SECOND TEST MATCH

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 73, 19 December 1928, Page 11

SECOND TEST MATCH

RECORD SCORE BY ENGLAND HAMMOND FAILS TO BEAT FOSTER’S FIGURES AUSTRALIA STARTS BADLY IN SECOND INNINGS The English eleven made the record score for a Test match of 636, but Hammond failed to reach Foster’s record, being bowled when 251. Australia, requiring to make 383 to save an innings defeat, made an unfortunate start, Richardson being caught before a run was scored.

United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.

(Rec. December IS, 10.40 p.m.) Sydney, December IS. The Test match was restarted today in warm weather on an excellent wicket. Hammond quickly left his 201 mark, and soon passed Murdoch s record of 211, made in England 18S4. However, he lost Larwood, who. swinging at Grimmett, was well taken by Ryder at square leg. Though Larwood' took 89 minutes to make 43. he played well, driving to the oft brightly. Hammond continued his very brisk display, his cover driving being as choice as has been seen on the Sydney Cricket Ground for years. All the time the bowling was receiving a trouncing the fielding was splendid, except for Ironmonger, who was very slovenly, causing the crowd to ridicule him. End of Hammond’s Innings. All thought that Hammond was certain to beat Foster’s record of 287 made at Sydney twenty-five years ago, but he played Ironmonger into the ground on the leg side, and the ball rolled into his wicket. He had given a glorious display. Batting 451 minutes, he hit thirty 4’s, playing wristy, versatile cricket. England lias sent out few better batsmen. Tate hit breezily for 25, and then missed in attempting a hit to the on oil Blackie, and was out leg before. The Tail Wags Well. Geary and Duckworth offered surprising opposition. Both were quiet at the start, but were brighter afterwards, the )>wvling being absolutely collared. Blackie and Ironmonger appeal'd to be the most dangerous, the former being able to turn the ball, but the bowling had no vim. On reaching 66 Geary pivoted a round to swing Blackie to leg, but the ball struck on his pad and he was out l.bw. He had batted 162 minutes. He hit eight 4’s and did not shape like a tail-end batsman. Eight runs were required for a Test record when White, who is a weak batsman, joined Duckworth, but again there was a surprise. They showed up the poorness of the bowling. The record was beaten by 36 before White was stumped. Duckworth’s was a really good knock for 39. He was especially sound on the off. Blackie. who obtained the best bowling figures, deserved them. He kept a good length to-day, was tricky in the air, and made the ball turn well from the off. The fielding never slackened. Richardson and Grimmett were the best. Oldfield kept wickets perfectly. The stumping of White was particularly brilliant. Australia’s Second Strike. Australia faced the huge deficit of 383 runs, practically a hopeless task with Pousford out of action. Disaster came almost immediately. Before a run was scored Richardson turned Tate hard to square leg, where Hendren close in took a splendid catch. Woodfull had a unique piece of luck. He played a ball from Tate hard into tjie ground, and it bounced on to his bails without disturbing them. It was the first stroke of fortune Australia had during the game. Hendry and Woodfull were together till 5.50 p.m., when an appeal regarding the light was successful. The attendance was 17,358 and the receipts £l6OO. England was well on top all day.

There were many regrets that Hammond did not break the record, but Foster’s was made against much superior bowling, including Noble, Howell, Saunders. Laver, Armstrong, and Hopkins. The following are the scores: — ENGLAND. First Innings. Hobbs, c. Oldfield, b. Grimmett .. 40 Sutcliffe, c. Hendry, b. Ironmonger 11 Hammond, b. Ironmonger 251 Jardine, run out 28 Hendren, c. Richardson, b. Blackie 74 Chapman, c. Ryder, b. Blackie .. 20 Larwood, c. Ryder, b. Grimmett .. 43 Geary, 1.b.w., b. Blackie 66 Tate, 1.b.w., b. Blackie 25 Duckworth, not out 39 White, st. Oldfield, b. Hendry .... 29 Extras 10 Total 636 Fall of wickets: One for 37, two for 65, three for 148, four for 293, five for 241, six for 432. seven for 496, eight for 523, nine for 592, ten for 636. Bowling Analysis.—Nothling, no wickets for GO; Hendry, one for 52; Grimmett, two for 191; Ironmonger, two for 142: Blackie, four for 1-18; Ryder, none for 22; Kippax, none for 11. AUSTRALIA. First innings 253 Second Innings. Richardson,, c. Hendren, b. Tate .. 0 Woodfull, not out 17 Hendry, not out 21 Extra 1 Total for one wicket ........ 39 QUESTION OF PLAYERWRITERS (Rec. December 18, 11.30 p.m.) Sydney December 18. The average Australian cricket enthusiast is convinced that the Test Ashes are going back with the Englishmen, • thanks to Hammond, Larwood, Geary, and Hendren. In a multitude of facetious observations at the ground one wag today seemed aptly to express the feelings of those around him when he shouted, “Hey, Ryder, when does the Test match begin?” The question whether players should be allowed to write for the Press also is a subject of considerable comment. A number of people regard the practice as objectionable,' as it takes the players’ minds off their real job. It might even cause dissension in a team. Quite- an army of old cricketers and some presentday players are engaged in Press activities at the Test are Noble, Hill, Armstrong, Mailey, Macartney, Kelleway, Pousford, Moyes, ami Fender. It is practically certain that the Board of Control at its meeting a fortnight hence will debar those still in the game from Press writing. Mr. Oxlade, president of the board, made this statement to-day.

RYDER’S CAPTAINCY CRITICISED Australian Press Association. (Bee. December 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 17. Clem Hill appraises Hammond as the champion of off-side strokes. He gives full praise to England’s batting and declares that all the chances are that Australia will again be defeated. He then proceeds with the definite statement: “I am of opinion that Ryder's captaincy is

not up to Test standard Hammond repeatedly drove through covers to the boundary, yet it was not until he was 150 that Ryder posted a man at deep boundary. I fail to understand why there were so many 4’s when they could have been stopped by different platings. Throughout the Hammond-Hendren innings Ryder allowed the field to be ragged. Though the men stuck well throughout a trying day, I fear we must pass over the older men and introduce youngsters.” Tribute to Hammond. P. F. Warner, in the “Morning Post,” says: “Two years ago Hammond was in a nursing home at Bristol and his life hung in the balance. Yet I told him that one day he would forget his troubles in future triumphs. lam glad to think those words were true. Hammond’s position at the crease was a model for all Gloucestershire. We may ultimately compare him with Dr. Grace. Hammond in one respect is Grace's superior, for great as W.G. was, nobody ever called him a stylist, as exemplified by Hobbs and Woolley. Hammond emphasised Australia's urgent need for a fast bowler.” A RECORD SCORE HAMMOND’S GREAT INNINGS (Notes by “Burwood.”) The 636 which the Englishmen piled up in their first innings in the second Test match at Sydney is a record for the 116 Test games which have been placed between England and Australia. This speaks eloquently for the batting strength of the 1928 English eleven. The previous highest score recorded in. the series was the 600 put on by Australia in the first innings of the game nt Melbourne iu the 1924-25 season. The highest totals recorded in Tost matches in the past have been as follow: — AUSTRALIA. 586, first innings, 1894-95, Sydney. 520, first innings, 1897-98, Melbourne. 573, first innings, 1897-98, Adelaide. GOO. first innings, 1924-25. Melbourne. 506, second innings, 1907-08, Adelaide. 581, second innings. 1920-21, Melbourne. 582, second innings. 1920-21, Adelaide. ENGLAND. 636, first innings, 1928-29, Sydney. 551, first innings, 1897-98, Sydney. 576, first innings, 1899 Oval. 577, first innings, 1903-04, Sydney. 501, first innings, 1911-12, Adelaide. 589, first innings, 1911-12, Melbourne. 548. first innings, 1924-25. Melbourne. The young Gloucestershire professional, W. R. Hammond, who is only 25 years of age, with his magnificent score of 251, just failed by two runs to equal the score made by the whole Australian eleven in their first innings. Great as was Hammond’s effort, it failed by 36 runs to reach the record score of 287 put up by R. E. Foster at Sydney in December, 1903. In that innings Foster, who was playing iu his first test match, batted for seven hours and hit 45 fourers. Hammond, however, had the satisfaction of beating W. L. Murdoch’s 211 made for Australia at the Oval in August, 1884, and thus plating two English names at the top of the individual score ladder. G. Geary, the Leicestershire professional, by his great double in taking five wickets for 35 runs and scoring 66 with the bat, has placed himself amongst the greatest all-rounders of the past, his feat closely resmbling Larwood’s phenomenal doings with ball and bat in the first Test match at Brisbane a few weeks back. , . x, . The Englishmen were sound in their batting right down to the last man, and gave the Australian bowling the most unmerciful hammering it has ever received since Test matches were started away back in 1876. Australia had the advantage in this match, as Ryder won the toss. of taking first strike on a perfect batting wicket. It was certainly the worst of luck that Ponsford should have been put out of the game by an injured hand. ■ The position at the end of the Englishmen’s first innings yesterday was that Australia required 383 runs to save an innings defeat. Perhaps the Australian fighting spirit which we have all been .vainly waiting for will manifest itself in the second innings, but, with Ponsford incapacitated, Australia will do well in the third innings of the match if they save the innings’ defeat. Perhaps Ebeling, the Melbourne fast bowler, who secured seven wickets for 33 runs, including the hat-trick, for Victoria against Queensland at Brisbane this week, will be given a trial in the third Test. Hugh Trumble, the veteran Australian eleven player, who acted as manager of the Australian team which toured New Zealand last season, informed “Burwood” that he considered Ebeling the best fast bowler that Australia possessed at the present time. Surely this latest proof of the incompetence of the old brigade will lead the selectors to give younger and more virile players an opportunity to redeem Australia’s lost prestige. Young Bradman, who was dropped after the first Test, will also surely be restored to his rightful place in the team.