ENGLAND'S SECOND INNINGS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 71, 17 December 1907, Page 5

ENGLAND'S SECOND INNINGS.

GOOD BOWLING AND SMW PLAY. GUNN AND HARDSTAFF SAVE THE DAY. WEATHER OUTLOOK BAD. BI TELEGRAPH—PBESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. (Rec. Dec. 16, 8 p.m.) Sydney, Dccombcr 16. England was eight runs behind Australia when Rhodes ancl Fane, the two not-out men, took their places at the wickets. The result of the day's play, which as a whole was tedious, was that England lost nine wickets for 293, which makes the visitors' score to date 266 ahead of Australia's first innings. RHODES CAUGHT IN SLIPS. Rhodes and Fano resumed batting to tho bowling of Cotter and Armstrong. Tho wicket was in excellent order, but dry, and the weather was oppressive, with a hot wind blowing. Fifty runs appeared as tho result of fifty minutes' play, and then M'Cartney displaced Cotter. Drizzling rain came on suddenly, but did not interfere with the play. Rhodes put M'Cartney up in the slips, and Macalistor made a smart catch —ono for 56. Gunn followed, but Armstrong, who was bowling well, troubled tho batsmen a good deal, and ho sent down ten overs for seven runs. Saunders then relieved Armstrong, and play became most tedious, runs coming by occasional singles. NOBLE TAKES FANE AT POINT. Cotter went on again in place of M'Cartney at 79, and a little lator Fane hit Saunders high to point, where Noblo sprang into the air and offccted a clevor single-handed-catch —two for 82. Hutchings went in, and played out until the luncheon adjournment. After lunch runs came more freely, and tho century went up after two hours and two minutes' play. Hutchings began to hit freely, and was overhauling ' Gunn's score, the latter playing more defensively. Armstrong, who had taken Cotter's end, was, with Saunders, bowling in excellent form, tho former sending down nine maidens out of fifteen overs. Hutchings's career was, 'however, brief, as ho lifted Saunders high to mid-off, where Armstrong made an easy catch —threo for 105. FAST BOWLINC EASIER THAN SLOW. Hardstaff followed,' and at 127 M'Cartney wus again tried, and tho game was so slow that it was manifest that the Englishmen's desire was to be dug out rather than to make runs. Cotter eamo on again at 134, and both batsmen played him with greater confidence than they showed to the slow bowlers, tho score increasing at a more reasonable speed. Tho display, on tho whole, was rather dreary.. Gunn made some showy strokes, while Hardstaff obtained runs somewhat faster than his county companion. A double change in bowling was then made —Noble relieved Cotter, and Hazlett went on at M'Cartnoy's ond. DEAD MARCH BATTING. ; As showing how tedious the play was, it may be pointed out that it took an hour and fifty minutes to compile 40 runs. AVith his score at 47 Gunn was given a life at Macalister's hands in the slips off Hazlett. The batsman acknowledged this respite by hitting three tourers off Hnzlet-t's over. The bowling change was acceptable, too, to Hardstaff, who was making some brilliant strokes, and pulled Hazlett twice for fouv. At this stage Duff went out in the field in place of Ransford, who was suffering from a slight sunstroke. As Hazlett was becomiug somewhat expensive, Saunders replaced him! This brought the gime up - to the tea adjournment. On resuming, Hardstaff increased his tctal to half a century as tho result of an hour and a half's batting. ' BETTER SCORINC—CUNN GOES. ' Cotter, and Noblo were contriving the attack, but Hardstaff scored freely and rapidly, scoring boundary after boundary, but he nearly lost his wicket through hesitating in a run. M'Cartney returned the ball smartly, but Cottor was unable to got hold of it, which failure enabled tho batsman to reach his crease. ' i Then a beautiful ball from Noblo scattered Hardstaff's wickets, the batsman playing forward to it—four for 218. Braund followed, but soon lost Gunn, who was dismissed by a catch by No.ble in the slips off Cotter. Gunn had played a great innings, showing excellent timing and only marred by one chance. He had batted two hours and fortyseven minutes, and his total included eleven fourors. , NOBLE'S SUCCESS. Young had a brief innings, being beaten bya good ball from Noble after scoring three —six for 227. Noblo had now secured two wickets for ten runs. ' Crawford was uncomfortablo from tho start, and, after adding five, was snapped up in the slips by Hazlett off Cotter—sovon for 241. Barnes went in, and Armstrong and Saunders went on again. The batsmen wero disinclined to trifle with the Victorians, and play became colourless. Eventually Saunders clean bowled Barneseight for 262. BAD LIGHT—WEATHER PROSPECTS. Tho light, became bad .is Blytho joined Braund, and with only fifteen minutes to play rain come on again, and, as a southerly gale accompanied by rain was reported southward of Sydney at 4.30 p.m., tho outlook ■for to-morrow is not promising. Blythe got runs oasily off Cotter, whilo his partner, Braund, was batting very solidly. Just as time was roached Blytho was caught at point by Noblo off Saunders, the score standing: Nino wickets for 293. It is estimated that 12,000 peoplo wero present.. Tho details of tho scoring aro as follow ENGLAND. First innings 273 Second Innings. Fane, cl Noble, b. launders 33 Rhodes, c. Mncalister, b. M'Cartney ... 29 Gunn, c. Noble, b. Cotter 74 Hutchings, c. Armstrong, b. Saunders ... 17 Hardstaff, b. Noble 63 Braund, not out 31 Young, b. Noblo 3 Crawford, c. Hazlett, b. Cotter 5 Barnes, b. Saunders 11 Blytho, c. Noble, b. Saunders 15 Sundries 12 Total for nine wickets 293 AUSTRALIA. First innings 300 Sydney, Docombor 16. Very littlo rain has fallen. Unless moro falls through tho night, the wijkot will not bo aftootcd.