HOW AUSTRALIA WON.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 75, 21 December 1907, Page 5

HOW AUSTRALIA WON.

: ; : EXCITING -.FINISH./-: r . : . PROWESS IN A."PINCH: GAME. AT' TELEGRAPH—FRESS ASSOCIATION*—COPYRIGHT. Sydney, Decemher'2o.. .. The ''.Herald'' says:—"-There have, been a few exciting finishes oil the Sydney ground, but' Hone quite, up' t'o yesterday's, for anything might have happened ■ up to thpiast ball. ' Had Hazlitt,lo'st his wicket there.was only Saunders to come, and', though lie' batted well, in";the- match', between the Englishmen' and the Victorians in Melbourne, it was almost as reasonable to expect lightning to . strike, twice in .the. one .spot-as .to got: asecond, though moderate.: score from hinr. Everything at tho finish.depende.d. upon Hazlitt and Cotter.The latter, batter),xs. though, lie was- a veteran. There was nothing ter-rible'-about the bowling, though the wicket favoured a'lot.of work' being'got on to- the hall. . WANTED 56, .WITH TWO WICKETS TO . v • FALL. '.;After Armstrong- and .M'Alister, were dismissed, the excitement "of ■ the spectators gradually increased until it, reached, fever heat: The wicket was getting easier and easier, and the. Englishmen, looking anxious •as they 1 saw Carter and' .Cotter piling op-tho .tens.. ThenV:.with' Carter out,/for the finest,•' innings,' as far as it went,-of the match. 56. runs were required, and two wickets to fall. ;Thes'e"ru'ns'were'got uiider the most exciting conditions on . record- for the ground. The scene at the finish'was'one that will live long, in the memories of those who witnessed it, .the.cheers lasting for a lpn'g'time.:.;The',Ejig-. expressed great, surprise at the re-' cup'erative-powers of the ground." WERE THE . BATSMEN ABOVE .THEIR • .' . .FORM?, - ... The " Daily Telegraph " says :—" The rule .to." be deduced' from experience—that .the, English:..' cricketers . pljy '\a' better ''pinch': game than -the ''Australians.'. owing; more' than/anything/else;'/to the considerable proportion /'of wclUseaiwned professionals.in their teams'—found, its exception yesterday on ■.form, and in face of bad weather conditions. It'looked; any odds' on -the'.visitors-. Whether the Australians played' above the form they showed - -in the , first innings,. and' hav'o - dis-' played generally this"'season.'-are interesting .but ;debatahlo;questious. -:Tho'..best' guided after, all, is the performances, regarding which tho Australians were a decisively better.- team;-',.since..' they • • left-, on . the : first innings, .and.-in the second-saved the match: inspite; of/the -.strain such, a situation must subject .'.the .nerves to,'.and the .- disadvantage of, ii. pitch. ;bot,h ends'of'which • wcro'miniature lo.lies the, day before.'.' ' '.•••• The total takings for the match amounted to. £3000.