TRICKY WICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 126, 31 May 1938, Page 7

TRICKY WICKET.

AUSTRALIA AT LORD'S, j 1

Middlesex Dismisses Bradman's Eleven for 132.

COUNTY LOSES FOUR FOB 49.

United Press Association. —Copyright,

(Received 10 a.m.)

LONDON, May 30,

The match between Australia and Middlesex, postponed from Saturday owing to rain, was begun at Lord's ground this morning when the weather cleared 4 after further showers.

On a tricky wicket Australia was dismissed for 132, and Middlesex liad lost four wickets for 49 when stumps

were drawn.

Middlesex introduced Nevell and Young instead of Allen and Gray.

The Middlesex eleven is: R. W. V. Robins (captain), J. H. Human, W. J. Edrich, D. Compton, W. F. Price (wicketkeeper), W. H. Webster, J. Hulme, J. Sims, J. Smith, J. Young and W. Nevell.

J. Sims.

Bradman, for the fifth time in succession, won the toss, but chose to bat in spite of the ominous dampness of the pitch after the wet week-end.

Fingleton was out to the last ball of Smith's first over, which broke sharply from the off. Fingleton allowed it to pass.

Rain stopped play after three overs, and there was a delay of 20 minutes.

Bradman had an early escape off Nevell, right-hand medium, whom he skied, but Human misjudged the chance at fine leg. Two overs later, off Xevell, Bradman hit across and skied an out-swinger, being caught by Compton at fine leg.

Badcock then was a victim of the same jjowler, being caught by Human at longon.

McCabe should have bfeen out when he had made two, Sims dropping the chance at fine leg.

Heavy rain at 12.40 again stopped play.

The rain ceased after lunch. The captains inspected the wicket at 3 p.m., and on disagreeing the umpires were called on. They decided to reinspect* at 3.30, when they ordered play to commence at four o'clock.

The wicket was still damp and McCabe soon played a ball on to his wicket, making the score 34 for four.

Hassett and Cliipperfield then became associated in a partnership worth 54 Both made many admirable

strokes.

Cliipperfield, Waite and O'Reilly all lost their wickets with the score at 106.

McCormick and Fleetwood-Smith slashed furiously, McCormick hitting Robins for a six.

The innings lasted 140 minutes. Hard Luck for Edrich.

McCormick, making the ball fly faster than in recent matches, and O'Reilly, getting assistance from the pitch, immediately had the Middlesex opening batsmen in trouble. Australia had lost three for 22, but Middlesex with three for 16 started even more disastrously. Ednch was dismissed when only 10 runs short of 1000 runs ill May.

Compton and Human managed to survive an unhappy period till stumps were drawn.

The Australian Associated Press says: "Except for Cliipperfield, and in a lesser degree Bassett, the Australian batsmen cut sorry figures. Perhaps they gained useful experience, and a sobering reminder of the part the weather may play in the destination of the Ashes."

Nevell, who got a remarkable bag— Badcock, Bradman and McCabe—is aged 21, and is a member of the Lord's ground staff.

The Essex team to play against., Australia on June 4, in the last game before the Test, is: D. R. Wilcox, T. N. Pearce, K. Fames, J. N. Dennis, C. T. Ashton (captain), J. W. A. Stephenson, J. O'Connor, M. S. Nichols, L. C. Eastman, P. Smith and T. H. Wade.

Scores:—

AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. Fingleton, b Smith ; 2 Badcock, c Human, b Nevell 10 Bradman, c Compton, b Nevell .... 5 McCabe, b ''Nevell 9 Hassett, lbw, b Sims 27 Chipperfield, c Compton, b Robins .. 36 Waite, b Sims 8 Walker, not out 4 O'Reilly, lbw, b Robins 0 McCormick, c Smith, b Sims 12 Fleetwood-Smith, st Price, b Sims 10 Extras 9 Total 132 Bowling: Sims took four wickets for 25 runs, Nevell three for 38, Robins two for 27, Smith one for 23, Younj* none for 10. MIDDLESEX.—First Innings. Edrich, b O'Reilly 9 Price, lbw, b McCormick 1 Webster, c Walker, b McCormick .. 0 Hulme, b O'Reilly 4 Compton, not out 17 Human, not out 9 Extras 9 Total for four vickets 49 W. Nevell was given only two trials in the county eleven last season. His figures in May were three for 54 against Gloucestershire, at Bristol, and three for 63 against Essex, at Lord's. This was "apparently not considered satisfactory, and he was relegated to the second eleven. Middlesex finished eighth of the "23 teams in the minor counties' championship, and Nevell's 39 wickets (at 12.5?^ piece) was more fjjp n double the numi -r bj ary oUer bowler.