WILL ENGLAND WIN?:

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 88, 7 January 1908, Page 5

WILL ENGLAND WIN?:

\ PATIENT TACTICS. HARDSTAFF AND . HUTCHINGS* PLAY - STEADILY. SIX WICKETS TO GET 123. • ® T TW'EQE4PH-rWIESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. ; ' (Roc., Jan. Gj 10.25 p.m.). Melbourne, JanuaryG The Australians, who had soven wielcotß down for 360, woro all disposed of-for 397. At drawing of stumps England' had lost four wickets for 159, and must iflako 123 in order to win the second Tost Match. The weather was hot, being 96.5 in tho shade, and 140.5 in tho sun. The crowd numbered 9099, which, : iritE. tho numbers of previous days,' aggregated ' 84,386." Tho takings for the day jvero £376, aggregating £3590, which is £50 under tho record. Tho wickct, notwithstanding tho. length .of tho match, was in excellent order.' 1 Australia s innings did not lasi> long. Carter should have been out before scoring, but Hutchings missed him m tho slips off Fielder. • .FINISHING OFF THE TAIL. | Cotter was ni'.st to go, losing his- wickct leg-bofore,,to Crawford. Hazliti and Carter "were associated for a very brief period, until Barnes ■ bowled tllo colt. ;. Tho ond soon came. Carter was- caught at mid-on easily by Fano off Barnes. ',Ho batted for 83' minutes, his play being very attractive. He was strong in cutting) and reached t.he boundary^Seven. times. -/ Australia's innings, lasted six hours thirtyfive minutes. ' The Australians' ' wiokots' foil in the following order:—One for 126, two. for 131, three for 135, four for 162, fivo for 268, six l for 303, seven for 312, eight for 361, nine for 392. SLOW PLAY, England wore set 282 to. win. Fano and Hobbs 1 as usual opened, with; Cotter and Saunders attacking. Tho batsmen displayed caution, and keenness, and scoring was very slow, neither batsman being out,' onch'with ton 'to his credit, when tho lunch. interval was taken, tho score then boing 0 for 26.' : On resuming, play was very uninteresting. Changes were made in the bowling, Armstrong and Noble going on. • A ,separation was soon cfFcctcd, through Nobio bowling Hobbs, who had been in for 66 minutes for a patient and usoful, if uneventful,' innings, which included only two boundary strokes. GUNN AGAIN UNLUCKY, Gunn was next man, but had a repetition of his first innings' misfortune, getting log-before to Noblo -without scoring; Hutchings was cheered on ohtoring, but tho oxpootation.of lively cricket was riot fulfilled, both ho and his captain playing' correctly and quietly, and making the game exceedingly tamo for the spectators. •. .-, ', Fano was the first to go, after 161' minutes' batting. His half century included only two fourors. His dismissal was brought about in a peculiar mannor. Ho played a ball from Armstrong on to his pad, whoncc it rolled softly to tho wickot, dislodging the bails., With Brnund's appearance at tho wickots. 'Macartnoy relieved Noble. It was still very dull crickot, and tho ond came by Cotter at, mid-ofl catching Hutchings, 1 who had 39 to his credit, which had-taken him 87 minute's to~ knoek : up. He showed great restraint, batted quietly, but ■ not unattractively,'and lilt only three fours. ' ' THE DEFENCE AND THE ATTACK. HardstafF and Braund occupied fifty minutes in roaching double figures, while the ordinarily rapid Hardstaff mado a dozen ir an hour, ..They played out time. . Altogcthei it was a day of wearisome cricket—at times painfully slow and novcr brisk, tho batting inoffonsivo and quite defensive. The Englishmen's wickcts fell in the', following order: One for 54, two for 54, thre< for 121, four for 131. Tho bowling was excellent, Armstrong keeping runs down, and preserving an ac curate length. Noblo and Macartney als< bowled excellently, tho former at ono t-im< having an' avorago of two wickets for oik run. Noble's captaincy was vory good. Tin fielding, notwithstanding tho heat,' wai smart-. Hansford was an excellent' outfield saving many runs. The wicket is still wearing well, and, con sidoring tho fluctuation of tho gaino, Eng land yet has a chance. The details of tin scoring are:— . AUSTRALIA. ' SECOND INNINGS. Trumpcr, 1.b.w., b. Crawford ... ~, 6' Noblo, b. Crawford .... ... 6' Hill, b. Fielder ; MacAlistcr, run out ... ~, ... 1, Aimstrong, b. Barnes ... ... ... 7 Macartney, c. Humphries, b. Braund ... & Ransford, c, Hutohings, b. Barnes ... ] Cotter, 1.b.w., b. Crawford 2 Ilnzlitt, b. Barnes Carter, c. Faue, b. Barnes ... ... 5 Saunders, not out ... ... Sundries ' Total 39 First innings • ... 261 Aggregate ... 66 BOWLING ANALYSIS. Fielder, ono wickot for 74. Crawford, three wickcts for 125. ' Barnes, fivo wickcts for 72. Braund, no wickot for 63.Rhodes/no wicket for 38. ENGLAND. SECOND INNINGS. Hobbs, b. Noblo ... 2 Gunn, 1.b.w., b. Noblo Fane, b. Armstrong j Hutchings, c. Cotter, b. Macartnoy.... 3 Biaund, not out ... j Hardstaff, not out ... • ] Sundries Total, for four wickcts 15 First innings (<i gg