ADVANTAGE LOST

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 13

ADVANTAGE LOST

AUSTRALIA'S BATTING

NIC CABE THE LAST HOPE HOBBS'S COMMENTS (By J. B. Hobb's—Copyright in all countries— Reproduction in whole or in part forbidden.) MELBOURNE, January 1. At the moment it seems likely that rain will interfere with the match, so we must assume that Australia' benefited by winning the toss. Australia failed to take lull advantage of this, for they undoubtedly should have scored many more runs on this wicket. To tell the truth, it was a feeble display, in spite of the fact that England bowled well and gave nothing away. Our field again was excellently placed. The batsmen were slow as measured by the clock, but all who appreciated a good fight could not fail to be interested. It must be many years since Australia had such a tail as in this series. Evidence of this was shown when McCabe, with Oldfield as his partner, refused to take runs with only six wickets down. McCabe is still there with 63 and has played well. He had to fight very hard indeed, because there was only one period of 10 minutes when the batsmen were allowed to get out of hand. "A BAD SCORE." j One hundred and eighty-one for six is a bad score, but with McCabe in it | is possible Australia may add a good j many more yet, and if there is a wet wicket tomorrow, England may not gain a big first innings lead after all. However, on the day's play England took all the honours. Hammond strained a ligament in his knee. He is bound to feel it for a few days, but does not think it will affect his batting. The third Test has been the sole topic of conversation all over Australia throughout Christmas. One saw Australians taking anxious looks at the sky, and expressing hopes for fine weather. They made no secret of the belief that, given a wet wicket, Australia'a defeat was a foregone conclusion. No wonder then that the sunshine this morning tempted holidaymakers to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and that there was the largest crowd ever gathered at a cricket match. I was amazed "that Australia should have taken the field without a fast bowler, McCormick being unfit, but there is no question that on paper the batting was considerably strengthened by the changes. ALLEN CONTENT, TO LOSE TOSS. Allen lost the toss after confiding in me that he was quite content to do so. Though the wicket had been covered it was not dry and fast, so nobody knew how it might play. At the start the wicket was slow and easy paced, but the fast bowlers made the ball get up high. Off one of these Brown got out attempting to hook a ball outside the off-etump, caught by Ames. It was not a good shot. Between 29 and 33 there was a double bowling change, Sims and Verity coming on. I thought Hammond would be the first change as he might have got more life out of the wicket than the slower bowlers. However, in Verity's case the move worked wonders. His first ball was his faster one. Bradman played it to leg with a straight bat and gave Robins, at short-leg, just behind the umpire, a very easy catch. Bradman played the shot as if the whole leg side was open. Though scoring off most of the balls he received the way he played today convinced me that he is not yet at his old form, and will not be seen at his best unless the ball comes along fast. Prior to this Bradman might easily have been run out. He and Fingleton changed their minds half a dozen times about attempting a second run, with Don well down the wicket. In the last over before lunch Rigg ran for a sharp second and would have been run out if Robins had hit the stumps instead of just missing. INTERESTING SESSION. It was an interesting session of cricket. Some people thought England might have done better but I considered it good work to get two out for 63. Robins, going on just before lunch, made his first ball turn prodigiously. Verity straightened one or two, but did not turn much. Fingleton had acted strictly on defence. II was a good performance to stay in till lunch. Rigg shaped well, as a man should who is at the top of his form. The lunch interval was fatal to hiir for in Allen's second over he was caught by Verity in the same positior as Robins caught Bradman. It was not such an easy affair in Rigg's case however, as Verity had to fling himseli to the right at full length like a goal keeper and held the ball with hi; right hand inches off the ground. Fingleton, who has been playing sc well, was out surprisingly after add ing 8 to his lunch score. He looked i picture of dejection when he returnee to the pavilion. Robins sent down ; very short leg-break. Fingleton laj back to hit it hard through the covers but the ball came along much slowei than he expected, and he gave Sim: the simplest of catches at cover-point Darling, the left-hander, raisec hopes by brilliantly square-cuttini Robins. Shortly afterwards he miss iut.theUiaU. I did not, tt4nkJje w wouJr

pletely deceived by the pace of Verity's cunningly-flighted slower ball. THREE FOR 3. The afternoon period was more profitable tc England than before lunch. Three wickets were captured and only 3 more runs scored in 15 minutes. The intervals were lucky allies to England, for the third ball after tea saw Sievers stumped off Robins when he walked out and played across to a leg break. McCabe had been going along quietly and soundly. He was quite comfortable until he reached 50, when he introduced a hectic five minutes. He spooned up a ball from Allen that fell safe, clear of the bowler. Robins at extra cover threw underhand with all three stumps for his target and missed while McCabe was out of his ground. Next ball McCabe cut Sims just over Robmss head at cover. The same over he hit two more 4's. Oldfield came into the picture with three 4's in a bunch. This was the only time the crowd had been able to work up real enthusiasm. Details: — AUSTRALIA. (First. Innings.) J. H. Fingleton, c Sims, b Robins 38 W. A. Eirown, c Ames, b Voce 1 D. G. Bradman, c Robins, b Verity 13 K. Rigg, c Verity, b Allen 16 S. J. McCabe, not out 63 L. S. Darling, e Allen, b Verity .. 20 M. M. Sievers, st Ames, b Robins 1 W. A. Oldfield, not out 21 Extras 8 Total for six wickets 181 Fall of wicketi—One for 7, two for 33, throe for 69, four for 79, five for 122, six for 130.

BOWLING ANALYSIS. j O. M. R. W. W. Voce 14 3 41 1 G. O. .Allen 12 2 35 1 J.M.Sims 9 I 35 0 H. Verity 12.6 4 21 2 R. W. V. Robins .. 7 0 31 2 W. R. Hammond ..3 0 10 0