CLOSE CONTESTS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 32, 9 February 1929, Page 10

CLOSE CONTESTS

ADELAIDE EXPERIENCES

WHITE AND BRADMAN

(By "Not Out.")

The English cricketers set out on the present tour to do their utmost to win all y fivo Test matches. Success in the first three gave them the rubber, j and now a narrow victory in the fourth I carries them a step nearer to their objective. In spito of .the'fact that only three Tests' were required to determino possession of the "Ashes," there was tremendous interest in the fourth Test, which had .such an exciting finish at Adelaide 'yesterday. At, times there •was danger of interest waning owing to the tedious play, but' with the increasing grimness of battle and the prospect of a eloso finish enthusiasm was stirred to a high pitch. It worked up to a great climax yesterday, with Australia's fighting chance of victory. Tho home team started the day with four wickets in hand and a requirement of S9 runs to win. At tho luncheon adjournment the position was even more exciting—23 runs to win and two wickets in hand. In the end the Englishmen were just too good, and by all accounts their narrow win in one of the most stirring contests on record was well earned.. At tlio same time Australia must be given credit for a splendid fight under,circumstances more difficult than those met by tho Englishmen. True, the , Australians were in their own country, but- England had a strong initial advantage in winning the toss. The result was that, after much tedious play, Australia was faced with a difficult task in having to make the required runs on the seventh day of the match and on a wicket which must have been well worn. The Australians did remarkably well to go so close to, success. . NARROW WINS. The margin of victory in the Test which concluded yesterday is not the smallest on record. At Manchester, in 1902, Australia defeated England by only three runs. Australia also ha? the following narrow victories over England:—By six runs at Sydney in 1884----5; by seven runs at the Oval in 1882, and by eleven runs at Adelaide in 1924----5. On the other hand, England has had other narrow.' wins, beating Australia by ten runs at Sydney in 1894-5 and by thirteen runs at Sydney in 1886----7. ...'".

There are many points of similarity about the last two Tests which have been played at Adelaide. The Englishmen have almost exactly reversed tho result of the Test there on the last tour, when the scores were: Australia) 489 and 250, England. 365 and 363. In the match concluded yesterday the scores were: England 334 and. 383, Aus-' tralia 369 and 336. In 1924-5 Australia batted first, and on this occasion England batted first. To England's total of 365 in 1924-5 Hobbs contributed 119, and to England's total of 334 in the match just over Hammond contributed 119 not out. It was in Australia's first innings of the 1924-5 match that Eyder made his fine score of 201 not out, and in the second innings ho topscored with 88. This time he has again done well with scores of 63 and 87. In the second innings of both matches he was out "caught and bowled." Eyder was the only three-figure scorer for Australia in the 1924-5 match, _ and Jackson had the distinction on this occasion. BOWLING FEATS. In addition to the individual achievements in the fourth Test at Adelaide, which have been dealt with previously, there is the outstanding bowling feat of J. C. White, vice-captain of the English team. • His value as a bowler —he is a slow left-hander—has been strikingly illustrated in this match. Good-length bowling combined with headwork is a valuable asset to any side, and it'can now be readily understood why White, has been made such use of by Chapman in the present tour. In taking eight wickets for 126 runs in Australia's second innings, White takes rank with A. E. Trott, H. Trumble, and F, J. Layer, -of Australia, and G. A. Lolimann, T. 'Richardson, 1 W. Rhodes, L. C. Braujul, and B. J. T. Bosiinquet, of England. All theso players have performed a similar feat to that .of White. The record for most wickets in an innings is held by A. A. Mailey, who took nine for 121 at Melbourne in 1920-21. White's total for the Adelaide Test was thirteen wickets, two short of the record of W. Ehodes, who took fifteen wickets at Melbourne in 1903-4. F. Pi. Spofforth took fourteen wickets at the Oval in 1882.