"RIDICULOUS TRAVESTY"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 45, 22 August 1938, Page 9

"RIDICULOUS TRAVESTY"

START. OF FIFTH CRICKET TEST

PERFECT WICKET RENDERS BOWLERS IMPOTENT

With time no object in the fifth cricket Test, England v. Australia, which commenced at the Oval oh Saturday, it would seem from England's first-day performance with the bat that the foundation has been laid for a marathon Test. Circumstances may arise to change the outlook, but, both sides being packed with batsmen, there is the prospect of very heavy scoring, as in the case of the 1930 and 1934 Tests on this ground, though with England this time showing the way. Already in this Test England has scored 347 for the loss of one wicket, one which gave O'Reilly his century of captures in Test cricket. Edrich was out leg-before for 12. Australia's bowling, which was apparently chosen for a rainaffected wicket, McCormick being out of the side, was mastered on a perfect wicket by the Yorkshiremen Hutton and Leyland, as second-wicket partners, to the extent that these batsmen, at stumps, were well on the way to doubling England's second-wicket Test record. When the day's play ended the partnership Avas still intact, with Hutton at 160 and Leyland at 156. There was much of a safetyfirst policy about the batting.

It is suggsted by W. A; Oldfield that the sides seemed bent on a .war of-attrition and D. R. Jardine commenls that "both sides gambled in selecting their bowling." Howard Marshall describes the day's play «as a "ridiculous travesty of cricket." >

United Press Association—By Electric Tel* graph— CopyrlghL (Received August 22, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 21. W. A. Oldfield, writing in the "Sunday Dispatch," says:—Fielding only three regular bowlers, England and' Australia both seem determined on a war, of attrition. In view of the perfect wicket England

may eclipse Australia's 701 at the Oval in 1934."

D. R. Jardine, writing in the "Observer," says:—"Both sides gambled in the selection of their bowling but Australia was the more courageous, apparently hoping to win the toss. Such a wicket, which reduced the world's present best bowler to impotence, is a freak and is not conducive to the best interests of the game." j Howard Marshall, writing in the "Daily Telegraph," says.:—"Although Hutton and Leyland did magnificently it was a ridiculous travesty of cricket due to a heartbreaking wicket reducing the bowling to a futile formality. The wicket is so grossly in favour of the batsmen that it entirely destroys the balance of the game. O'Reilly could barely spin the ball,,and it was pathetic to see such a great bowler robbed of his art. England should score 1000 runs in view of the batting strength. Such a grotesque total does not appear impossible." The forecast is for mainly fair weather apart from the chance of slight showers. LONDON, August 20. The Australian Associated Press critic says: "The Australians must rely on a prodigious success on the part of their batsmen to compensate for the failure of the bowlers if the, rubber is to be won outright and not merely drawn. The Australian bowlers so far have escaped fairly lightly. The Yorkshiremen attached more importance to keeping their wickets intact than to following the dictum that the last hour is the best time for run-getting against tired bowlers. "They preferred to take safe 2's and sharp singles to prevent the bowlers from concentrating on either partner. It was a stout, authentically Yorkshire performance, proving how well-founded is Australia's respect for Leyland, while Hutton, quick-footed and wristy, though not brilliant, seems to be heading to become a rather sounder version of Sutcliffe." The official attendance was 16,499. The capacity of the Oval is 35,000. The weather was fine, crisp, and sunny, and the wicket appeared to be in excellent order when play began. Rain temporarily' held up play about the tea adjournment. THE TEAMS. The teams are:— Australia, —D. G. Bradman, captain, S. J. McCabe, C. L. Badcock, S. Barnes, B. Barnett, W. A. Brown, J. H. Fingleton, L. 08. Fleetwood-Smith, A. L. Hassett, M. Waite, W. J. O'Reilly, and E. S. White, twelfth man. _^ England. —W. R. Hammond, captain, K. Fames, M. Leyland, H. Verity, W. E. Bowes, L. Hutton, E. Paynter, D. C. Compton, W. J. Edrich, J. Hardstaff, A. Wood, and A. Fagg, twelfth man. It was announced that McCormick was omitted on account of neuritis of the shoulder, thus weakening Australia's attack. C. B. Fry, however, says that McCormick is not suffering from neuritis, but was simply dropped, a fact which the Australians may regret before the match ends. O'REILLY'S 100 th WICKET. Hammond won the toss for the fourth time in succession and England batted. The first hour's play was slow, McCabe and Waite opening the bowling. The former mixed slows with medium-paced deliveries. Neither Hutton nor Edrich was taking any liberties with Waite. • The first wicket to fall was Edrich's, after three-quarters of an hour, in O'Reilly's third over, giving" him his hundred Test wickets.

Leyland began cautiously. He was quite happy against Fleetwood-Smith, and scored faster than Hutton, but was less sound. Both Fleetwood-Smith and O'Reilly bowled a consistent length.

Details:—

The rate of scoring was subdued until just before lunch, wnen the score was 89 for one wicket. Australia's enforced reliance on spin prevented the batsmen from getting on top.

Within half an; hour after lunch Bradmah had tried, all four bowlers, and in this period England's batting was admirable, Leyland's particularly. He .had a narrow escape at 70, when he nearly played Waite on. Bradman at this stage tried Barnes, who sent down a creditable first over, j Meanwhile Fleetwood-Smith was get-! ting expensive, one over yielding .12 j runs. CENTURIES BEACHED. Hutton reached his century in three hours, when the pair had added 189 and established a new second-wicket record for England, against Australia in Tests. Leyland was 40 minutes in the nineties before registering his century in three hours 25 minutes. Rain stopped play at 4.25 p.m. with England's score standing at 242. Hutton gave possible chances at 40 and 48, otherwise he had not offered the bowlers much hope. The wicket was playing perfectly and the batting was of a "type likely to win Tests. j Play was resumed after tea in sun-j shine. The rate of scoring was not remarkable; perhaps a run a minute. The batsmen were finding it difficult to penetrate the field, while the bowling generally was accurate. The batsmen refused to take risks, and fewer than 50 runs were scored in the last hour. Hutton hit fifteen 4's and Leyland fourteen 4's.

ENGLAND. First Innings. Hutton, not out ........... 160 Edrich, lbw, b O'Reilly '.... 12 Leyland, not out 156 Extras ....' 19 Total for one wicket ...... 347 Bowling Analysis. O. M. R. W. Waite ........ 33 5 62 v 0.-, McGabe 17 ,4 45 0 O'Reilly 35 10 79 I Fleetwood-Smith 35 3 121 0 Barnes 11 2 21 0