FIRST TEST MATCH

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 221, 14 June 1930, Page 11

FIRST TEST MATCH

England Batting WEATHER FINE Hobbs and Sutcliffe In For the first Test match between Australia and England, at Nottingham, the home side won the toss and elected to bat. 1 By Telegraph—Pre«3 Association—Copyright (Rec. June 14, 0.30 a.m.) London, June 13. The hundred and twentieth Test match commenced at Trent Bridge this morning. The gates' opened at nine o’clock. Ten thousand were present an hour before play started. Rain is reported to be falling twenty miles away, but the weather here is fine, though gloomy. The wicket Is good, hard and true. The teams are as follow: — Australia. — Woodfull; Richardson, Kippax, Bradman, Fairfax, Ponsford, Grimmett, Hornibrook, McCabe, Oldfield and with Jackson twelfth man. England.—Chapman, Robins, Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Hammond, Woolley, Hendren, Tate, Larwood, Duckworth, and Tyldesley, with Duleepslnghji twelfth. England won the toss and elected to bat The score at 12.45 p.m. was: — ENGLAND.—First Innings. Hobbs, not out Sutcliffe, c Hornibrook, b Fairfax .... 27 Hammond, lbw, b Grimmett ~... 8 Woolley, st Oldfield, b Grimmett 0 Hendren, b Grimmett u Extras 2 Total for four wickets 72 [The latest score was picked up by Mr. I. M. Levy from a broadcast from 3LO, Melbourne.] CHANCES OF THE TEAMS Maclaren’s Views By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, June 12. The Australian cricketers have left Downside for Nottingham, where great excitement prevails on the eve of the first Test match. ' • A. C. MacLaren, writing *ln the “Evening Standard” on the Test chances, says: “Despite the fact that the visitors have been severely tried in the wet and cold, no English side has been victorious yet against Australia. Friends keep reminding me that Australia has no bowlers, to which I reply that the bowlers appear to be dismissing English sides. I ask how many centuries have been made against Australia, while a bagful of centuries have been made against English bowlers on bad wickets. Personally, I rate Grimmett at quite 30 per cent better than ever." MacLaren proceeds to give strong praise to Bradman, adding the prediction that his more recent smaller scores are all in favour of Australia tomorrow. “It is my view that Australia will prove the better bowling side, considering that our batsmen are collectively stronger.” OPINION IN AUSTRALIA Much Dependent on Weather (Rec. June 13, 7.45 pm.) Sydney, June 13. There is intense interest in the first cricket Test throughout Australia. The Press is publishing the opinions of experts, among whom the consensus of opinion is that given good weather Australia has got a very good chance of winning, but if the weather is bad the match will be drawn. Tremendous things are expected of Grimmett, who is described as a fifty per cent better bowler than in previous Tests! also of Hornibrook, Bradman, and McCabe. The broadcasting stations in Sydney and Melbourne will give details each night until stumps are drawn. DEPENDS ON THE TOSS Armstrong’s Comments Dominion Special Service. Auckland, June 13. “With each side weak in bowline and strong in batting, a lot will depend on the toss,” said Mr. Warwick Armstrong, the former Australian eleven captain and all-rounder, when interviewed in Auckland this morning concerning the prospects of the Australian eleven in the first Test match, beginning at Nottingham to-day. Mr. Armstrong is visiting New Zealand on business. Woodfull was probably the most valuable man in the Australian eleven. Mr. Armstrong continued. He was the most solid and experienced batsman in the side, and his reliability was particularly valuable, because of the exceptionally weak tail. With Jackson apparently ill. it appeared as though the Australian batting strength would rest on the shoulders of about four men, though it was difficult to analyse the team carefully until he knew its personnel. Although a shrewd youngster. Bradman was not yet an experienced Test player, but if he should strike form he should make all the difference to Australia’s prospects. Discussing the Australian bowling, Mr. Armstrong said that the Englishmen would probably score fairly freely against Grimmett, because they were accustomed to his methods. The Nottingham wicket was a very good one. and in the early stages of the game would not, if the weather were fine, be of much help to the bowlers. Hornibrook would be dangerous if he received asssistance from the wicket, and if the pitch were at all fiery Fairfax might be the destroyer. Being a young, keen side, the Australians should more than hold their own in the field. The fact that the Englishmen were relying mainly on old players suggested that the side was weaker than /heir best teams of the past, Mr. Armstrong continued. With the possible exception of Duleepsinhji, there appeared to be no young players of the outstanding brilliance of Jackson and Bradman, and the batting had a tail which was as weak as that of the Australians. . Mr. Armstrong said that it would probably be a high-scoring game, with the winning of the toss the deciding factor. “In any case, I hope Australia wins.” he concluded with a laugh.