ENGLAND 149 FOR NO WICKETS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25554, 23 July 1948, Page 7

ENGLAND 149 FOR NO WICKETS

Hutton And Washbrook Open At Leeds BEST FIRST PARTNERSHIP OF TEST SERIES (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 3 a.m.) LONDON, July 22. England made a magnificent start on the first day of the fourth test match against Australia at Headingley. After Yardley had won the toss, the opening batsmen, Hutton and Washbrook, provided an enthusiastic Leeds crowd with the biggest opening partnership of the series. Before lunch, the batsmen were not greatly troubled by the Australian bowling, which Bradman varied often, and at the interval they had scored 88. After lunch, however, they found their very best form and both played many brilliant strokes. The scoring rate after the interval was better than a run a minute, a remarkable speed for the first day of a test match, and even two sharp showers which delayed play and gave the bowlers some assistance did not disturb the batsmen. At 3.25 p.m. the total was 149 for no wickets (Hutton 73, Washbrook 74).

The teams were:— England: N. W. D. Yardley (captain), L. Hutton, T. G. Evans, A. V. Bedser, J. C. Laker, K. Cranston, R. Pollard, J. E. Crapp, C. Washbrook, W. J. Edrich, and D. C. S. Compton.

Australia: D. G. Bradman (captain), A. L. Hassett, K. Miller, I. Johnson, S. Loxton, R. Lindwall, A. R. Morris, R. Saggers, E. Toshack, W. Johnston, and R. N. Harvey. The opening batsmen, Hutton and Washbrook, stayed together throughout the morning and were unbeaten at the lunch interval, when the total was 88.

Hutton gave two difficult chances, but both he and Washbrook were confident, and in the last half hour of the morning’s play they scored quickly. Bradman used six bowlers, giving them short and frequent spells at the crease, but they rarely looked dangerous. In winning the toss Yardley did England a great service, for the wicket was easy-paced and true, and the weather fine but cloudy. The Australian medium-fast bowler. W. Johnston, reported fit this morning after radiant heat treatment for a sore back. Harvey replaces Barnes, who is still feeling the effects of his bad bruising from a hit on his side in the third test. He told Bradman that he felt a little siefc after batting practice yesterday. Tallon’s finger is still sore, and Saggers is keeping wickets in his place. Lindwall opened the bowling on an easy-paced wicket, with a light breeze assisting him to bring the ball in to the batsmen. Hutton, who faced him, caused consternation among the English supporters by feeling feebly for the third ball of the over, which ran away from him. but he scored a single off the fifth ball, a neat shot to third man.

The last ball of the over was .a particularly good one, and Washbrook did well to keep it out. It pitched on the off stump and whipped across to the leg stump. Miller’s Length Uncertain Miller opened at the other end, but his length was vague and Hutton was able to drive him firmly four times during the over. The first three strokes went straight to fieldsmen, but the fourth, ’vide of mid-off, was a boundary. Washbrook made his first scoring Stroke in Lindwall's next over, and again it was a very good ball. It was a good length and rose sharply, but Washibrook turned it away prettily to the leg side for a single. Miller’s second over was little better than the first, and he was replaced by W. Johnston. Washbrook turned one from Lindwall fluently to the fine leg boundary and Johnston was unsuccessful with an appeal for leg before wicket against Hutton. In the first half-hour the batsmen scored 19.

Lindwall bowled only five overs before he was rested, Miller replacing him. The batsmen seemed quite at home, although Johnston, once or twice, made them play hurriedly. Lindwall, in his opening spell, had not achieved his customary pace. The scene, for England one of peace and a promise of plenty, was suddenly clouded when Washbrook chased an outswinger from Miller which pitched outside nis off stump, a dangerous sweep which failed to connect. Washbrook, if not all the spectators, seemed unperturbed. Quick Bowling Changes With the total at 28, Johnston, who had bowled four overs for eight runs, was relieved by the tantalising length of Toshack. Miller, bowling with a shorter run, was more accurate than previously, but Toshack conceded four runs in his second over, almost a failure for him. It was. a slightly overpitched ball which Washbrook swept away to mid-wicket, to make the total 30. Continuing with his policy of making quick changes,. Bradman replaced Miller with Johnston after he had bowled only three overs; but the English batting had an air of assurance which it had not worn often during the series. There was a minor disturbance when Washbrook hooked a shorter one from Johnston just clear of Hassett at forward short leg.. A full toss by the same bowler was hit hard to the boundary backward of point by Washbrook, to take the score beyond 40, the best start England had made in the series.

The Australian bowling at this stage was not nearly as accurate or hostile as in the earlier games, and although the batsmen were not scoring quickly, they continued to give the impression that they were untroubled. Hutton, however, played a wretched stroke to a ball from Toshack outside his off stump. It gave him four runs, but it might easily have cost him his wicket. With the total at 48, Loxton bowled for the first time and Hutton took a single off the fifth ball of an erratic over. A quick single off the first ball of Toshack’s next over brought England’s score to 50, after 77 minutes’ batting. The Australian fielding was of the same high standard as in the earlier games, with Saggers keeping wicket competently.

Hatton Dropped at 25 When Hutton had scored 25, he pushed a good ball from Loxton to Hassett at backward square leg, a difficult chance. Hassett got the ball in his hands but dropped it, and they ran a single. Washbrook made amends with a glorious off drive for four

off t|ie last ball of the over. The ericket was interesting, but neither the batting nor the bowling was quite up to the best test match standards. One of the features of the morning's play was the slow but steady scoring off Toshack, who usually give* away runs with miserly reluctance. Not one of his first eight overs was a maiden. ,

A cover drive by Hutton for four, off Toshack, was the best stroke of the morning, perfect in its timing and dazzling in its speed off the bat. A delayed square cut by Washbrook off Loxton, which also brought four runs, was almost as good. With 20 minutes play remaining, LindwaJJ was brought back for his second spell of the morn-

ing. His first over was a good on*, fast and accurate.

Faster Scoring Johnson bowled for the first time with the score at 70 with a defensive off-side field. Three balls in his first over were full tosses and they gave England three runs. At this stage the light deteriorated rapidly, but Washbrook hooked a short one from Lindwall handsomely for four. It w«* a fine stroke, but it came immediately after an abortive poke at a rising ball outside the off-stump, a shot which caused the spectators agonies of apprehension. The last ball of th* same over almost saw Washbrook out. He played a weak shot at a ball on the leg stump and Hassett, further back at square leg than before, appeared to get a hand to a difficult chance. A quiukly-run three to Hutton off Johnson took England's score past 80. and the same batsman then turned Lindwall elegantly to leg for two. Two balls later he swept a full toss to square leg for four, and England’s easy amble looked like breaking into a gallop., Johnson bowled the last over before lunch, a maiden, and at lunch England had scored 88 without loss (Hutton 48, Washbrook 41). Successive Fours The first over after lunch was bowled by Lindwall, and Hutton took a single to third man off the fifth ball an assured and complacent stroke. Toshack bowled at the other end. and Hutton drove two successive balls to the boundary, one to the on and one through the covers, taking his own score past 50. They were both hearty, convincing and encouraging hits from England’s point of view. In Lindwall’s next over. Hutton ducked low to the first real bumper of the innings. A few balls later Washbrook guided Lindwall rather luckily through the slips for a four, to bring the 100 up in 130 minutes, of which the second 50 had been made in even time. Washbrook also on drove Lindwall for four, a powerful stroke which gave him his half, century. A cover drive gave him another four in the same over. In the first 15 minutes after lunch 23 runs were scored. Three overs from Lindwall cost 1« runs, although he had been bowling better and faster than in the morning. Toshack bowled only two overs before Johnston, who had been Australia s best bowler before lunch, replaced him. Toshack went to the other end to rest Lindwall. A full toss was swept to the boundary by form” 1 ’ Wh ° WflS “ hi ’ ver y best There was a shower at 2.40 p.m.. an 4, the Payers left the field. P Play was delayed for only 10 minutes, and when the player* cam* back on the field, the bowlers, with moisture on the top of the wicket and a dull light, had a new ball only eight overs away and an excellent chance of regaining the initiative. Hutton hit another boundary off Toshaek, an excellent late cut, but rain began to tall again and the game was interrupted again, this time for 20 minutes. Johnston was the first bowler when play was resumed in bright sunshin* and his second ball, coming very quickly off the wicket, found the edge of Washbrook’s bat. but without fatal consequences. Miller was brought back to take advantage of the conditions, and Hutton took a single off l is bal1 ’. make the total 123, the best opening partnership for either suje in the test series. The keen Leeds crowd, already happy in Hutton’s success, cheered lustily when the Yorkshire batsman was presented with four runs from an over-throw by Toshack. It ws* something for nothing, and the crowd was grateful for it. Washbrook hooked Miller fiercely for two and on drov* him precisely and powerfully for a four. Miller retaliated with two very short ones, the first one of which flew high over the batsman's head. There was a loud demonstration by the spectators. Scores;— ENGLAND First Innings Hutton, not out .. 21 Washbrook, not out .. 74 Extras ~ 1 Total for no wickets .. 149

Lindwall Bowling O. .. 11 AL 1 36 0 Miller .. 8 1 22 0 Johnston .. 14 4 32 0 Toshack .. 15 3 37 0 Loxton . .. 5 0 13 0 Johnson .. 3 1 7 0