YOUNG VETERANS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 50, 1 March 1937, Page 9

YOUNG VETERANS

BADCOCK AND GREGORY

CENTURY PARTNERSHIP

ENGLAND THWARTED

(By J. B. Hobbs—Copyright in all countries—Reproduction in whole or

in part forbidden.)

MELBOURNE, February 27,

Thanks to a cool breeze and more cloud, the weather was less trying for' the second day of England's fight to regain the Ashes. There was a larger crowd, too, despite an important race meeting.

English cricket enthusiasts would be amazed at the entertainment offered between periods of play and sometimes

even between overs, when dozens of loudspeakers made announcements or played canned music. Quite one-third of the huge crowd was feminine.

Another stubborn partnership* appeared likely when Allen and his men took the field, for Bradman was still there. England's position was precarious, to say the least, but Bradman was dismissed with , the addition of only four runs, all from his bat, and the visitors received a rare fillip which, unfortunately for them, failed to turn into more urgently-needed wickets before lunch. BRADMAN'S DOWNFALL. Verity and Fames opened the attack and, as a matter of fact, the Yorkshireman was kept on at the new stand end till lunch. Panics got Bradman with the first ball of his second over. The little champion tried to force to the on side with a vertical bat a ball which was a wee bit if anything short of a length and completely missed it.

This surprised me, because I could not remember him playing at a single ball and missing it before in this great knock. One gets tired of trying to find new things to say about Bradman's marvellous qualities. This innings was as near the old Bradman as we have seen on this tour. I might add that maturity has brought solidity and made him more difficult than ever to get out when he is in the mood. His dismissal was a great disappointment for the' crowd, which wanted to see him make 200 or 300. Two youngsters, Badcock and Gregory, who will be 21 tomorrow, became associated, and the only time England looked like getting another wicket before lunch was when Gregory edged Verity just wide of Hammond at first slip. This pair are about the same height,' being small of stature, but Badcock is. the "stockier." However, Gregory was putting-much more power into his strokes today. ANOTHER HENDKEN. They played good cricket in the interests of their side, never missing a chance to crack anything scorable, .although there were Jew loose balls about. When Bradman got out there was still hope for England, but these two thwarted us and added 53 for the fifth wicket by lunch. Badcock is a beautiful stroke player with all the strokes, being' not unlike our Patsy Hendren.

All Verity could do was to try to

keep these two young veterans quiet. Fames was by far the most deadly bowler on view before lunch. The others did not trouble the batsmen unduly. At one time the score-board read: Allen, none for 83; Voce, tfoe same; and Verity, one for 88. The new ball was taken immediately after lunch, but still no reward came for England's poor bowlers. Fames still looked the most dangerous, but the closest we got to success was When first Gregory arid then Badcock put hard cuts near the gully. ' ;

After completing 50, Badcock had an inspired period when he lashed the bowlers unmercifully. Ten came in one over from Fames, two hard-hit* cuts and a grand "square drive" maignificently timed which sped like lightning to the boundary. Facing HamJtnond, who had just relieved Voce, Badcock cracked a beauty past cover. Allen could make no impression. He handed the ball to Worthingtan, in whose first over Gregory twice in succession placed wide balls luckiljy over Hammond's,head for boundaries. TREMENDOUS ENTHUSIASM. The crowd had increased, the ground apparently being packed. As Badcock approached his century and Gregory his 50, the enthusiasm was tremendous. By now the Englishmen must have been feeling very tired, but they stuck it well. The fielding was an improvement on yesterday. Now everybody did continuous good work, and some thrilling chasing of the ball and picking up were cheered. There was a breeze, but Verity had operated before lunch with it behind him, and all the fast bowlers faced it. The only explanation is that the new high stand cut it off from the field of play.

This fifth-wicket stand was another on the lines of the Bradman-McCabe partnership, without the dominating personalities. One could scarcely believe they were mere boys, practically new to Test cricket, because they were calling the tune to their seniors. All the bowlers could do was to continue turning their arms over hoping for something to happen. MAGNIFICENT CENTURY. Badcock took 17 off one of Worthington's overs, including three boundaries from cuts. A single off the last ball made him 99, and hitting Verity's first to the covers for a single, he completed a magnificent century. Two bolls later Gregory reached 50. Eventually the ball was handed to Voce with a goodluck gesture from Worthington. He must have put an influence on it. because Voce's first delivery brought the long-desired wicket. It was a wide, ball, pitching almost level with Badcock's feet. The batsman trtod to hit it square, but sent the bali straight

I to the gully, where Worfhington gratefully took the catch.

The partnership yielded 161 in 160 minutes against fairly good bowling. Certainly none of it was of. the "help yourself" "variety.

This is Badcock's first century in a Test. I feel sure many will, follow. It was Patsy Hendrcn at his best, except that there were no lofty drives. I have had' a great admiration for this boy ever since he got a, century when I first saw him at Perih, but I delayed, judgment because he did not hit the ball on the off side. Some weeks later I watched him get another- century at Sydney, when he hit all round the wicket. He has impressed me as the best of all the promising young Australian batsmen. ' Only 14 were added' after tea, when, in a shower of rain, Gregory was caught at short leg. Fames was again, the successful bowler. His four wickets for 80 at this stage represented lionhearted work. COMING AUSTRALIAN BULWARK. Eighty in a Test from a fellow who will be 21 tomorrow is a huge score. Truth to tell, I should have liked Gregory to get 100, to celebrate his majority. Here is another youngster who is going to be an Australian bulwark in future. He lacks the dynamic foi'ce of Badcock, but was the livelier today. Once he jumped out to Verity and drove him high over deep mid-off. It says much for him that he did not play second fiddle more than he did while Badcock was hitting so hard. Gregory edged a couple, but gave no chance, and refused to let the cheerI ing crowd take him out of his. stride.

Ames was again in great form behind the wicket.' In the face of this big score many people would 'criticise the bowling, but I prefer to say it was good batting. A class spin bowler such as Australia always seems to have at its disposal, might have made a difference, though I am inclined to doubt it. For one thing, the wicket is still too good, and for another, Australians play that type of bowling better than our men because they have superior stroke play. COMMENT ON BOWLERS. Allen was not up to the form he showed in previous Tests, though had a catch been taken off him early yesterday it might have made all the difference. • Neither was Voce in top gear, although he was much the better of the two. Verity's work was a great feat of endurance. I have the warmest,admiration for Fames. Apart from getting: those wickets, he was quite the most dangerous member of our attack. Australia is now in a commanding position, burl, although the majority of Australians will say England have no chance, I argue that if the positions were, reversed they would still have every confidence in the ability of their side to win. I have not given up hope, but I am Jike a drowning man. The "Observer" says: "The Englishmen require high tenacity to keep the game alive. England's greatest batting side anight well shiver at the sight of 593 for nine. We are in a deep, dark hole. Ttoe majority will be content if England makes a good fight." The "Sunday Times," after recalling that Australia are within,sight of beating their own highest score in Australia (in Melbourne in 1925), says: "Australia will give us a nice problem in 1938 as they possess youngsters apparently capable of knocking about the best English bowlers." Details: —

■ AUSTRALIA. , First Innings. Fingleton, c Voce, b Fames 17 Rigg, c Ames, b Farnes 28 Bradtaan, b Farnes ...;.......... 169 McCabe, c Farnes, b Verity 112 Badoock, c Worthington, b Voce . 118 Gregory, c Verity, b Farnes ..... 80 Oldfield, c Ames, b Voce 21 Nash, c Ames, b Farnes 17 O'Reilly, b-Voee 1 MaCormick, not out 9 Fleetwood-Smith, not out 11 Extras 10 Total for nine wickets 593 .Fall of wickets.—One for 42, two for 54, three for 303, four for 346, five for 507. six for 544, seven for 563, eight for 571, nine for 576. O. M. R. W.' Allen 17 0 99 0 Farnes 27 5 92 5 Voce 27 3 117 3 Hammond .. 16 1 62 0 ' Verity 41 5 127 1 | Worthington .. 6 0 60 0 Leyland 3 0 26 0