BROWN CARRIES HIS BAT

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 150, 28 June 1938, Page 11

BROWN CARRIES HIS BAT

AGGRESSIVE INNINGS BY O'REILLY RAIN HALTS "TOPSY-TURVY" TEST AT LORD'S Although dull and wet weather replaced the favourable conditions under which the match was commcnccd, and play was restricted to the periods before lunch and after the tea adjournment, the second cricket Test between England and Australia at Lord's produced further dramatic touches during the third day's play yesterday. In reply to England's score of 494 Australia made 422, and at stumps England had made 39 for two wickets in their second innings. The concluding stages of Australia's innings were marked by a continuation of Brown's match-saving effort and an unexpectedly productive strike by O'Reilly. Brown had the distinction of carrying his bat throughout the innings for a score of 206, and O'Reilly, in making 42 runs at a critical stage, hit Verity for two successive 6's. There was more excitement when Fames, after dismissing O'Reilly and McCormick with successive deliveries, missed the honour of finishing off the innings with a hat-trick only because a chance was dropped off Fleetwood-Smith.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received June 28. noon.) LONDON, June 27. The representative of the Australian Associated Press says: "Hammond dare not take the risk of declaring early. His first thought must be to get enough runs to make England safe and this should take long enough to enable Australia to force a draw. "After yrhat seemed, in the first quarter of an hour today, to be dangerously like defeat, the rain proved to be a welcome ally for Australia, but, before the delay, this topsyturvy match had again swung against England, when O'Reilly's purposeful hitting had tantalised and irritated the opposition. Brown, following his two fine innings in the first Test, has finally established himself as a front-rank opening batsman." TWO QUICK WICKETS. The Test was resumed in dull weather today. Brown (140) and Barnett (6) resumed Australia's first innings from the overnight total of 299 for five wickets. Shortly before the lunch interval, when rain stopped play, Australia had scored 393 for nine wickets. The gates were closed at 10.45 a.m. and thousands were turned back. Twelve-and-sixpenny tickets were offered at £2 apiece outside the gate. The attendance was 30,000. Five runs came from Farnes's first over. Barnett, in Verity's first over, tried to lift the ball to the outfield and was easily caught in the covers. Chipperfield was out lbw to the second ball of Verity's second over. His damaged finger is still painful. The last ball of Verity's second over beat and nearly bowled O'Reilly. Brown's difficulty in playing Fames was suggestive of a marked deterioration in the wicket. Verity twice more beat O'Reilly. Brown reached a fighting 150 in 290 minutes, having batted with great skill and determination. O'Reilly, when 11, was missed by Paynter of! Verity when he gave a high, difficult chance. O'Reilly then began to hit out. The pair saved the follow-on, although Hammond would probably not have enforced it. O'Reilly, batting with great vigour and with an eye for the right ball, drove Verity for two successive 6's, and the crowd gasped. COURAGEOUS STAND. The eighth wicket stand courageously added 64 in half an hour. Then Brown cover-drove Wellard for two successive 4's and O'Reilly's onslaught caused Verity to be taken off at 371 in favour of Wright, who bowled O'Reilly with his fifth no-ball. With light, rain falling, O'Reilly cracked Fames styishly for 4 through the covers and Brown's twentieth 4 came from a late cut off Wright, and he reached 184 when O'Reilly, who had scored 42 runs in 45 minutes, including two 6's and five 4's, in a splendidly hearty and often highly-polished innings, was bowled middle stump. Ninety-four runs were added today in just under one hour. McCormick cocked up the next ball to Barnett at short leg. Fames was deprived of the hat trick when Compton dropped a catch from FleetwoodSmith. Heavier rain then began to fall and the players came off the field at 12.35 p.m. There was no more play before lunch; and it was still raining at 1.15. BROWN MISSED. The rain continued until 3.30 p.m. After the captains had made two inspections of the wicket play was resumed at 4.15 p.m. in a gloomy atmosphere. Off the first ball of Wellard's second over Brown, who was then 184, mistimed a drive and should have been caught by Paynter at mid-on. The total of 400 was raised in 345 minutes. Brown was struck on the leg by Fames and Fleetwood-Smith, who withstood the fast bowling remarkably well, also took a blow on the stomach from the same bowler. Brown reached his double-century in 360 minutes. The innings ended after occupying 375 minutes. Brown carried his bat

2- through the innings, being the seventh to achieve the feat in Tests between England and Australia. Brown's magnificent innings included twenty-three boundaries. l " ENGLAND BATTING AGAIN. Barnett and Hutton walked out to :- open England's second innings but, it before a ball was bowled, rain again c stopped play. Then, half an hour later, McCormick had bowled only e three balls when the rain started again, o The players had just reached the pavilion when the shower ceased. ,|. Play was continued under unpleasant conditions with a lively wicket and l " dim light. d Both O'Reilly and McCormick made i, the ball kick. The latter was bowling r . at great pace and, in his fifth over, Barnett was caught by McCabe in the gully from a hard cut. With 17 minutes left till stumps i- Verity came in but immediately lost [. Hutton, who was brilliantly caught in the slips. McCormick, although he

j was no-balled three times, continued to bowl at violent pace, disconcerting Edrich, whom he twice struck on the . arm amid' calls of "Take him off." 1 Verity, when 5, was dropped by Fleet- " wood-Smith in the slips off O'Reilly. Details: — ; ENGLAND. - First innings 494 Second Innings. j Barnett, c McCabe, b McCormick 12 i Hutton, c McCormick, b O'Reilly .. 5 i Verity, not out 5 ; Edrich, not out 6 1 Extras .. 11 i Total for two wickets 39 ' Fall of Wickets.—One for 25, two for I 28. Bowling.—McCormick took one wicket for 16 runs, O'Reilly one for 12. AUSTRALIA. 1 First Innings. t Fingleton, c Hammond, b Wright 31 [ Brown, not out 206 I Bradman, b Verity 18 L McCabe, c Verity, b Fames 38 [ Hassett, lbw, b Wellard 56 » Badcock, b Wellard 0 i Barnett, c Compton, b Verity 8 : Chipperfleld, lbw, b Verity 1 i O'Reilly, b Fames 42 . McCormick, c Barnett, b Fames .. 0 ' Fleetwood-Smith, c Barnett, b I Verity 7 Extras » 15 Total 422 1 Fall of Wickets.—One for 69, two for ! 101, three for 152, four for 276, five for " 276, six for 301, seven for 308, eight for : 393, nine for 393, ten for 422. i ' BOWLING ANALYSIS. O. M. R. W. ! Fames 43 6- 135 3 Wellard ........ 23 2 96 2 Wright 16 2 68 1 Verity 35.4 9 103 4 • Edrich ......... 4 2 5 0