SOMERSET MATCH. WEATHER DELAYS PLAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 133, 12 June 1909, Page 5

SOMERSET MATCH. WEATHER DELAYS PLAY.

VISITORS' FIRST INNINGS. Bj Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. LONDON, 10th June. The Australia-Somersetshire match was continued on the Bath cricket ground to-day. Drizzling rain fell during the luncheon interval, and the weather all the afternoon was gloomy and cheerless. "Ihe attendance reached 3000. Carter and M'Alister opened the Australians' innings, but there was soon a dissolution of the partnership. Robson put up a fine bowling performance, capturing eight out of the nine wickets, Chidgey, by smart wicket-keeping, accounting for three behind the stumps. Lewis took the first wicket at 32, tho second fell at 35, and the third at 37. Trumper retired in his second over, beaten by one of Robson's shooters. M'Alister batted for an hour, leaving the record of four wickets for 40. Noble and Gregory now became partnered, but the light was so bad that play had to be stopped repeatedly, as both batsmen and bowlers were beaten. At 58 Chidgey .snapped up Gregory on the leg side of tho wicket. Noble retired at 77, caught low down at slip, and three runs later Armstrong put up a skyer to the slips, Greswell taking the catch as the board showed seven for 80. A partnership betweea Bardsley and Macartney lasted fifty-five minutes and added 45 to the score, the century appearing at the end of two hours' play. At a. quarter past 6 o'clock the game had to be stopped owing to bad light, t HEAVY RAIN. WET WICKET, AND PLAY DELAYED. (Received June 12, 9.15 a.m.). LONDON, 11th June. The ' Australians' innings closed last night at nine for 139, Whitty, the other member of the team, being absent owing to a slight attack of influenza. Bowling Analysis. — Robson, eight wickets for 35 ; Lewis, one for 2 ; Hardy, none for 8; Greswell, none for 43. There was a heavy downpour of rain all last night, and the pitch to-day was saturated. Play had not commenced up to four o'clock, when the weather was fine, and the wicket drying slowly. A large crowd 'was waiting outside the gates. i COUNTY'S SECOND INNINGS. TWO WICKETS DOWN. (Received June 12, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, 11th June. Play 'in the Australia-Somerset match was resumed at 4.40 p.m. The weather was dull and the wicket soft. About 2000 spectators were present. After fiity minutes' play the bad light necessitated the early drawing of stumps. Cotter acted as substitute for Whitty. Hardy and Braund opened the county's second innings. Tho first wicket fell with the score at 15. Braund displayed excellent Cricket. At the close of . play the board showed 33 runs for two wickets down. Scores :—: — SOMERSETSHIRE.— Second Innings. Hardy, c Carter, b Layer 6 Braund,' not out 25 Lewis, c and b Layer 2 Robson, not out - 0 Total, two wickets for 33 SECOND TEST MATCH. BLYTHE'S SERVICES NOT AVAILABLE. LONDON, 11th June. Blythe is unable to play in the next test match. THE ENGLISH TEAM. (Received June 12, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, 11th June. The English team ibr the Second Test Match, which will commence on Monday, at Lord's, will be chosen from the following :—: — M&cLaren, Jones, Fry, Hirst, Lilley, Relf, Hayes, King, Haigh, Hobbs, Rhodes, G. Gunn, Tyldesley, and Hayward. STILL TOO WET. (By "Half-Volley.") If the stars in their courses fought so persistently against the noble Caesar as the Northern skies have been doing against the wieldei-s of the willow, there should be no difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that Brutus's dagger arrived opportunely. Caesar received one deep stroke at Edgbaston, Birmingham ; the noble enemies will clash again at Lord's, on Monday. If the weather will only remember that England is looking for summer, and reform its ways, 'there should be a close and deadly duel. Which— with a fair field and no favour — sportsmen are looking forward to with keen interest. . To Hark back to Somerset. The low scoring indicated that all was not well with the wicket. Little of commendation can reasonably be bestowed on either side. M'Alister is showing some of that doggedness so characteristic of him, which, perhaps, has taken away some^Qf ' the brightness of the game. It is a sad- fact- -apart altogether from this maten — that M'Alister is getting slow with .his batting. Macartney, assisted by that useful auxiliary, "sundries," accounted for 52 runs. _ Once again the colonials, have provided a second-rate bowler with the opportunity foii fame. Robjfon last year averaged jusb under three wickets per match- -58 altogether — at a cost of 25.95 runs per wicket. This is not startling, but his eight for 35 against Australia is good. Whitty did some damage for his side. There v/ill be some flattering figures (not batsmen's) when the team line up on that queer pitch. ENGLAND'S CHOSEN. At a glance, it looks as though, given fine weather for Monday's Test, tho bowling of MacLaren's team will bo only fair. So fur, there is no fas,t bowler, Hirst being thn jieaveul approach to it. Schofield L&i»h (York-

shire), who is to have a benefit at Bradford on the August Bank Holiday, is gf-tting a trial lalo ii life, being 38 this year. Since ho came out in 1895, Haigh has taken in first-eHss matches in England 1482 wickets, at an average cost of just over 16 runs. Last season he finished up head for his county, with 71 wickets, -average- 12.11. He bioke a finger last year, and suosequently failed to spin the ball quite so much. Ho shines on a slow wicket King is the Leicester all-round man. Last year his average in first-class games was 27.36, and bowling 24.32. He is hardly likely to reach the E!e\ en. ITpvps is the Surley bat, who hits forcefully on bad wickets. lie visited Australia with Jones's team, but did not ?dd to his reputation. If the vriolcefc turns out at .all fast, Brearley or Fielder will probably be added. Hayward, though mentioned, is said to be incapacitated. The team, which will be veiy strong in batting, should contain George Gunn, who found no difficulty with the colonial bowling on the last Australian tour. He is very solid, and has all the strokes. Lil ley, bom 41 years ago, once again will keep wickets, and well he knows tho gamts. Layer should play for his side if the wicket demands it. M'Alister is alsq due for a place. One would like to see the Australian team as follows :. Trumper, Noble, Armstrong, M'Alister, Ransford, Bardsley, Carter, Whitty, Macartney, Layer, and Cotter (if the wicket is fast) with Gregory in in place of the manager if the same conditions.