the wickets with the total at 17.

McCabo immediately opened out and reached 51 in 40 minutes, while Fingleton was adding seven. The former displayed remarkable judgment in picking the right balls to hit and repeatedly sent them speeding to the fence. An appeal against the light at 4.55 p.m. Svas upheld, and there was no further play before stumps were drawn for the day. Scores: — SOUTH AFRICA. First innings 157 Second Innings. Siedle, b Grimmett 34 Wade, lbw, b Grimmett 30 Rowan, lbw, b Grimmett 13 Mitchell, c Oldfield, b McCabe 45 Nourse, c McCormick, b McCabe .. 231 Briscoe, b McCormick 10 Nicholson, lbw, b Fleetwood-Smith 29 Langton, b McCormick 16 Crisp, b O'Reilly 35 Robertson, b McCormick 3 Bock, not out 2 Extras •• 37 Total 491 Fall of Wickets. —One for 50, two for 89, three for 90, four for 219, five for 291, six for 397, seven for 440, eight for 454, nine for 406. Bowling. O. M. R. W. McCabe 9 1 30 2 Grimmett 58 28 111 3 McCormick 20 3 129 3 O'Reilly 35 15 91 1 Fleetwood-Smith .21 5 93 1 AUSTRALIA. First innings 250 Second Innings. Fingleton, not out 20 Brown, c Nicholson; b Crisp 6 McCabe, not out 59 Total for one wicket 85