OPENING STAND OF 295

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21954, 1 December 1936, Page 11

OPENING STAND OF 295

Barnett Makes 259, Fagg 112 M.C.C. SCORES HEAVILY AT BRISBANE LBy J. B. HOBBS, Copyright in all coun- ” tries. Reproduction in whole or in part forbidden.] (united press association —copyright.) (Received November 30, 11.45 p.m.) BRISBANE, November 30. • Barnett and Fagg, opening England’s second innings against Queensland at Brisbane to-day, made 295, a record first-wicket partnership, before Fagg was dismissed at 112. Barnett went on to score 259, and at stumps England had 453 runs on the board for the 'loss of three wickets. After disappointing first-innings form against Queensland, the Englishmen received a tonic this afternoon, when Barnett and Fagg engaged in a record-breaking stand, Barnett making the highest score of his career and Fagg his first century of the tour, receiving excellent practice. Barnett and Fagg created a record for any wicket of England against Queensland. What a different tale from those I have regretfully had to. send of late! Arthur Gilligan arrived today and vows he brought the team luck. Fagg played very freely at first, but after reaching the forties he went very deliberately. I should like to see him continue iu his early vein—making strokes. At first he gave the impression of being as fast and free as Barnett. Barnett has been showing brilliant flashes of form, but this was Ills best display of the season, easily exceeding his other century at Melbourne. He was 123 when he sent up 200 in a burst that took 13 off an over from Amos, but with that stroke he was missed 10 yards from the boundary off a hook shut. The ball flashed high and hard and went through a fieldsman's hands to the fence. This was the first chance given all day. A Change of Luck England was more on top of the bowling than in any other match of this tour. The confident way both hooked the faster bowlers suggested that the wicket was of easy pace. Quite early I sensed Fagg's luck had changed, for he made a good hook that went over square-leg’s head and would surely have been snapped up a week ago. Last week I remarked that he was- getting out to good strokes, the ball seeming always to go straight to a fieldsman. In view of England’s previous inability to play slow bowling, I thought Oxenham should have put Allen on before the last over before lunch. Alien did not bowl fill the total had reached 125. But after lunch, the batsmen were sot and hit him. He tried again for one over before tea, and got Fagg caught at silly mid-off. It would have done Kentites good to hear the ovation Fagg received on reaching his century. It was equal to any he could have had in his home county. The crowd, sensing his run of bad luck, cheered him on from the start. Hurricane Hitting

Barnett, 181 at that point, had been laying on the wood heartily. He whs missed again twice after passing 150, but was batting almost recklessly then. The fifth 50 of the stand took only 22 minutes. It was one of the fastest ever made on the ground. I should have liked to see Barnett deliberately get out after reaching 200, because batting practice for the others would have been more advantage to the side than more runs from him. Even with Fishlock at the other end, Barnett got most of the bowling. Eventually he was caught at the boundary, after hitting 259 out of 401, including two sixes and 39 fours. His last 50 was scored in 40 minutes. The baiting order was changed for purposes of practice. lam afraid that Hardstaff is out of the first test. He is in such a state of mind now that he cannot put a foot right. Fishock is improving, but. I don’t like him too well yet. He is still nervous, but when he does hit, he hits hard. He gave a sharp chance in the gully when six. Scores;— ENGLAND First innings • • • • 210 Second Innings A H Fagg, c Brown, b Allen .. 112 C. J. Barnett, c Brown, b Amos . . 259 L. B. Fishlock, not out .. 41 J. Hardstaff, c and b Allen .. 12 L. E. G. Ames, not out .. .. 25 Extras ■ ■ • • 4 Total for three wickets . . 453 Bowling—P. Dixon took no wickets for 104 runs; J. Cockburn, none for 44; R. K. Oxenham, none for 51; G. Amos, one for 74: E. R. Wyeth, none for 73; T. Allen, two for 103. QUEENSLAND First Innings .. . ■ 243 BRADMAN CAPTAIN FOR FIRST TEST (Received December 1, 2 a.m.) SYDNEY, November 30. D. G. Bradman has been appointed captain of Australia for the first test at Brisbane, and S. J. McCabe vicecaptain. S. J. McCabe and R. Robinson, who were both injured in recent matches against England, have been passed as fit for the first test. MUDGE TO PLAY FOR SIR JULIEN CAHN SYDNEY, November 30. Harold Mudge has accepted an offer to play cricket in England for three years. Mudge, who replaced F. Ward, will play for Sir Julien Cahn.