AUSTRALIA, 455

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 119, 22 May 1945, Page 9

AUSTRALIA, 455

CENTURY TO MILLER "VICTORY TEST" CRICKET Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON, May 21. Australia leads England by 18S runs on the first innings in the three-day "Victory Test" at Lord's. Australia's batting was very solid. The captain, A. L. Hassett, made a glorious 77 and the Victorian, Keith Miller, consolidated his Test claims with a knock of 105 worthy of a veteran. Sismey, Stanford, Pepper and Williams all gave good batting exhibitions. An appreciative crowd of 31,500 to-day saw cricket which suffered little by comparison with the 1938 Test, which drew a record crowd of 33,800 at Lord's. Miller batted for three hours and a half and he gave a chance when at 64. His innings was notable for many vigorous drives and cuts. The game was stopped at 40 minutes after lunch to-day by rain, and a storm broke over the ground just as stumps were drawn. Scores:— Australia: First innings, 455 (Hassett 77, Sismey 37, Stanford 49, Miller, 105, Pepper 40, Williams 53, Price 35). Bowling: Stephenson five for 116, Wright three for 12, Gover one for 90, Edrich one for 61. The game began on Saturday before a crowd of 20,000 spectators. For this match, the nearest approach to a real Test for seven years, England's team is of peacetime strength. It includes eight Test players, five of whom played In 1938 against Bradman's team. Hammond is captaining the English eleven, while the Australians' leader is Hassett, who may succeed Bradman as the Australian Test captain. Hammond won the toss and batted on Saturday. The team made a bad start when Hutton, who set a new'individual [record of 364 in 1938, was out for one. However, Washbrook (28), Robertson (53), Ham.nond (29), Ames (57), Edrich (45) and Stephenson (31) carried England along and the innings closed for a total of 267. Cheetham took three wickets for 49, Williams two for 56, Ellis two for 59, Miller one for 11 and Price two for 24. Australia's innings opened late in the afternoon and at stumps two wickets were down for 82, Whittington having scored j 36 and Hassett being 27 not out.