ENGLAND'S CHANCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 132, 27 February 1908, Page 7

ENGLAND'S CHANCES.

NOT ROSEATE.

FOUR WICKETS 70 CET 102 RUNS,

AN IMPROVING' WICKET. BY TIILEGIt.U'II —MESS ASSOCIATION— COrYIUGUT. (l?cc. Feb. 2(l, 5.23 p.m.) Sydney, February 26. As the result of to-day's, play in the Fifth Test Match, the Australians completed their second innings for 422, making their aggregate us9;'and the "Englishmen lost six wickets for 117, leaving them with 162 runs to get to win. The utteudaneo was 8600.

Rain that foil during tlio night and morning did not improve the already-impaired wicket, and prevented tho resumption of tlio match till 1.15 p.m. Hayes fielded for Barnes, and Blytho for Hardstaff. At tho start the bowlers found it difficult;'to maintain their footing.' Armstrong commenced hitting vigorously, but after adding 13 he put a ball simply' into Gunn's hands at point—seven for 373. Hartigan, tho next man, added a fourer and a single, and then played Crawford on —eight for 357. .. . RANSFORD AND GARTER. >• Ransford was playing a sound game. Carter partnered him, and the fourth hundred appeared for 4 hours 58 minutes' work. ' Tho Sydneyite quickly put up double figures and passed his Victorian partner, knocking up 22 in 13 minutes. Ho then put ono up into Hobbss hands, at third man— liino for 422. His scoro includod four fourers. ■ Saunders, tho last man, fended off the first ball from Rhodes, and put tlio second ono up near the ivickets, Young getting to it. Australia's t second innings thus closed for 422. . ENGLAND'S BAD START. I With 271 runs to get, Fane and Hobbs commenced tho second innings.' The former was missed by Trumper olf Noble's first ball before any scoro had been mado. Runs came slowly. Hobbs did most of the scoring till' lie lifted - one/ hard from Saunders, Gregory making a good catchone for 21, . . . Guiin filled tlio vacancy, but before lie could scoro a'beautiful ball from Macartney dug hia log stump out—two for 26. , Hutchings made a couple, .and Macartney in his next over lifted the batsman's off stump out of the ground—three for 30. Macartney's average at' this stage was standing at. two for 6.

FANE AND HARDSTAFF. Hardstaff followed, Hobbs running for him. Play was'slow and careful. , After tea-tho scoro crept into, the. fifties. Then Hardstaff pulled Saunders on to his wicket —four for 51. ' Fane was playing the bowling with some confidence; Brat'ind joined him, and was a quarter of an hojir without getting'off the mark. Then he hit one fast to Noble, who effected a smart catch at point—five for 57.

: Rhodes joined Fane; and play brightened up. ■ Tho . latter made . '. strokes,. Rhodes reached double figures in a patient mannor. . : '• .... CHANGES OF BOWLING. Under a drying wind the wicketl greatly improved, tho bowling losing much' of its' sting. Various ..changes ofi bowling Were tried. , v '■'■ -1 "■ . Noble displaced Macartney at . 87; '.and his second ball shifted . Fane's stumps. , Fano had butted 2 hours. I*l minutes for his 46— six for. 87;. \ ' . ..' ■ . ' • Young followed, and, the century was'put 'up, for 2 hours '27... minutes'play.. 'Whijn stumps wero drawn the Englishmen had lost six wickets for 117. . AUSTRALIA. . ' SECOND INNINGS. . Noble, 1.b.w., b. Rhodes ... ... ... 31 O'Connor, b. Barnes ... ... ... . (> Trumper, c. Gunn, b. Rhodes ... •. .... 166 Gregory, b. Crawford' ... 56 Macartney, c. Jones, b. Crawford -... i 2 Hill, c. Young,;b- Craw;ford ... 1 ■ , ... 44, Armstrong c. Gunn, b. Crawford... • ... 32 Ransford, not out ... . ... , ... 21 Hartigan, b. Crawford .... ...., .. ... . .5 Carter,, c. llobbs, b.'Rhodes . ... 22 Saunders, c. Young, b. Rhodes,.... ... 0 Sundries ! ... 24.

Total .... . ... ... ... 422 First innings ... ... ...137 Grand total ... ; 559 BOWLING ANALYSIS. '' ' , Barnes, one wicket 'for7B; • ' • •' * V Crawford, fivo wickets for 141. . Rhodes, four wickets for 102. • Brauud, 110 wickot. for 64. Hobbs, no wicket for 13. ENGLAND. SECOND INNINGS.Fanej b. Noblo ... "V ••• 40 Hobbs, c. Gregory, bl Saunders ... ... 13 Gunn, ,b. Macartney ... .... 0 Hutchings, b; Macartney ... ... ... 2 Hardstaff, ,b. Saunders'' ... ... 8 Braund, c. Noblo, b. Saunders : : 0 Rhodes, not out ... ... ■ ... ... 32 Young, not out ... , ... ... ...' ,9 Sundries ... ... • ...' .7 Total, for six wickets ... ...117 First innings ... ' ... 281 (Rec. Feb. 27, 0.19 a.m.) .. Sydney, February 26. Owing to the prolongation of the Test Match, the South; Australian fixture has been postponed till Monday. ...