FOURTH TEST MATCH

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 116, 8 February 1908, Page 6

FOURTH TEST MATCH

ADSIRALIA'S SCORE ONLY MODERATE. RAMSFORD'S GOOD FORM. CRAWFORD AND FIELDER BOWL ' WELL.' ' . or rEi.Eoitirn— : i'iiEss association—corTßioirr. ; (Rec. Feb. 7, 10.5' p.m.)' v Melbourne, February 7.' ,/ln the fourth Test Match) A. O. Jones captained the English team.''. Fane, Blytho, Young, and "Hayes stood out. "The attendance was nearly 10,000. THUMPER IS "OFF." . Noble won the toss, aiid, with" Trumper, opened Australia's innings on a good wicket. The batsmen began very gingerly, and treated with respect the bowling of Fielder and.Barnes. . - Noble, had a life very early in the proceed-, iiigs, but tho partnership did not/ last long, .as Trumper was taken at third slip by Crawford, to tho great , disappointment 'of tho crowd. ! Trumper ;has shown- indifferent form in Test cricliet' this season. HILL CLEAN-BOWLED, Tho -disappointment - was accentuated shortly afterwards, when Hill was clean bowled. • Noblo and Macalister made a fair stand, though Macalister gave a chance when ho had scored 13 to" Jones at square leg, off Braund. It was a hot, stingitig ball, which;the Englishman.met left hand. At tho lunch hour both were not. out— Noble 37, Macalister 20. After lunch the dulness of tho morning's play continued. A STEADY INNINGS. Noble was first to go, Crawford skittling him., Noblo had batted stolidly for 113min., but his runs, included only four boundary hits. . Gregory was cordially greeted on his reappearance in Test cricket, and,; with Macalister, brought up tho century in 13omin. Three runs later Macalister was well caught at third man, after : batting for 107min., during which he hit threo fours. ■ GREGORY COES CHEAPLY. , Gregory, to tho disappointment of tho crowd; was caught at point. Armstrong arid •Hansford played beautiful 1 cricket, and tho partnership added 91 runs before Ransford was caught in the slips by Braund. Ransford, was in for lOOmin., hitting six.fourors. Armstrong.. was ■ immediately ' afterwards bowled" by/ Crawford. Tho. remaining -batsmen did little, and tho innings, which lasted 274min., . closed' for 214.-'- i'v G. Gunn and Eobbs/ wero' associatcd for the few minutes left for. play,, remaining not out'when 1 stumps'. were, drawn. t RANSFORD AND 'ARMSTRONG., ' :.The. dulness. of the' day's"play/'was:'relieved onily/by tho brightness of .Ransford, and' Armstrong. The. former was .iu' -oxcellent form but:,towards .the close appeared-' to)tire.! His cutting was superb, /and his timing was perfect. . ,x ' •.•; >;/■:.■ •/:- ' Armstrong.; was" more useful -than' brilliant.' 'One'-'clipping sixer off' Braund 'evoked enthusiasm. • The bowling-iwas magnificent, especially that of Crawford. ;Ho mixed his pace,"disguising '.it-well. The fielding was' capital, and the wicket was good. Tho details, of the scores are as under:— • • / ■' : ■: ■/-• AUSTRALIA, y-' ~ : FIRST INNINGS. • .' Trumper, e. . Fielder • ... 0 Noble, b. ... ... 1 ... 43 Hill, ,b. Barnes ... . ... ... ... 7 Macalister,'c. Jones, b. Crawford ..'. 37 , Gregory,., c. Fidlder, b. Crawford " - ... 10 Ransford,: c. Braundj-.b. Fielder 51 | Armstrong, ,b. Crawford; ... ... 32 ■Macartney, c.,Hardstaff,.'b. Fielder, 12 Carter, c. and. b< drawford;. .... ■ ... 2 O'Connor, c. Fielder,. b. Crawford ... 2 Saunders, not out .1, ... ... 1 ■ Sundries /.„ < . 12 . '. Total , ... r • ... ... 214 1 ' '■ : , BOWLING ANALYSIS. Fielder, four wickets for 54. ! '. Barnes/one wicket for' 37-. " ■■ . Braund, no wicket for. 42.. ' • Crawford, five wickets for'4B-' ■ Rhodes, 110 wicket for 21. , 'The order in which the- Australians 1 : wickets/fell was as follows: —One'.for'l) two 1 I fpr,,l4i';three'for, 80,. four-for :.103, '.for six for'l96, sevo'ii',for 196 i.'eig ht for. : ; 198; nino for 212. .. . ■~• ''■ •. EMC LAND. I ; . FIRST INNINGS Gunn,' not out ..... ... " "'„V"' 0 1 Hobbs, not .out : ~,, , .. 9 i ' Total, for.no wicket ...' ... 9 - CONCERNING THE "SHORTAGE..!' ' . : v •• Melbourno, February 7. • With' regard to ;tlio.''estimated shortage in connection withthe toiir . of the 1 English team,- it: is explained that the .so-called shortage will not moan an' actual loss to the Associations, ■ but merely, a Joss of .-anticipated profits: As a matter of fiict, a guarantee of £10,000. has, been secured.