CRICKET.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXIII, Issue 302, 4 January 1912, Page 5

CRICKET.

FIXTURES OF M.C.C. TEAM IN AUSTRALIA. Nov. 10: v. South Australia. Won by England by an innings and 194 ■runs. Nov. 17: v. Victoria. Won by England by 49 runs. Nov. 24: v. New South Walies. Abandoned. Dec. 1: v. Queensland. Won by England by seven wickets. Dec 8: v. Eleven of Arts. at Brisbane—drawn. Dec. 15: First test at Sydney. Australia won by 146 runs. Dec. 30: Second Test at Melbourne. Won by England by 8 wickets. Jan. 12: Third Test at Adelaide. Feb. 2: v. Victoria. Feb. 9 : Fourth Test at Melbourne. Feb. 16: v. New South Wales. Feb. 23 : Fifth Test at Sydney. March 1: v. South Australia.

THE SECOND TEST. enulax.l) won by eight WICKETS. Press Assn —By telegraph—Copyright MELBOURNE, .January 3. When the test match was resumed it was regarded that the Australians had a fighting chance, and in anticipation of seeing big hitting by Cotter the public arrived early. Both weather and wicket were perfect. The attendance was 18,333 and the takings £661. The gross attendance was 96,263, and the gross takings £4345 —a record. England's share was £1622, the largest amount paid to 'England for one match. Barnes bowled and the fieldsmen closed in for Carter and deepened for Cotter. The latter lunged out at Foster's first and missed and cracked the last of the over to the fence. Cotter executed neat cuts and drives, and - thrice drove Barnes for a fourer. He attempted to life Foster, but mishit him to cover, and w;is caught. •He hatted 42 minutes entertainingly, and hit five fonrers and one sixer. Whitty had one stroke before Cotter played on. The innings lasted 236 minutes. The tail batted bravely. •ENGLAND AT THE WICKETS. Rhodes and Hobbs started the English second innings, Cotter and Whitty attacking. Hobbs gave a difficult chance to Carter .oii'-the last ball of Cotter's first over.

Both batsmen were confident and showed free action. Whitty troubled Rhodes, who escaped being run out when Bardslty misfielded. Hordern relieved Cotter at 25, and 50 was reached in 43 minutes, faster than England's usual rate. Horern was unable to find his length, and at luncheon the score was 0 for 52 —Rhodes 27, Hobbs 20. On resumption, Cotter and Whitty bowled. Rhodes felt for a rising ball, and was caught at the wicket. Ciumi was almost bowled by the last of the same Over. The scoring was slow and Hobbs was an hour reaching 50. At 68 Armstrong relieved Cotter, who had bowled 9 .overs for 22 i nns, and Kelleway relieved Whitty,. w,lio . had bowled 13 overs for 23 runs.

Hobbs obtained 50 in 96 minutes, Gunn in 58 minutes getting 10. At 92 Hordern relieved Kelleway who relieved Armstrong. The century was recorded in 118 minutes, Gunn, sent a pretty shot past point for four off Minnett,who relieved Kelleway. 'This was cheered, and next they ran four for an overthrow oil' the same bowler, getting 10 in Minnttt's first over.

The' scoring livened up, both playing Hordern confidently. Cotter displaced Minnett, and when 26 Gunn played Hordern uppishly near Armstrong-in the slips, and at the adjournment for tea the score was 1 for i 39.

On resuming to Hordern and Cotter the batting was brisker and there was smart running • between the wickets. 150 occupied 154 minutes. The fielding was moderate, lacking dash. 28 v.as added in 15 minutes, Hobbs beautifully playing and cutting and Gunn off driving. Whitty supplanted Cotter, whose average was 1 for 45. Gunn was smartly caught at the wickets. He played an attractive innings, lasting 112 minutes, and hit two fourers. Hearne gained 2 and then,, Hobbs reached his century for 184 minutes. Hobbs now forced the runs, and played sound stylish cricket, scoring at the rate of a run a minute. The end soon came, and Hobbs made the winning stroke, a two 1 . He played magnificently for 207 minutes all round the wicket, and hit eight fourers, and was accorded an ovation. Scores: —. AUSTRALIA. First Innintg.s ... 184 Second Innings ... ... ... 299 ENGLAND. First Innings ... ... ... 265 ENGl>AX!). —Secontl Inninigs. Rhodes, <; Garter, b Cotter ... 28 Hobbs (not out) 126 Gunn, c Carter, b Whitty ... 43 Hearne (not out) ... ... ... 12 Extras ... 10 Total for two wickets ... 219 The wickets fell: 1 for 57, 2 for 169. Bowling analysis.—Cotter 1 for 40, Witty 1 for .'37, Hordern 0 for 66, Armstrong 0 for 22, Ivelleway 0 for Jo, Minnett 0 for 13, Hansford 0 for 11. MELBOURNE, January 3. War nor has decided to remain urn-' ti 1 tlie end of the tour. JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 3. The following have been selected as the Sout'li African cricket -represen'tativea in the triangular testsi: Sherwell, Faulkner, Tancred, White, Snooke, Vogler. Pegler, Campbell., Nour.se, Zulch, Hartigan, Beaumont, Taylor, Sclnvarz, Llewellyn, Carter, snd J. Cox, or a fast bowler, probably Kotze.

PRESS COMMENTS. ■ (Received January 4, 9.20 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Herald, commenting on the test match, says the eight-wicket defeat is sufficiently thorough l >to give supporters of Australian cricket occasior. ,for hani 'thinking. Until now there h«s been no particular Teasorn to believe the visitors bad more than a

•bare chance of extending our representative eleven. As it turns out, they were defeated conclusively. After referring to the failure of the leading batsmen., it say®: "A far more disconcerting portent is the closure that the bowling attack was dependent on one or two men. When tliey fail, Australia is likely to fail." The Telegraph says the match was won by the fine bowling performances of Barnes in the first and of Foster in the second innings. Against them the Australians failed miserably. The weak men did their best to pull Australia out of the hole,' but the failure of the "cracks" made aiM the difference in the world l between a winning and a losing chance. A comparison of the fielding throughout the matcili was odious to the Australians. On the showing of both sides, the better team won. (Received January 4, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, January 3. The Westminster Gazette says the result of the test match confirms the opinion that Warner took a team nearly representative of England's best. They have established confidence at Home, which is the best guarantee that they will not lack confidence in themselves. >

The Board of Control's proposal to appoint a representative to accompany the Australian team to England has evoked some extraordinary criticisms in the press. In some instances these are based on an ignorance of the position almost incredible. After the experience of the Board of Control with the 1909 team a change in the coivtroi of affairs was inevitable. Mr F. T .aver, as manager, saw fit to refuse inspection of i!he books to the board. As the board is composed of solid men of the wo<rld, and business, who d-> not underestimate the responsibility of the positions they hold, in cricket, they are naturally determined that a repetition shall! not take place.

The. taljle given below shows that since the institution of the five-test series in 1894-5, .England has won four of the six second test matches, all played on the Melbourne Ground', the last three in succession. The .second mn-teh, as a ru'le, is interfered with by the' weather, and ha.} more than once .been .practically decided by the weather, owing to rain too severely handicapping one side : —• Australia England Won bv 1894-5 ... 123-333 75-5/4. England 1897-8 ... 520 315-150 Australia 19UJ.-2 ... 112-353 61-175 Australia--1903-4 ... 122-111 315-103 England!' 1907-8 ... 206-397 382-282-9 England 1911-12 lb4-299 265-219-8 England