BEATEN BY 322.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 23

BEATEN BY 322.

ALL OLfT FOR 58.

BRADMAN A DUCK,

GREAT TRIUMPH FOR ALLEN, VOCE AND ENGLAND. (By .T. R. HOBRS.—Copyright in all countries. Iteprodticlion in whole or in part forbidden.) BRISBANE, December 9. The first Test cricket match between England and Australia terminated today, England securing an easy victory by 322 runs. Australia collapsed on a rain-damaged wicket, eight wickets falling for 55 runs and the game terminating nearly half an hour before the ordinary lunch adjourn ment.

The losers are to be commiserated with on rain coming to spoil whatever chance it was thought they had last night of winning the match, or, alternatively, of running England close.

If there had been only a little rain last night it would have bound the wicket up, but there was too much at six o'clock" this morning, making the wicket sticky at the start. I must say Australia should have 'got more rims than it did, but I realise that they rarely see a wet wicket here, owing to them being completely covered for State matches. Threw Up the Sponge ! When, as to-day, the ball comcs o(T the pitch slower than it travels through the air and then kicks occasionally, they look helpless. Still, probably England would not liavc done very much better in the circumstances. It is likely that the big score the Australians' had to get to win overawed them and caused them to more or less throw up the sponge. Allen and Voce both had remarkable figures, but England had three moie bowlers in the side. Hammond, Verity and Worthington, who might have done equally well. The irony of the situation is that Verity had been nipping his fingers for weeks with the thought of rain" yet when it came and produced a wicket to his liking, he did not get a bowl. Fate's Scurvy Trick. The Englishmen will be the first to sympathise with Australia and admit that fate played the latter a scurvy trick this morning, practically presenting the visitors with victory. Yet I honestly think we played better than Australia and had already earned it, so that even if rain had not come we should have won.

I know that is a risky thing to say with Bradman in a side, as he is liable to <>et one or two hundred off his own hat? but the wicket, after four (lavs' play, was showing signs of wear, and accidents are bound to happen. One or two batsmen would have been sure to tret out through the ball keeping low or doing something unexpected. Allen's first ball to-day got up rather lii-h. Badcock shaped as if he expected the second to do the same, but it came along very little above normal height, lie played it to wide third slip, where Fa"" caught it so low down that the batsman waited for the umpire's confirmation. Voce was overpitch'ng the ball and there appeared to be nothing particularly dangerous about him. English Captain's Noted Victims. Wickets fell with the fourth and sixth balls of Allen's second over. Sicvers, feeling for one just outside tlie off stump, was caught at second slip and then the great Braclman came in. Bradman plaved the first ball, but the second kicked and Hew off the shoulder of the bat to Fagg, who was fielding in the same place as before. With Bradman walking back to the pavilion went any hope Australia had of saving the game. McCabe was next to go, Allen getting his wicket with his second ball in the following over, the batsman being easily caught by Leyland at deep square-leg. That meant half the side out for 10 runs. Robinson scored two oil' the second ball of Voce's third over. Jn the next, when trying to hit one to the on side, he lobbed an easy catch to Hammond. I felt sorry for Robinson and the other recruits coining in on a wicket like this in their first Test. The dice were heavily loaded against any batsman. Oldfleld scored two fours through tlie slips in Allen's next over, the first off a no-ball, of which there was an epidemic, due to the ground being loose. The only previous four was to fine ieg off the same bowler by McCabe. Oldfleld reached double figures, the first player to do so, but in Voce's next over he was clean bowled by a well-pitehed-up ball. Chipperfield hit a boundary just behind point off Allen, quite the best shot of the innings so far. A single to third man brought O'Reilly to f.ice Allen. He had a swish at one ball and missed the next, which upset his stumps. Voce Hits Ward on Face. A maiden from Voce to Ward followed and then Chipperfield hit three fours in one over from Allen, the second giving him 20 and hoisting 50. Another single brought Ward to that end. In trying to hook a short one from Voce, that got up, he was hit in the face. The game was delayed while, he received attention. When he faced Voce again it was obvious he did not intend to be hit again. After a halfhearted attempt to play the first ball he was bowled with the second. With the injured McCormick unable to bat Australia was all out for SS. Scores: — ENGLAND. First innings g-g Second innings \ . ojij Aggregate Gl4 AUSTRALIA. First innings 934 Second Innings. Fingleton, b Voce q Badcock, c Fagg, b Allen 0 Sievers, c Voce, b Allen ' ' r. Oldlield, b Voce ' 20 Bradman, c Fagg, b Allen . q McCabe, c Leyland, b Allen 7 Robinson, c Hammond, b Voce 3 Chipperfield, not out ...: ' .•>« O'Reilly, b Allen Ward, b Voce j McCormick, absent 0 Extras Total -

(Fall of wickets: One for 0, two for 3, three for 7, four for 7, five for 16, six for 20, seven for 35, eight for 41, nine for 58. BOWLING. O. M. R. W. Allen. (i 0 30 5 Voce 0.3 0 16 4 The Australian aggregate for tlie match was 292. GROTESQUE BATTING. CARD US OX THE ASHES. SYDNEY, December 9. Neville Cardus, the well known English critic, in an article in to-day's "Sim" from Brisbane, says: —"It is now Australia's task to win three out of the remaining four Tests, in order to retain the Ashes. Frankly, I do not think they will develop the 30 per cent technical superiority over England necessary for such performance. No doubt the wicket to-day made impossible the authentic and easeful stroke play of the Australians. None the less the batting was grotesquely at a loss to deal with an occasion of difficulties."