THE FIRST TEST.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17021, 18 December 1920, Page 9

THE FIRST TEST.

j AUSTRALIA AT THE WICKETS. ! EIGHT DOWN TOR 250. iß.v Cable —Prosj Association —Copyright } (Australian ntid Gabl© Assowatiott-i December 17th, 7.45 p.m.^ SYDNEY, "December 17. Tito first test watch wits commenced in fino weather and in tho prescr-co of ten thousand* people. The wicket was r.ot affected by the previous night's brief etotm. Tho following arc the teams— Kr.s'aiid —Douglas (captain*, Hobb.'. u(5 " k>ll. *11 itch, Rhodes. Hendren. Heamc, Parkin. Woolicy, Waddington. nnd Strudwick. Australia—Armstrong (captain*. v. Pel low. Collins, Macartney, Kelloyay, xaylor, OMfield, Gregory, Bardslor. and Moiley. Armstrong: won the toss, and font Macartney and Collins in to oppoeo Hitch anu \\ •><'" diugton. Both batsmen played cautiously for a number of overs, occasional $iurl<n» alor.o breaking" tho monotony of a Ferics of maidens. , After thirty mir.uUV play Hitch, who was punished to tho extent of fourteen in oeo over, w;u* replaced by Parkin. AVaddington quickly found hia length, ar.<i» | aided by n strong \\*ind,i broke awkwardly from t.ho off. ~ , , ~ Macartney, when nineteen, pulled tho hat' I on to his wicket. , Bardslor settled down vo carcful pla>\ yet unhesitatingly despatched looso deliveries t<» the picket?, ar.d reached tho twenties lietoro Collins emerged from them, but, plavu.S" back to Honrne's slows, he snicked or.o to S trad wick. After lunch Collins, who at no stage wo* extra confidont, lifted Ilearno straight- to Waddington. at outside mid-on, but, to t.io* surprise of everyone, especially the batsman, the fieldsman dropped the easiest of catcher. Collins was then at forty-three. In the next' over tho first century was registered in 1(H minutes. Six minutes later Collins rencnec fifty. Kelleway vied with Collins for unintc;e<=liiig batting, and tho crowd began to barrack, but to no effect. After batting fifty-tliroo minutes for liftcen runs, Kelleway was cheered for scoring •" single. Tho crowd had grown impatient with tho painfully, elow run-getting. When Collins was at seventy Kelleway placed Douglas squarely to _ Hitch, who. smartly fielding tho ball, unerringly aimed at the wicket before Collins could make good. Armstrong had a -fine reception, and ejiuped like an artißt straight away, but tho briljianj fielding of tho Englishmen kept his account down, Armstrong wont forward to Woolloy, Init. Strudwick lifted tho bails before ho regained the crease. The diminutive wickot-keoper dominatd the picturo for fl. white; in fact, throughout tho day ho gavo a capital display behind the stumps. _ . Gregory was his next victim. Opening his shoulders to straight drive Wool ley, Australia's fast bowler mishit the ba.ll, andi ■ptrudwick brilliantly accepted a lightning" shot. When Taylor ahd Pellow became- associated after tea, tho spectators were, treated to tho brightest batting of tho innings, tho fiiet-named player disoonoerting tho field by stealing "oheeky" runs. Both went ab the bcwling in vigorous fashion*. Smart work w tho outfle'd, however, converted potentia. boundaries into singles, and inoidemtally was responsible for several hairbreadth eeeapes. Douglas Curbed tho batsmen's enterprise by piittin? on Hitch, whoso off theory wart severely left alone. Waddington'o left-hand deliveries from tho opposite ond also coraxnoiKtal tospoot, to "tho detriment of prolific run-getting. After adding sixty-eight at a critical juncture tha partnership ,waa broken, Taylor stepping m front of hia wickot to pull Ileum®, and was out le£ before. With ten minutes to play Poll aw endeavoured to iorce the pace, and lifted Hoaino to tho boundary, where Hcnditm made no mistake. ... , . Ryder brought up 250 in the last over but one. and with Oldfield played out time. _ The batting was not tip to international standard, responsibility _ appftemtly weighing! heavily on the Australian shoulders. Tho English fielding waa excellent, and' saved innumerable runs. The attendance in- the afternoon totalled 23,000. Scores:— AUSTRALIA. First _ Innings. Macartney, b Waddington .. ..10 ' Collins, run out .. .. :. 70 ' Bardelcy, o Strudwick, b Hearno .. 22 ; Kelleway, run out .. .. ..33 : Armstrong, st Strudwick. b Woolley ... 12 ■ Gregory, o Strudwick, b Woolley .. 8 Taylor, lbw, b Heanu® .. .. .. 3-1J ' Peilew, c Hendron, b Hearne .. ... -30 ' Ryder, ftot out .. .. .. H • Oldfield, not out .. .. 0 Sundries .. .. .. W Total for eight wickets .. ■.. 250 INTEREST IN ENGLAND. LONDON, December 16. In spite of counter-attractions, the teat match ie overshadowing other eport in England. g A. C. Maolawn, in a somewhat gloomy article in the "Manchester Guardian," fears that, English batting has never compared with that of Australia. He eaya ho is nervous as regards Gregory's bowling, andi on the other hand he fears that Parkin'a methods in League cricket will not avail in, tepfc matches. Moist of the critios fear Gregory. They ex- ( peot the Australian fielding to be flrat-claea, and welcome Hitch's inclusion for the iam« : reason. They expect the Australians to fight i with all their old stubbornness, and anticipate that England's chances will be improved if the wicket is not at He best.