GREAT MORAL EFFECT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 51, 2 March 1937, Page 9

GREAT MORAL EFFECT

AUSTRALIA'S SCORE

COMMENT BY HOBBS

ENGLAND'S LONG WAY TO GO

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

in part forbidden.) MELBOURNE, March 1. The moral effect of such a huge total as Australia's 604, as anyone can imagine, is enormous. . These runs are on the board. England has to get them with the weather doubtful. I was awakened by a heavy, shower at 4 o'clock in- the morning, but the "only effect on the wicket was to improve its lasting qualities. . -

Fleetwood-Smith hoisted the 600 with a single to third man, thereby equalling Australia's': record Test score in

Australia. McCormick passed it amid excitement and cheering, with a cut for four, but England's record here, 636, registered at Sydney in 1928-29, was not endangered, Fleetwood-Smith being bowled by Fames in his second over. Fames took six for 98—in such a total wonderful figures—but we did not need to look at them to know that he howled well. It was obvious all the time. Ames conceded only one bye. This was wide on the leg side and he partially stopped it. ENGLAND BATTING. England made a hectic start. Barnett cover drove McCormick's first ball for four and steered the second, which was'wide and over-pitched, between second and third slips for an-

other boundary. Off the fifth he was missed chest high by O'Reilly at third slip, a single being run. Off the next ball Worthington got another boundary, the ball flying off his glove over second slip's head. Nash, the footballer and fast bowler, •who has played scarcely any first-class cricket, gave away 12 in his opening over, including four for a beautiful shot by Barnett to the left of cover. Worthington took another 4 with an uppish cut! off the last ball of McCormick's' second over. ,

Off-the next ball England lost. Us first wicket. Barnett. trying to cut

Nash, was very well caught high up at the wicket. I thought something like this would happen. It usually does when a side makes a quick start. Often I have opened and seen the ball so well immediately that I have scored rapidly, and been caught at the wicket or got-myself out in some such silly way. The batsman, feeling in superlative form, touches a ball he would have missed in ordinary circumstances or his discretion would tell him not to-play it. But Ido not remember doing this in a Test. After Hardstaff had opened with f a single to leg, Worthington straight drove Nash to the boundary in the same over. At 47 came the first change, (XReilly replacing McCormick, who had conceded 23 runs. Hardstaff reached the square-leg boundary with a beautifully-timed stroke off Nash. He hit two 2's and a single in Fleet-wood-Smith's first over and flicked the next ball from O'Reilly off his legs for a good 4. O'Reilly opened with two maidens. QUIET PLAY AFTER LUNCH. Play opened quietly after lunch. Hardstaff passed Worthington at 25 to 24, but the latter went ahead with 10 in one over from Nash. Worthington scored seven off Fleetwood-Smith's next over, including a nice four to, fineleg, which made the partnership worth 53 in 67 minutes. Although Fleetwood-Smith kept a good length and. escaped heavy punishment, he could not make the, ball turn anything.like as much as at Adelaide. Now the shine had worn off the ball, few could be lifted above 'stump height. O'Reilly bowled many balls just outside the leg stump, a form of leg theory which was as difficult as usual j to score off. He had a silly mid-on, two short legs just far enough from the wicket to save runs, and a very wide and deep mid-oh half-way to the boundary, which covered the hook shot. With the latter man he copied Allen's field design to save fours from Bradman. . When seven came from him in one over, including an on-drive for four by Hardstaff, it looked as if we were going for runs. I hoped Worthington's jinx had departed today, because at the start he edged a few past slips which brought him runs, but he was again unluckily dismissed. Going back to hook a ball which Fingleton saved on the square-leg boundary he had the misfortune to tread on his wicket. So ended a useful innings of 44 just when he seemed set. HAMMOND OUT. A pall fell over the game and only 34 were added in an hour. With O'Reilly bowling the last over before tea, Hammond again brought into play that wristy flick at a leg ball—the same shot that proved his downfall in the first innings at Adelaide. This time he did not sky it. He timed it pretty well and it went straight to Nash low down at square-leg twenty yards from the wicket. I said at the time I did not like that stroke,-preferring Hammond to cut it out and let O'Reilly get on with his leg theory. If there had not been, a fieldsman there it would have gone to the boundary- He might have let the ball alone, but things had been very quiet, and I suppose he thought if you never try you never score. Hardstaff, too; had been slow in this period. O'Reilly, Fleetwood-Smith, Nash, and McCormick had all bowled, but the batsmen could not find loopholes in the field. Australia had not long to wait after tea before getting another wicket, only 10 beinjr added when England losi Leyland. He got his feet tied in an 3wful knot playing back to a, ball from O'Reilly, who was so surprised when he bowled him that after the cheering had brought the fact to his notice he asked Oldfield if it had hit the, wicket. . After a slow period runs came a bit faster. Wyatt hit O'Reilly for a 4 past mid-off and Hardstaff hit a 4 and a 3 off Fleetwood-Smith. Generally the batting was too slow. England had been at the wickets long enough to get many more runs. The longer)

ws dally the more the wicket will go in Australia's favour, so we must keep on the move all the time. It would take too long to wait for bad balls, consequently the batsmen must go out to make forcing strokes off the better balls. MUST SCORE OFF O'REILLY. We shall never get very far until we find how to score off Bill O'Reilly. That is the crux of the matter. He can keep an end going and Australia can bowl Fleetwood-Smith at the other till further orders. I thought there were many balls from him today that could have been driven straight or through the covers. Australia called the tune, except in that hectic period at the start. We have not the stroke players that Australia possesses. Hammond has been pegged down in the recent Tests, and Leyland has temporarily lost his offside strokes. Hardstaff played very correct, if slow, cricket. None of the bowlers troubled him much. In the last match or two, when almost too late, he has run into his best form. Australia' can be pleased with today's work. They now have us about where they want us. If we do win it will be the outstanding cricket feat of all time. Details:— AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Fingleton, c Voce, b Fames 17 Rigg, c Ames, b Fames 23 Bradman, b Fames ■.. 169 McCabe, c Fames, b Verity 112 Badcock, c Worthington, b Voce .. 113 Gregory, c Verity, b Fames 80 Oldfield, c Ames; b Voce 21 Nash, c Ames, b Fames 17 O'Reilly, b Voce 1 McCormick, not out • 17 Fleetwood-Smith, b Fames ...... _13 Extras • H Total 60-1 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, ten for 601. ■Bowling.

Details:—

ENGLAND. . ; First Innings. Barnett, c Oldfield, b Nash ...... 18 Worthington, hit wicket, b Fleet-wood-Smith 44 Hardstaff, not out 73 Hammond, c Nash, b O'Reilly 14 Leyland, b O'Reilly 7 Wyatt, not out .' 20 Extras .. ". • 8 Total for four wickets 184 Fall of Wickets.—One for 33, two for 86, three for 130, four for 140. Bowling.

o. Allen 17 Fames 28.5 Voce .....29 Hammond : 16 Verity 41 Worthington .... 6 Leyland 3 M. 0 5 3 1 5 0 0 R. 99 96 123 62 127 60 26 W. 0 6 3 0 1 0 0

McCormick S.2 Nash :..'.' 13 O'Keilly 17 Fleetwood-Smith . 18 1 0 6 3 '32 60 33 51 0 1 2 1