BRADMAN AND FINGLETON

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 4, 6 January 1937, Page 15

BRADMAN AND FINGLETON

AUSTRALIA ON TOP

500 FOR SIX WICKETS. CHAMPION BATS ALL DAY. TEST RECORD PARTNERSHIP. ENGLAND 624 RUNS BEHIND. (By .T. 15. HOBBS—Copyright In all countries Reproduction in whole or la part forbidden.) MELBOURNE, January 5. Australia greatly improved its chances of success in the fourth day's play in the third cricket Test to-day. Batting on a firm and easy wicket. Australia carried its second innings score from 194 for five wiokets to 500 for six. Australia scored 200 for nine wickets, declared, in its first innings and England replied with 76 for nine wickets, declared, so that the former hud a lead of 624 runs at the moment. Bradman 56 not out, and Fingleton 30 not out, were intent on maintaining Australia s advantage when play was resumed to-day. Although the English bowling presented no terrors, the batsmen were content to got runs at a reasonable rate. Bradman wns more impressive in his on-side play, but the field was well set and cut off many of his strokes. Both batsmen treated Verity, who bowli-il an impeccable length for the greater part of the time, with the greatest respect. The partnership between Fingleton and Bradman, which proved an invaluable one to Australia, yielded 346 rune in 364 minutes. This was a record for Test cricket, beating the 187 compiled by W. W. Armstrong and C. E. Kelleway at Sydney in the 1920-21 season. Fingleton was caught by Ames, off Sims, with his total at 136, but Bradman was still batting confidently at stumps with 248 to his credit. He had been batting 399 minutes. Work At Standstill. , Work must be at a standstill in Melbourne, for there was another huge crowd. There was less of the holiday element, the great partnership being warmly applauded, but with none of the hysteria which marked the falling of England's wicket* on Saturday. The crowd deservedly gave Fingleton three cheers when he reached his century. He went from 94 to 98 with hi« beet stroke so far, a cover drive off Robins. This Australian team lacks the punch of old elevens, against which I have played. With the game in the state the Australians had it when play resumed, they should have rubbed it in hard. Still, the partnership between Bradman and Fingleton made the position safe. They consolidated what wa« already an impregnable position. The only chance England had before lunch, seeing there had been no further rain, was the taking of quick, cheap wickets. These they failed to get. The wicket was in excellent condition, being easy paced with the ball coming through at a nice height, and there were no "kickers." It must have been a welcome relief to the batsmen after some of their recent experiences. Bradman On the Alert. As soon as the'new baH'cottld b£ taken" Voce and Allen came on, but they could make no impression. Indeed, at this period no bowler looked deadly, although Veritybowled a perfect length and kept the batsmen quiet. Seven overs for seven runs was pretty good considering Bradman was there. Bradman was always ready tor a bad ball. He made some spanking shots with his favourite hook, but these were cleverly blocked, and did not bring him one four. Those he got were to fine leg, and also with late cuts. Bradman gave nothing like a chance, and in the first hundred did not make one off drive. Two Fighting Innings. It was a fortunate stroke that earned him his century just after lunch, because it was edged off Voce at a catcbabie height just where second slip would have been. Bradman, having put one or two past the third slip early, Voce moved his slip field and had first and third slips only. Even the greatest batsman wants a bit of luck. I should not say his first hundred was characteristic of the old Don. It lacked sparkle, being rather fighting knock. Fingleton's innings I can; describebast, ns one of Charlie Kelleway.g,displays.-It was, of course, of immense vainer to his side, and in keeping most ©Frhis batting we seen during this Test scries. He took .158 minutes over, the first 50, and by the luncheon adjournment had advanced hi« score by 'only 18 runs. /' ■ ; «• ' \ *-. • Facing Verity, When 53, FingTeton played forward a trifle harder than usual, and lifted the ball just wide of, the bowler. He played forward at the next "(ball with exaggerated I care. He was missed after adding three more runs. It was cne of the few occasions on which he went all out for a stroke. Trying to drive a wide ball from Verity he edged it high and wide to Hammond's right hand at first yslip. Perhaps it was hardly fair to call it a. chance. . Lion-hearted. I admired England'® men tot sticking to their; Work as they did;; They con* tinued to 'fight aa u terma. Lion-hearted 1b the ■word for it;*:- t 'v Bradman and Fingleton beat the Test record for the - sixth wicket, Shd soon, afterward, with Sims on and vuns, coming more freely, they had made 200 in 22® minutes. It id not often that we see the opening batsmfln in with ;a player like Bradman for the sixth-wicket. The two batsmen never let up the whole time. Even after they had achieved the 300 partnership they still took no chances, their concentration being remarkable. Anyone coming to the ground late in the afternoon and.Jiot, knowing the score would have thought that' a great fight for a first innings lead in progress. Just after tea, when in one over Verity twice beat "Bradttian,* the latter still did not depart-from the even tenor of his way.- % Robln« «n# V*ltj^ England's ,fieldlngjwas saved many ,ruM».; vVhat awafetne ad®**®, them morewaa.-that, apart from the'batsmen staying there"tney had snch' a~_ne*rtbreaking wicket to. bowl .on. The rata had. taken absolutely' All the life out of «• I do not see what Allen could nave done' to improve the situation. It would have needed more than "a'human captain .to have dislodged this pair * to-d^v;., ... I cannot imagine anyone bowling a better length than was almost on the same spot' every delivery, except when he was sending down a>aater ball, which had to be pitched snorter.' As far as I am concerned-tha" tension is relieved. I had written tMa down a« a victory for A us tralia ngo. The running between the wickets was excellently judged. On pravion* sions on this tour when the Auatrwianj were stealing runs there. Alwaya appeared the danger of one of them gettlhg'OUt, but; that was not the case' tO'daj^jq-,^.. Allen tried a few, with Ames standing- up vto fthrf Wicket, but, his efforts were unavailing, and it was left to Sims to get Fingleton, thn wicket. The batsmen were vepr tirea, but they got considerable pleasijre 9 1 !'

Scores:— AUSTRALIA. First innings, for nine (declared) ... 200 Second iHnings. O'Reilly, b Voce 0 rleetwood-Smith, c Verity, b Voce .. 0 i/ Hardstaff, b Verity IS Kigg, Ibw (n.r.), b Sims 47 Brown, c Barnett, b Voce 20 * mgleton, c Ames, b Sims ".! 136 Bradman, not out 248 McCabe, not out ..i 14 Extras !!!!!!!!!!!.".. 17 Total for six wickets 500 Fall of wickets: One for 1, two for 3, three for 38, four for 74, five for 97, six for 443. BOWLING. _ O. M. R. W. •Voce 29 2 120 3 Sims 10 go' 2 Allen 17 2 62 — Hammond 21 3 82 Verity 34 6 75 1 Robins 7 — 36 Worthington ..4 — 18 — ENGLAND. Fisst innings, for nine (declared) ... 76