BIG CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 120, 18 February 1928, Page 10

BIG CRICKET

AUSTRALIA AGAINST WELLINGTON SOLID CENTURY TO WOODFULL BRILLIANT BOWLING BY BADCOCK The attraction of seeing a strong Australian team caused 4000 spectators to attend the Basin Reserve yesterday. Australia had first use of an easy wicket, and a big total looked likely tvhen Woodfull and Ponsford put on 122 for the first wicket, and seemed a certainty when 322 were on for the loss of four wickets. The later batsmen, imagining that the sting had been taken out of the bowling, attempted to force the pace, but the last six wickets fell for 53 runs, and the innings closed for the moderate total of 375. Woodfull gave a solid defensive display for 240 minutes for 165, and Ponsford batted stubbornly for 58. By far the most attractive display, however, was that given by the youthful South Australian left-hander, K. Schneider, who hit up 73 in 114 minutes. The feature of the innings xvas the bowling performance put up by F. T.Badcock, who sent down forty-one overs for 82 runs, and captured four wickets. Wellington, at drawing of stumps, had secured 42 without loss, Dempster and Foley being the batsmen.

The weather was fine, with a fresh northerly breeze, and the wicket was easy and the outfield fast, when the match commenced yesterday morning. McNamee and Jackson stood out of the Australian team.

V. Y. Richardson, the Australian captain, won the toss from W. S. Brice, and Ponsford and Woodfull, the soundest opening pair which Australia lias possessed since Trumper and Duff, opened the innings at 11.35. McGirr started the bowling with the breeze behind him, .Woodfull scoring a single to point off the fourth ball, which was all that came from the over. Massey took up the attack at the other end, Woodfull scoring a single off the second ball for a tap to point. The next ball Ponsford drove through a wide gap between mid-off and cover to the fence. This caused Brice to bring Lowry to extra cover. McGirr then sent down a good maiden to Woodfull. In Massey’s next over, Ponsford tapped one neatly down the gully for a couple. In McGirr’s next over, Ponsford booked one to long-leg, for which they ran four, which placed the famous Victorian in doubles. The bowling was steady, but Ponsford ryas picking up runs by deft taps to mid-on. The local men were fielding without a point, and both batsmen took advantage of the opening with pats in that direction off Massey. Badcock on the Spot. Aftett bowling five overs for 17 runs, Massey gave way to Badcock, who was applauded for sending down two good maidens to Ponsford. In Badcock’s third over, which was also a maiden, Woodfull played one uppishly towards Dempster at point, but the ball dropped short of the fieldsman. In McGirr’s ninth over, Ponsford twice turned deliveries to the fence at long-leg, reaching the twenties. Applause went up when Badcock sent down his fourth successive maiden. Ponsford stroked one from McGirr to mid-off for three, Badcock cutting off the boundary by travelling fast. The first runs came off Badcock'in his fifth over, Ponsford hitting a short one to the long-on boundary.

‘McGirr, after sending down ten overs for 23 runs, gave way to AlcLeod, the right-hand slow leg-break specialist. The fiftv came up in as many minutes, Ponsford being 33 and Woodfull 18. An on-drive by the latter off Badcock was a good stroke, the ball beating Alassev to the track. AlcLeod was keeping a good length with his slows, and the batsmen had to watch him carefully. AlcLeod and Badcock continued to bowl well, the first hour’s play seeing 61 runs on the slate. Woodfull then banged McLeod to the fence at square-leg. Woodfull reached the thirties by 'getting AlcLeod to squure-lecf ond cover for a. couple each time. AlcGirr let one from Woodfull go through at mid-off, but Lowry intercepted lhe leather at long-off. Woodfull got AlcLeod through the gap at point' for four, and then back-cut Badcock for three. This made both batsmen fortv. At 86, McGirr came on again in place of AlcLeod, whose seven overs had cost 24 runs. A hot shot by Woodfull off Badcock beat Dempster at cover, but Lamason cleverly saved the boundary, three resulting.

Woodfull Reaches the Half-century. Woodfull won the race to the l:«lfcenturv, which took him 87 minutes. Ponsford nlnced one from AlcGirr be-

tween Foley and Massey in tlie slips, the former just touching the leather. This brought the hundred up. Brice here relieved Badcock, who had bowled exceptionally well in sending down fourteen overs for 27 runs. Woodfull reached 60 with three off Brice, and Ponsford off-drove McGirr for three, bringing 110 up. Ponsford reached his fifty by jumping out and hitting Brice to the track at long-on. He had then been at the wickets for 92 minutes. A brilliant hook by Ponsford off McGirr rapped the fence at square-leg hard. Brice Bowls Ponsford. The first wicket fell at 122, Brice beating Ponsford with one which the batsman went forward to defensively. The Victorian crack batsman had been at the wickets for 97 minutes for his 58, which included seven boundary shots. 122—1—58. Kippax, the star New South Wales batsman, joined Woodfull, who was 62, and opened with two down tlio gully, being nearly run out in scrambling home for the second run. He then flashed Brice past cover io the pickets. Badcock relieved McGirr, but Woodfull cut him square for four. In Brice’s next over, Woodfull stepped out, and lifted one high to the track at long-on, reaching the seventies. Kippax got two for a pat to leg off Badcock, a wide return by Lowry giving him anothei for the overthrow. Massey then dropped Kippax at second slip! off Badcock, the batsmen then being ten. Woodfull next hooked Brice to the ropes at square-leg. ’Hie luncheon adjournment was taken at 1.30, when the board showed one wicket odwn for 153. Woodfull being 79 and Kippax 11. On resuming at 2.15, Badcock and Massey took up the 1-owling. Runs came slowly but steadily, the bowling still being good. At 164, Brice took th« ball from Massey. A period of slow play saw 170 go up At 177 McLeod came on in Badcock’s nlaee, and got Kipnax with his fourth ball, the batsman lifting a short-pitch-ed one to McGirr nt mid-on. The retiring batsman had never warmed up in making his 26 177 —2—26. V Y. Richardson, the Australian captain, came next, and onened by banging one from McLeod to the fence at longleg. Woodfull then drove Brice through Hie covers for four, all run. Woodfull was now in the nineties. Richardson beat Badcock at cover with a stroke off Mclood, the ball travelling fast to the ropes. At 199. Lambert took the ball from Brice. The 200 came up for 165 minutes play. Woodfull Reaches the Century. After; batting for IG6 minutes, Woodfull reached his century with a single off Lambert. Foley then had a try tor the first time, relieving McLeod. A hot shot by Richardson beat both Badcock and Lamason and wcut through Ao the boundary at cover. With 208 up, Lambert bowled the Australian captain with <in off-break. 208 — 3-17. Schneider, the youthful South Australian left-hander, was given a round of applause. The midget opened by pulling Lambert to square-leg for three. At 211. Badcock took the ball from Foley, whose solitary over had cost 6 runs. Schneider off rlrove the Englishman for four, all run, and rattled one from Lambert up against the picket? nt square-leg, quickly reaching doubles. The colt was using his feet well in getting out to drive, tie on-drove Badcock to the track at long-on. and Brice then look the ball from Lambert. Woodfull drove the Wellington captain to the sight-screen, reaching 110. Schneider, who was ‘ shaping more stylishly than any of the Australians swung Brice to the fence at square-leg, making his scoring strokes 3 4 4 4. Badcock then had a turn nt the other end. relieving Brice. Woodfull off-drove McGirr to" the frack, at lotig-off, which caused the Wellington captain to field » long-off. The 250 came up iu 239 minutes, and Massey here had another turn at the crease. Woodfull walked up the pitch, and lifted Massey to the fence at longoff.

Al 2G3, McLeod look the ball from McGirr. but Schneider, who has the lefthandeFs facility for hitting to leg, swung him over the boundary at square-leg, causing 270 to appear. Woodfull, who was now having a. bang, lifted one from Massey to the track at long-qn. Runs were now coming fast. Schneider flicked one from McLeod to long-leg for four, running into the thirties Brice relieved Massey at 279, but Schneider got him away to leg for three. Things wore getting desperate, and at 283 Brice tossed the ball In Dempster, but Schneider flicked his first ball to long-leg for four, and off-drove lhe third for a counle. eight coming from Hie over. Wodfnll banged Brice to extra long-on for four, and Schneider swung him to long-leg for three. Three Hundred Up. The 300 came up iu 220 minutes, Woodfujl claiming half of them. Schneider then slammed Dempster to the ropes at square leg-and Woodfull oil-drove him past cover to the ropes, eleven coming from the Institute man’s second over. At 311, Ijowry was given a trial with the ball for the first time. Everyone on the side, except Lamason and the wicketkeeper, had now bad a turn with the ball. Woodfull banged tlie Hawke’s Bay man to the track at long-on, reaching 160. Tlie tea-adjournment was taken at 4.15, when ’he score stood at 319 for three wickets. Woodfull being 163 and Schneider 49. The pair had added 111 for the fourth wicket. The break was fatal <o Woodfull, aS, after adding two runs after tea. he was caught at mid-on by McGirr off Badcock. Ho had boon nt the. wickets for 240 minutes for his 165. which included fifteen fourers. Ho assisted Ponsford to nut on 122 for the first wicket. And Schneider to add 114 for tho fourth wicket. . 322—4—165. R. Oxenham, tho Queensland representative, joined Schneider, who reached his half-century in 72 minutes. With Badcock end T.owrv bo-lin". tho runs continued to come. At 339 James missed a chance of stumning Schneider off lowry, the ’keeper failing to take (lie ball with tho batsman well out of his ground. A brilliant bit of fielding by Badcock at cove?

and a good return to James saw Oxenham run out. 340—5—5. Alexander joined Schneider, and tha two South Australian colts were to"ether. °At 347 Schneider should have been taken at mid-off off Lowry, but the fieldsman was slow in moving. Alexancler, after scoring a single, spooned one from Badcock softly to Lom ry close in at mid-on. 351—6—1. . Oldfield, the wicketkeeper, joined Schneider, who was 72, and opened by cover-driving Lowry to the pickets and hooking him to the boundary at squarehitting up 73 in dashing style, Schneider lifted one from Badcock into Brice’s hands at inid-on. The little South Australian had been at the wickets for 114 minutes for Ins (3, and gave the brightest display or the innings, hitting ten tourers. 360—-7—-3. Grimmett, the ex-Wellington player, was given a rousing reception. He arrived to see Oldfield hit the first sixer of the match, off Lowry. hitting three fourers and a sixer. Oldfield was bowled by Badcock. 371—8—18. Blackie joined Grimmett, who should have been caught by Lowry off Badcock after scoring a single, and very nearly repeated the stroke off the next ball. The tall Victorian did not last long, as after notching a single, he was caught and bowled by Lowry. 372 —9 —l. Alorton. the last man, opened by late-cutting Lowry for three, and the innings, which had lasted for 29S minutes, closed at 5.33 for 375, through Grimmett failing l.b.w. to Lowry’s ne-. ball. Badcock’s Great Bowling Feat. Badcock was the mainstay of the Wellington attack. He sent down no fewer than 41 overs, fifteen of which were maidens, and secured four wickets for 82 runs. The Wellington bowling was steady al] through, and the fielding good, particularly the ground-work.

Wellington at the Wickets. Derapoter and Foley opened the Wellington innings at; 5.50. The former look strike to Mortoji, the Victorian express bowler, and crisply cut the third delivery past cover to the_ ropes. Blackie took up the attack against the wind, faking a long run, and sending down a slow-medium delivery with a nice easy action. Morton also takes a long run, and gets a good deal of pace up, but is not a Jones or a Cotter. The first ball of Morton’s third over beat everything. and went through for four byes. Blackie should have caught and bowled Foley in his third over, but dropped a return from the bat wide on the off. With the total at 16 Morton gave way to Grimmett, but Dempster back-cut his second ball through Oxenham for 4, reaching doubles. Grimmett takes a run of a few yards only and bowls a half round-arm delivery of low trajectory. Dempster leg-glided the second ball of Blackie’s fifth over to the track at long-leg. In Grimmett’s second over Dempster sweetlv tapped one through the slips to the fence. Dempster turned the first ball of Grimmett s third over to the boundary at long-leg reaching the twenties. Tlie pair were still together when stumps were drawn at 6.30, when the score was 42 for no wickets, Dempster being 27 and Foley 6. THE SCORES AUSTRAIJA—First Innings. W. M. Woodfull, c. McGirr, b. Badcock 'GS W. H. Ponsford, b. Brice 58, A. F. Kippax, c. McGirr. b. McLeod 26 V. Y. Richardson, b. Lambert 17 K. J. Schneider, c. Brice, b. Badcock <3 R. K. Oxenham, run out 5 W. C. Alexander, c. Lowry, b. Bidcock , 1 W. A. Oldfield, b. Badcock 18 O V. Grimmett, 1.b.w., b. Lowry ... 1 D. D. J. Blackie, c. and b. Lowry 1 F. L- Morton, not out 3 Extras —Byes 4, leg-byes 3 7 Total 375 Fall of Wickets—One for 122. two tor 177, three for 208, four for 322, five for 340, six for 351. seven for 360. eight for 371, nine for 372, ten for 375.

NEW ZEALAND—First Innings. C. S. Dempster, not out 27 H. Foley, not out 6 Extras: Byes 8, leg-bye 1 9 Total for no wickets 42 Can Wellington Get the Runs? The attendance yesterday was estimated at <OOO, £225 being taken at the gates. Double this number should be piesent to-day. Play will be resumed at 11.30 and tho keenest interest is being taken in Wellington’s tight to get the 334 they Require to head the Australian score. j

BOWLING ANALYSTS. W. O. M. R. McGirr 18 4 55 0 Massev 11 0 35 0 Badcock 41 15 82 4 McLeod 13 1 4G l Brice 15 0 64 1 Lambert 4 0 12 1 J * 1 0 6 0 Lowry 13 1 49 w Dempster 2 0 19 0