THE FIRST TEST

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 225, 19 June 1929, Page 11

THE FIRST TEST

SOUTH AFRICA TOPS HOME SIDE’S SCORE

PATIENT BATTING MITCHELL IN FOR SEVEN HOURS (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright) Australian Press Assn.—United Berries. London, June 17. A well-filled ground saw the South Africans make a patient reply to England’s moderate score. Though the play was even slower than on Saturday, the spectators philosophically watched Mitchell’s prolonged first Test stonewall, especially after lunch, when he scored eight runs in eighty minutes. He batted for six hours, scoring 80. There was some excuse for care in the early stages, as the pitch was bedewed. Larwood once rose surprisingly and hit Mitchell badly in the face. The opening stand of 119 is the South Africans’ best performance in a Test with England, as they have never previously reached a hundred. Larwood bowled with exceptional pace, sending Christy’s stump fifteen yards. Mitchell went on imperturbably while the wickets fell. Run-getting was slower than ever, all the bowlers keeping an excellent length. White in a seventyminute spell after lunch bowled fourteen overs, nine of them being maidens.

The crowd were sorry to see Mitchell fail to get his century in the first Test. He has been called the “unbowlable boy.” He batted seven hours without a chance, but the innings was wholly uninspired. The visitors' innings lasted 440 minutes. England batted for an hour afterwards. Following are the scores: — ENGLAND. First innings 245 SOUTH AFRICA. First Innings. Catterall, 1.b.w., b. Fender 67 Taylor, b. Larwood 2 Morkel, b. Tate ® Christie, b. Larwood 1 Mitchell, b. Tate 88 Deane, c. and b. Fender 29 Cameron, b. Larwood 5 Owen-Smith, b. Tate 25 Vincent, not out 14 Quinn, b. Larwood 1 Ochse, b. Larwood - Extras 11 Total 250 Bowling Analysis.—Larwood, five wickets for 57; Tate, three for 65; Fender, two for 64; Hammond, none for 25; White, none for 28. England in their second innings made 34 without loss. Sutcliffe 10, Killick 23.