DRAWN GAME.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18684, 6 May 1926, Page 9

DRAWN GAME.

AUSTRALIANS IN ACTION. COUNTY BATSMEN TROUBLED. (BT CABLE—PXESS ASSOCIATION'—COKBIOHT.) (EIUTBB'S TILIOaiMSj LONDON, May 4. The Australian cricketers' match with Leicestershire was drawn. Australia's first innings produced 336 runs, of which Gregory scored 120 not out. Leicestershire scored 96 runs in its first innings, and 15 for ono wicket in its second. In the first innings Macartney took five wickets for nine runs. The weather was fine, and the wicket good. Tho attendance was about 3000. Australia's innings continued quietly, neither Gregory nor Grimmott taking .any risks with Skolding and Geary, who were bowling a good length. Griinmett displayed strength on the leg-side, and raised enthusiasm by sending Skelding to the boundary. After frequent changes of bowlers had been made, Gregory opened out and lifted Shipinan for six, into the pavilion,; Two balls later Grimmott cut Shipman hard towards second slip. Astill jumped, and stopped a fasttravelling ball. Then he fell, catching the ball on the second attempt almost on the ground. Gregory's score includod two sixes and 15 fours. He gave a bright and spectacular, but sound, exhibition. He received an ovation on returning to the pavilion. He batted for 145 minutes.

Gregory and Everett opened Australia's attack. Everett's was his first appearance. It caused much interest He was the faster of the two, but his length was variable. Berry, who is not yet 31 < faced the bowling with easy confidence. After a promising display, he mistimed Grimmett, and was easily caught at mid-on. Everett lost his length about lunch, but Grimmett kept the batsmen on the qui vive, Sharp using his pads freely. Grimmett kept a perfect length, in contrast to Gregory, who varied greatly. Grimmett was tossing up balls for the batsmen to hit, but the scoring was slow. Collins had his field so placed that it was difficult to obtain runs. Of the total, 53 were singles. Fowke took an hour to get seven.

Macartney nonplussed the batsmen by varying his pace and swing. Leicester followed on. When Shipman was one Eyder missed an e;> return. Eyder, after the first two singles, bowled four successive maidens, and kept an unscoreable length dead on the wicket, the batsmen refusing occasional loose ones. The scores are as follows: — Australia. First Innings. H. L. Collins, c and b Geary .. 43 W. Bardsley, b Bale .. ..33 C. G. Macartney, b Bale .. i .. 2 J. M. Taylor, c Shipman, b Skelding 19 J. 8. Eyder, lbw, b Bale .. .. 16 W. H. Ponsford, c Geary, b Skelding .. .. ..56 T. J. Andrews, b Skelding ... 8 J. M. Gregory, not out... .. 120 W. A. Oldfield, b Skelding .. 0 8. Everett, b Skelding .. -. 8 0. Grimmett, c Astill, b Shipman 22 Extras .. -. ..9 Total .. .. -.336 Bowling analysis—Skelding five for 97; Geary one for 92; Astill none for 41; Shipman ono for 38; Bale three for 43; Lord none for 16. Leicestershire. First Innings. A Shipman, c and b Gregory .. 13 j L G. Berry, c Ponsford, b Grimmett 14 W. E. ABtill, o Oldfield, b Everett 7 C H. Taylor, b Macartney A. T. Sharp, lbw, b Macartney .. 22 G. Geary, b Macartney .. • • jj G. H Fowke, b Grimmett .. 7 A. Lord, b Ryder .. :-. « T. E. SidweU b Macartney km » f! Bale, b Macartney .. >» 0 A. Skelding, not out ... :-. ° Extras .. ■• •• . Total .. •• •• 9(} Bowling analysis—Gregory one for 25; Everett ono for 23; Grimmett two for 26; Macartney five for 9; Eyder one for 10. . * Second Innings. A Shipman, lbw, b Eyder >. .1 L.'G. Berry, not out .- •• *' W. E. Astill, not out .. •♦ £ Extras •• •• ••• Total for one wicket .. 15 Bowling analysis—Eyder one for .4; Grimmett none for 9. VISITORS TIMOROUS. LONDON, May 4. The cricket writer of "The Times," commenting on the Leicester match, aays . "Collins was not merely slow, he was timorous, an odious adjective; not unfairly describing most of the Australian batting. The only rational explanation is lack of practice. ,

CRICKETERS SURPRISED. (Stdke* "Sun" Sebvice.) (Received May sth, 11:10 p.m.) LONDON, May 5. The cricketers returned to London by fast cars. They were surprised to learn of the dramatic events in the City, as the only news available in Leicester was contained in a typed sheet, stating that tho Leicester trams had stopped and other local news. Other country districts are similarly ignorant df the happenings in London. The remotest parts of the world are better informed than the London suburbs. The crisis will not interfere with the Australians' match against Essex. MATCH AGAINST ESSEX. (Received May 6th, 1.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 5. The Essex team for to-day's match is: P. Porrin, J. Freeman, J. O'Connor, A. C. Eussell, Claud Ashton, M. S. Nicbolls, A. B. Hopkins, L. C. Eastman, N. J. Palmer, J. A. Cutmore. Another man will be chosen. In the Australian team, W. Bardsley (twelfth man), W. A. Oldfleld, J. Byder, S. Everett, and 0. V. Gnmmett are omitted. , . Owing to rain there was no play before lunch. , . , xt,. Morris, who originally completed the Essex team, was commandeered by tne I War Office.