ON A GOOD WICKET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 118, 11 February 1908, Page 7

ON A GOOD WICKET.

\ —— • ■ ■ | AUSTRALIA'S 810 SCORE. I ARMSTRONG' HITTING SIXERS. HANSFORD AND CARTER. ( ; 6t -association—aortmonT, ' (Rec.'• Feb. 10, 10 p.m.) Melbourne, February 10. For tho continuation of the Test Match the weather was beautiful, and' tho wicket rolled out splendidly—sloiv and easy. The Australians, with threo wickets for .49, and Hill and Gregory nt. tho crease, continued thoir innings, which, at the drawing of stumps, had produced 358 runs for eight wickots. Tho.attendance; was 12,000. ;• HILL RUM OUT. The day's work on. tho whole placed Australia in an'excellent;'position, and though, for the greater'part,' the play Was dull and of a stubborn, patient' character, 'tho last half hour was tremendously lively,- and the crowd was most enthusiastic; . « ' ,

: - Hill and Gregory played cautiously. The. former was the hrst.to go, through!the mag-, nificent ■ work and machmc-like precision of Barnes at cover, ; who, with one hand fielded; a stroke by% Hill and returned to Humphries, the wicket-keeper. Hill fell in endeavouring to regain his-crease. A- feature of , Hill's, score; unusual for him, was that it contained no boundary lnjiS. 1 ; ; . < |; ; Gregory was joined by Armstrong, but tho [ Sydnoyite soon. doparted. -Ho had .played stylish-cricket', , hitting three fours. ... I A GOOD PARTNERSHIP. ■" Armstrong-and .Ransford • were then associated, and tho.-latter quickly got going. The .hundred ,was - scored, m 135 minutes. Rhodos bowledwell, keeping a beautiful length. After lunch Fielder and Rhodes were bowling, and Ransford, when he -had scored 26,' had a chance, Crawford missing him in tho slips off Fielder; Ransford was batting in high-class fashion when lie , was, caught 'at., tho wicket after an 1 inhings lasting 103 minutes, and including' only three, boundary, strokes."!.. .. .. and -Armstrong ■ provided a fast partnership,, which; Gcored 54 in 33 minutes, of which Macartnojr, made 29; but in the first over after tea' Macartney was .'dismissed..! SPLENDID HITTING. j

The play so. far was dullish. Carter enlivened proceedings; scoring five successive fourers.: Armstrong .gained 88, > which constituted his highest Test score, amid cheers. The partnership yielded 112 runs, and when Carter was caught in the slips ho received an ovation. 1 As score included cloven foilrers. ■ O'Connor and Armstnjng played, out time, Tho 'concludmjg half-hour,>was full - of excitement 'and/: enthusiasm.. ~;Armstrong,. up: to the fifties, played completely defensive, wearisome cricket. . Afterwards he showed-a dash .of brilliancy, arid';'tliore wildest 'en,twice,, successively "drove Braund for a sixer —a magnificent and thrilling termination of-the day's play, completely lifting it from dulness. .:\: Armstrong received an ovation on returning \to the/ pavilion.-1-He batted 'for 255 Tnuiutes, and :lub twelve .fourers and two sixers. Tho wicket ir. lasting well. (< ( CRAWFORD ILL. .They .told him,that he strained"tfio right 1 side of his heart; arid recommended a London specialist.. If-England loses the Fourth Test; Crawford will, not playVagam in Australia.. Otherwise, he will .play: only in the last Test.

To-day's' holding was suporb. Australia fought for.every run, and many couples were jnade singles.'by the brilliancy of the field. The Englishm'onV-- bowling 'was' good. The. details of the scoring:aro as under:— AUSTRALIA. First: innings? . ■ ,• .... 214 i " Second Inkikos. Trumper, b. Cpatvford ;• ... ... ...« 0 Noble,' b. Crawford .10 Macalister, c. Humphries, b. -Fielder ... ■," 4 Hill, run put . 25 Gregory, 1.b.w., b. Fielder ..... , 29 Ransford, . (S. Humphries, b. Rhodes: ... 54 Armstrong, n'ot v out ..J-.... ~ , 114 Macartney, o. Gun'n, ,b. Crawford ...: 29 Carter, c. Braund, b. Fielder ... .-...i 66 O'Connory.not out ; .... 32 . Sundries- . .. ... ]5 ■i '^.TotaLipr.'eight,.wiqkqts.'..-.. "... 35S The Australians''wiokets fell in the 1 following order:—On Saturday: One for 4; two for 21, throo for 28. -On. Monday: Four, for 65, "five for 77, six. for, 162, seven for 217, eight for 329... . . .\V,; ~ ENGLAND. First innings .... '"—j, ••• ••• . 1 •'••105