THE FIRST TEST MATCH.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14232, 21 December 1911, Page 10

THE FIRST TEST MATCH.

VISITORS IX A BAD POSITION

Unite- Press Association— By Electrio Te^g-rr.plb-—Copynglit (Received December 20th, 7.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 20. When play was resumed this morning the weather was nno and hot with a steady brr-eze. The wicker-, though wearing well, was hard and | fury/ The stroixbnce totalled 5700. j Kinncir and Gunn resumed to the t bowling of Cotter and Hordern. The i latkr's second over saw the dismissal jof Kinncir, Trumper catching him at ! siliy short-leg, aitor -t runs had been j addi_l to tho' over-ni_ht total. Kin- ; neir's 30 was the luckiest innings of the match. .Mead joined Gunn, who was playing steadily, and the game progressed for nearly an hour before th* ball found the boundary. Then Cunn opened out to Hord.rn, and drove him twice for 4. ~Lo„d brought up 100, by pulling Kanleway, who had relieved ! Cotter, ior 2. The century occupied ii hours. After tho lunchron adjournment Gunn started by pulling Cotter for 3, and a similar stroke a little later made i Giinn'.s total 50. Ho had then been m j 100 inibutw.;. Mead was very slow, but opened out later to Hordern. Tho hitter was not bowling such a pood length as on Saturday, being inclined to pilch short. Mead was unlucky, for at '2b, which took 95 minutes to compile, he was run out through Gunn refusing to respond to a icall. Mead was more than half way along + hepitch and had to return. Hill threw ] in smartly, and "Wliitty had the bails: off beioro the brttsman got back. I Hci'd:rn had Rhodes badly beaten, j The fir.sfc ball he hit up hall way along tho pitch, and the fourth he tapped to Trumper at s'lly short-leg. An' casv catch. Hord?ra now silriuck a spot. Fester hit his first ball uppisbly to tho on, but it was safe. Then Gunn faced Hordern, and hit out, tho ball going straight to Whitty at cover-point, who held it. Gunn batted for 170 minutes for 62, and hit 4 j fcurs. • Foster and Hearno played cautiously ! for a few overs. Then Foster opened ; out and lifted Wliitty to square-log j into the ladies' pavilion. The next j ball landed on the cycling track, and j the third was a straight drive for a single. Facing Hordern however, the Warwickshire Captain was extremely uncomfortable. He poked at the bowling for two overs, and then hit at a ball which had a lot of curl. It j went high to Hansford at deep i square-leg, and ho accepted an easy | catch. The next ball Hearne skied to long-on, but it landed safe. Hordern Mas now practically unplayablo, and every attempt to hit caused the ball to riro. Consequently both Hearno j ; and Woolley, who had followed Foster, I hold their bats stilly and allowed the I ball to fall at their feet. I Sines the luncheon adjournment I Hordem's record road 10 overs, 2 maidens, 20 runs, 3 wickets. As tho batsmen refuted to hit, Hill put Armstrong on, with Cotter at the other end. The latter captured Wool- : ley noxt over, Armstrong, at first slip, 1 making the most brilliant catch of the match. The ball, almost on the ground, was travelling at lightning speed, and tho fieldsman just reached it with his < left hand. After the tea adjournment Hordern again bowled, but Gecmed to have lost the deadly spot. Both Hearne and Douglas played him freely, tho bitter being almost brilliant. This came as a surprise, after the report of slowness. , in other States. The second century . appeared after 249 minutes' play. Tho brilliance was only temporary, for with Armstrong and Kelleway bowling, the , scoring fell back to the old groove Although both batsmen wero -playing the correct game, it was monotonous for tho spectators. Tho next 50 came without any special incident, and both men continued to bat soundly, giving a remarkable display of defence. Just on tho call of time Hordern bowled Hearno with a big leg break. The retiring bats- ] man made 43, which took 142 minutes. * He hit o fours, and his partnership ] with Douglas added 86. J Play was adjourned with the English- 1 mon wanting 175 to win. Scores: — \ AUSTRALIA. j First Innings .. .. _, .. .47 i Seoond Tunings .. ~ .. 303 M.C.C. ______ j First innings .. !•„ . *;' BIB 1. Second Innings. Hobba, c Carter, b Cotter _ „. 22 ] Kinneir, c Trumper, b Hordern ..30 ' Gunn, o Whitty, b Hordern .. ~. 62 ' Mead, run out .. .. • ,; 25 1 Rhodes, o T-umper, b Hordern... ~. 0 i Foster, o Hansford, b Hoidern .. : ; .. 21 1 Hearne, b Hordorn .. .. ,». 43 i Woolley, o Armstrong, b Cottar ~ 7 Douglas, not out .. .. i.. 32 Kxiraa .. .. _~ . ~. 21 Total for eight wickets ... .. 263