ENGLAND STRIVING HARD

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 6, 8 January 1925, Page 7

ENGLAND STRIVING HARD

SUTCLIFFE SECURES A SECOND

CENTURY

AUSTRALIA LUCKY IN LBW DECISIONS.

(BNITID PRISS ABSOCIATIOK.—COPIBIOHT.) MELBOURNE, 7th January. The weather was fine for the sixth day, of the Test match, but the wicket was showing signs of wear when Sutcliffe, with 12, and Sfcrudwick, with 15, resumed batting in the second innings for England, who required 318 to win. The attendance during the day reached 20,000, .the largest crowd being present after the tea adjournment. Gregory sent down a maiden, but a, little later he missed Sutcliffe in the slips off Mailey. It was, however, a difficult chance. Sutcliffe was playing defensively to Gregory, who also had Strudwick full of discomfort, and prer sently got a leg-before decision over the English wicket-keeper. 2—22—75. Hearne came in, bub was slow to start. When he did open his account it was with a couple of singles; then he late-cut Mailey for four. Oldfleld lifted Sutcliffe's bails, but the batsman was in, and to celebrate his escape he glanced Gregory for a brace, reaching 30. A. Eichardson took the ball from Gregory at 95, and his first over was a maiden. Then with Mailey bowling, Collins moved A. Richardson to mid-off and \Hartkopf to deep slip. Hartkopf bowled the next over, when the score reached 101. Three runs later Kolleway went on to bowl, and play became dead, till at length Sutcliffe brightened up' and drove him to the fence. At luncheon the score was 121 for two wickets. ■ ' :' ' On resumption, Hearne put his leg in front to Gregory. 5—23—121. Woolley joined Sutcliffe, who notched' 50 by snicking cpe from Kelleway for a single. He had taken 165 minutes to reach his half-century. Kelleway's bowling was a feature of the game up to thie time, but now Sutcliffe opened his shoulders and drove Gregory and Mailey to the fence, and play became much brighter. Woolley also cut Mailey to the fence, and then skied one from Oregory high to leg out of Taylor's reach. Mailey "morally" bowled Sutcliffe when the latter was 63, and the batsman -showed his appreciation of the "life" by lifting Mailey to the fence, while Woolley drove Kelleway for four and then cut Gregory past Mailey in the slips for two. At this time, Gregory's average, two wickets for 60, was the best. A. Richardson displaced Mailey at 186, and brought the off. fieldsmen closer in. Sutcliffe and Woolley put on 70 in 75 minutes. When he was 39 Woolley changed his bat. Then he ran a risky single. Had Taylor hit his wicket the man from Kent would have been out. Collins went on to bowl, amidst cheers, at 195, and there was a lull in the scoring, the batsmen taking forty minutes to put ten together. Collins trundled' three overs, from which only three runs resulted, while A. Richardson sent down the last six overs for seven runs. At the tea adjournment the hoard showed three wickets for 200. .. After tea, Collins. opened the bowling j.with a maiden. Off his next, Woolley, who was 46, drove hard straight up the pitch, but Collins dropped' the ball. I Woolley played one from A, Eichardson I and Sutpliffe started to run. Victor Richardson threw his wicket down, but Sutcliffe was given the benefit of the doubt. It was a close thing, however. Sutcliffe raised his tally to 85, and Woolley had a life at 49, playing an uppish stroke between silly point and mid-off. Collins and Richardson now quietened, the batsmon. Woolley reached 50, and then was out leg-before to A. Richardson. 5—50—211. The partnership had yielded 90 runs, and Woolley was the fourth successive victim to a leg decision. He had batted 127 minutes. Hendren went in nest. Using a new ball, Gregory went on at 224, when Sutcliffe had reached 92. Kelleway displaced Collins, who had bowled ten overs at a cost of ten runs. Sutcliffe, at 95, was missed by Kelleway in the slips off Gre. gory, amidst groans from the crowd. The Yorkshireman made his second century in the game by driving ■ Gregory to the fence. He was warmly congratulated by Collins, while the crowd applauded long and lustily. Sutcliffe had beenat the wickets five and a half hours, giving a patient, sound display, proving himself an ideal opening batsman. Mailey went on at 246, and Gregory in the next over skittled Horidreu's stumps. 5—18—254. Tyldesley was caught by Ponsford before scoring. 6—0—255. Douglas joined Sutcliffe, and the pair carried on till play ceased with,the board show,, ing six wickets for. 259. A keen finish is anticipated, honours being about even. The following are the detailed scores : AUSTRALIA. .'. . ' First innings 600 Second innings 250 Grand total 850 ENGLAND. \ First innings 479 Second Innings. Hobbs, lbw, b Mailey 22 Sutcliffe, not out 114 Strudwick, lbw, b Gregory 22 Hearne, lbw, b Gregory ..., 23 Woollpy, lbw, b A. Richardson ... 50 Hendren, V Gregory .• ;'. 18 ! Tyldesloy, c Ponsford, b Mailey ... 0 Douglas, not out ..•.. 0 Extras „ 10 Total for six wickets '. 259 England requires 113 runs to win and four wickets remain. "'Sutoliffe and Douglas are already batting, while" Gilligan, Chiipmnn, and Tate have not yet had a strike in the second innings.