HAMMOND CALLS TOSS CORRECTLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 136, 11 June 1938, Page 9

HAMMOND CALLS TOSS CORRECTLY.

A HAPPY AUGURY.

England's Great Initial

Advantage.

TWO SENSATIONAL OVERS.

United frees Association.—Copyright.

(Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, June 10. The first cricket Test match England versus Australia was commenced this morning at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. The weather was changeable and light showers fell before the game started, but it was warm and sunny when Bradinan, having lost the toes, Hammond decided to bat, and the former led the Australians on to the field amid applause. It was a happy augury for England when Hammond called correctly at the first time of asking. There were 18,106 spectators, and the gate takings were £1406. When stumps were drawn England, with 422 runs on the board for the loss of only four wickets, had a great inaugural advantage in a four-day game. The teams are:— AUSTRALIA. D. G. Bradinan (captain). J. H. Fingleton. W. A. Brown. C. L. Badcock. S. J. McCabe. A. L. Hassett. B. A. Barnett. W. J. O'Reilly. F. A. Ward. L. O'B. Fleetwood-Smith. E. L. McCormiek. Twelfth Man.—M. .G. Waite. ENGLAND. W. R. Hammond (captain). W. J. Edrich. L. Hutton. C. J. Barnett. D. C. S. Compton. E. Paynter. L. E. G. Ames. H. Verity. D. V. P. Wright. R. A. Sinfleld. K. Fames. Twelfth Man.—N. W. D. Yardley. McCormiek Unfortunate. The attack was opened by McCormiek, who should have had Barnett's wicket off the last ball of his first over, Brown fumbling a high left-hand catch in the gullyMcCormiek was jinloo*ing real pace when there was an unusual incident. The fifth ball in the next over, which Hutton chopped, rolled to the base of the stumps but failed to dislodge the bails. McCormiek thus had two misfortunes in two overs. Barnett was uneasy against McCormiek, but Hutton batted nicely. The former relished O'Reilly and raised his i>o in less than an hour out of a total of G9. Playing confidently, Barnett had scored rapidly, with frequent powerful fours off O'Reilly and Fleetwood-Smith, and an occasional one off McCormiek. Both Hutton and Barnett skilfully smothered Fleet wood-Smith's spin and played O'Reilly resolutely. Ward replaced O'Reilly at 88 and quietened down the rate of scoring. The 100 was compiled in 85 minutes, however—a remarkably fast and attractive Test opening. Fleetwood-Smith received so much punishment that O'Reilly was recalled. At this stage a thunderstorm was threatening. McCormiek returned at 125 and an erratic over yielded six runs, including another of Barnett's rousing off drives. The pair were unconquered at the luncheon interval, when the total was NJ9 (Barnett 08, Uutton 81, extras 10).