FOURTH CRICKET TEST

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25249, 30 July 1947, Page 7

FOURTH CRICKET TEST

ENGLAND LEADING BY 142 RUNS SECOND DAY’S PLAY AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA , LONDON, July 28. England had a strong grip on the fourth test match against South Africa at Leeds at the end of the second day’s play. England led by 142 runs on the first innings, with three wickets still to fall. A storm two hours before the start of play, which was postponed for an hour, caused England to continue their first innings on a soaked wicket. A crowd of* 30,000 filled the ground an hour before play began, and the gates were then closed on thousands waiting outside. The ball occasionally kicked abruptly, and one struck Hutton a painful blow on the thumb. Another struck Washbrook in the ribs. The sky became cloudy during lunch and in the absence of a drying wind the pitch dried out slowly. Hutton and Washbrook reached the first opening century stand by either side in test cricket this season, when Washbrook hooked Bowman to the boundary. As soon as the wicket began to turn, Melville brought on Mann, his left-arm slow bowler, and a reward came five runs later, when a ball spun too quickly for Washbrook, who made no stroke and was bowled. Edrich had no opportunity to play, his usual punishing game. The pitch, combined with a slight drizzle and poor light, slowed down the scoring to the rate of a run every two minutes. England passed South Africa's score with only one wicket down. Hutton, in his best innings this season, reached the century with a perfect cover drive for 4. but in the same over, he was run out. Rowan did a fine job for South Africa He bowled unchanged for four hours but Mann had the best figures to-day with four for 68 off 42 overs. The umpires several times during the day stopped play, and ordered back people who had overflowed the boundary. Scores:— z SOUTH AFRICA First innings .. 175 ENGLAND First Innings Hutton, run out .. 100 Washbrook, b Mann .. 75 Edrich, c Melville, b Mann .. 43 Compton, c Mitchell, b Mann .. 30 Barnett, c Tuckett, b Rowan .. 6 Yardley, c Nourse. b Smith .. 36 Cranston, c Melville, b Mann .. 3 Evans, not out .. 8 Young, not out .. 0 Extras .. ..18 Total for seven wickets .. 317 Bowling analysis—Tuckett none for 48. Dawsen none for 12. Mann four for 68. Smith one for 82, Rowan one for 89.