AUSTRALIA ALL OUT

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28471, 28 December 1957, Page 9

AUSTRALIA ALL OUT

Follow-On Avoided

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 27.

Australia was dismissed for 368 in its first innings in the first test against South Africa on the third day today. R. Benaud scored 122, the second test century of his career. Australia began the day needing 14 runs to avoid a follow-on, with three wickets in hand. When Grout was dismissed this morning, Australia still needed eight runs to avoid the follow-on. It was saved when Benaud turned Adcock behind square leg for four. Benaud reached his century when he hit Tayfield forward of square leg for four. He had batted 201 minutes with 17 fours.Benaud, keeping Meckiff away from the bowling, went on to 122, among his strokes being two glorious cover drives for four off Adcock, before he was caught at second slip. Benaud and Meckiff scored 42 in 27 minutes for the ninth wicket. His innings lasted 220 minutes and included 20 fours. For its fighting recovery from an almost hopeless position yesterday, Australia has to thank the magnificent batting of Benaud, C. McDonald, R. Simpson, the stubborn W. Grout and the courageous A. Davidson. Chsfeing South Africa’s first innings total of 470 for nine declared, Australia had lost J. Burke, K. Mackay, I. Craig and P. Bu'ge for the addition of only 72 runs when the lunch score stood at 4 for 87.

But the gallant McDonald was joined by Simpson, and between them, they retrieved the position to the extent of adding 89 in 98 minutes for the fifth wicket.

McDonald was out from his first blemish, caught at cover point, after an innings which lasted three and a half hours and included five fours and one six. Then Simpson, who displayed his finest form of the tour, look over. He executed the finest driving of the match, and hooked and pulled witty perfect timing. But only 26 runs had been added when Simpson was giver out lbw to Tayfield, after a most stylish innings of 60 which included seven fours.

Benaud, who had been playing a secondary role to Simpson, began to take over with the arrival of Davidson. The pair had carried the total from 177 to 244, when Davidson was caught at fine leg. Davidson batted for 86 minutes under the severe handicap of an ulcerated eye. He had been given an anaesthetic for the removal of a piece of coaldust which had lodged in his eye on Christmas Eve. After the operation, his eye was badly inflamed. He arrived at the ground wearing dark glasses and lay down in the darkest part of the dressing room until ready to bat. At one stage of his innings he had drops put in his eye. It was then that Benaud really took charge. Benaud first cut loose against Adcock, gloriously straight driving him twice and hitting over mid-wicket twice for fours. Goddard was then brought on. Benaud slammed into his opening over, hitting him for four fours. Benaud reached his 50 with a four, after batting 142 minutes. Then he hit four 4’s in successive strokes. Benaud was now doing anything he liked with the bowling, cheered on by the entire Negro and Hindu section of the crowd. Scores: SOUTH AFRICA First Innings, for nine dec. 470 Second Innings J. McGlew, not ont .. .. 2 T. Goddard, c Grout b Davidson .. 5 J. Nel, not out .. ..2 Extras Z .. .. 1 Total for one wicket .. 10 AUSTRALIA First Innings C. McDonald, c Tayfield b Smith .. 75 J. Burke, c Waite b Heine .. 16 K. McKay, c Waite b Heine 3 I. Craig, b Heine .. 14 P. Burge, c Waite b Heine .. 0 R. Simpson, lbw b Tayfield .. 60 R. Benaud, c Heine b Adcock 122 A. Davidson, c sub b Heine .. 24 W. Grout, c Endean b Tayfield 21 I. Meckiff, c Smith b Heine .. 11 L. Kline, not out 6 Extras (byes 4, leg byes 11, no-ball 1) .. 16 Total .. ..368

Bowling O. M. R. W. P. Heine .. 14.2 3 58 6 D. Adcock .. 23 3 106 I T. Goddard .. 16 5 57 0 H. Tayfleld .. 29 9 101 2 I. Smith .. 9 2 30 1