FIRST TEST MATCH.

Evening Star, Issue 12067, 12 December 1903, Page 5

FIRST TEST MATCH.

<£>. | AN IGNOBLE BEGINNING 1 AND A NOBLE" RECOVERY. j T]ie Australian opening at Sydney yester- ! day was disastrous, aDd damped local en- i tliusiiism considerably. The fail of three ! such capable bats as Duff, Trumper, and Hill for a miserable dozen runs staggered Australian followers of the game. In each instance the result was due to bad strokes, although on the southern end the pitch seemed to he doing a bit for the bowlers. IJirst and Arnold opened the bowling. The latter, bowling against the wind, was fatal to Trumper, who tipped one off the edge of his bat intolilley'shands. One for 2. Hill, coming next, put on a single, and then hit Arnold to the boundary. Duff then mishit Arnold, the bill going into Lilley's hands. Two for 9. Noble came in and added a couple. Hill then lushel out at one of Hirst's, which whipped up off the pitch. Hill just touched it, and Liiley. who was standing well back, effected "a catch. Three for 12. Armstrong joined his captain, and the two went in for defensive tactics, and occupied thirty-three nunul es in adding a doz.m to the "total. Both players then took a little more liberty, and got the bowlers to the boundary several I'me:-, Armstrong making some fine lea; strokes. After 25 runs had been put up play became aggressive, and Warner changed the bowlers to Bosanquet and Rraund. Runs still came f-vely, and the ha!f-eentivry went up for an hour and twenty-four minutes' play. En eh batsman was playing soundly. After lunch the players stonewalled for some time, and the excellent all-round fielding helped to keep down the runs. Arnold and Braund were bowling. At 79 Hirst replaced Arnold. Armstrong was scoring neck and neck with Noble, the Victorian making beautiful boundary strokes off Hirst. The century appeared after two and a-quar-ti-r hours' b:itting. Bosanquet relieved First, and had 9 runs knocked off his first over. Rhode? went on at Bnvurtd's end. and Rosanquet's second over terminated a useful and interesting partnership, as he clean bowled Armstrong, whose innings was a :terling one. Four for 118. Hopkins made the game lively. He gave a chance 1o Bosanquet when he had scored 7. but the fieldsman dropped the ball. The newcomer was soon in double figures, and Bosanquet being heavily punished. Hirst took his place. The tea adjournment was then taken, (he score being 160 for four wickets. Noble being not out with 80 and Hopkins not out 20. On resuming there was n double change in the bowling. Relf replacing Hirst, and Braund taking Arnold's place. Hopkins's fine boundary driving and Noble's late cutting to the fence raised the score rapidly at Rolfs expense. The bulk of Braund'»* leg stuff was left si-vere!y alone. Relf becoming costly. Rhodes relieved him. Noble drove Rhodes to the boundary, and brought his century up and the total to 200 amidst tremendous cheering. The second century was the result of tViTee hours and foftv minutes' play. Hirst then replaced Rhodes, and Hopkins, played his second ball on. The retiring batsman played a serviceable innings, which included eight fourers. Five for 200. Howell fo 1 lowed, but his stav wa.s brief, a* he lifted his usual high one, R/df securing it on the boundary. Six for 207. Gregory was next. With bis score at 109 Noble Lave what appeared to be a chance in the slips.—liis first of the innings—but Braund failed to get hold of it, and the ball went to the boundary. At this time a storm <rdhered. and 'the light became defective. Gregory, with some of his oid-time leg strokes, reached double figures. Noble continued to bat with great vigor, and had the bowling at bis mercv. H e hit Relf three times to the fence. | Several change !: of bawling were tried inefTeetmHy, till Bosamiuet went on in place of Braund. and with one of his wobhlv en-s bowled Grero'v. Seven for 259. Stumps were then drawn. Scores : ArsTßALiA.—First Innings. Trimmer, c 1 illev. b Arnold 1 Duii/e Lil'cv.*b Arnold 3 Hill, e Liil.y.* b Hirst ... 5 Noble, not out 132 Armstrong, b Bosanquet 48 Hopkins, b Hhst 39 Howell, c Ridf, b Arnold 5 Gregory, b Bosanquet 23 Extras 4 Seven wickets for 259 The attendance at the match was 17,000. A thunderstorm passed over the city at eight o'clock last night. Torrential rain fell for half an hour. WEATHER PROSPECT'S. SYDNEY, December 12. (Received December 12, at 10.54 a.m.) The thunderstorm which broke last, night cleared this morning. Very little more rain fell during the night, and at 3.30 this morning it way fine and bright with heavy clouds hanging about. The ground was fast drying. The forecast for to-day is:—" Unsettled ; more thunder." As the condition!' now stand, the Englishmen have to face a bowler's wicket afttr disposing of the balance of the home team. PRESS OPINIONS. Presi Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY. December 12. (Received December 12, at 10.45 a.m.) The 'Sydney Morning Herald' says: " Perhaps this, the first, test of the tour was never surpassed in its action on the feelings of those watching the game. When one after another three of the finest cricketers of the world went down before bowler and fieldsman the hearts of the great crowd chilled, and most poignant disappointment stamped even- face. The Englishmen had built up an enviable reputation concerning themselves which it now seemed was to he mere than justified. While the visitors let themselves* out to continue their successes, the Australians pulled themselves in for stnbbon resistance, and dragged up the ieevay in a manner so splendid that it was regarded by the thousands on the ground as a sight of the cricket age. The bowling of the visitors was of a high standard" ;il! through, and their fielding was excellent." The ' Telegraph' says that the opening stages were interesting and even exciting for j the first quarter of an hour. After that. ! however, except for the dogged, stern bn.t- ---' ting of Noble, tlw cricket was not of an able I character The Australians were playing an uphill game, and were opposed by accurate bowling and brilliant fielding. i " Felix." the well-known cricket writer j of the 'Australasian,' in his notes on the I sth inst.. says :—"After the finish of the ! South Australian match against Victoria T | lingered to see the evenings practice at the j nets as my custom is. While 1 was look- | ing on a well-known figure passed by my I elbow. I looked up and saw the redoubtj able champion bowler, H. Trumble. T asked i him if he intended to play against the Eng- ' . lish team. ' Well.' he said, '• 1' believe that ! I am in this position : that if they ask me ■ I to play I will be found in the field on New ' j Year's Day.' As a great admirer of our ; I champion. I could not expect any better answer than that under the circumstances, 3 and after thanking him I went on mv wav i rejoicing." Following are the averages of the Aust tralian team in, test matches played:'— I —Batting.—

yet played in test matehes. The following table gives some interesting details of the runs scored hi all test matches played between England and Australia: *

Sixty-six test matches have been played; England has won twenty-eight, Australia has won twenty-sis, and twelve have been drawn. In all te.sr matches H. Trumble secured 117 wickets, R. Peel 102, C. B. Turner 101, the late "Johnny" Briggs 97, T. Richardson 88, and M. A. Noble 78.

" lime s t In. Runs. N.O. . Ave. 5 1 Hill ... 37 1.562 1 45.38 j Dull' ... 16 440 1 29.33 s i Trumper ... 27 746 1 28.69 i Noble ... 30 740 a 27.40 - ; Gregory ... 60 1.455 5 26.45 1 ; Armstrong ... ... 14 256 4 25.60 j Kelly _ ..'. ... -. 36 443 12 19.25 | Hopkias .„ ... 10 164 1 16 Laver ... 9 78 1 9.75 3 ! Howell ... 18 131 4 9.32 ? ! Saunders ... 7 6 1 1

—Bowling. , Overs. Runs. Wkts. Avg. I.avcr 49.2 100 6 16.66 Noble 681.5 1,705 78 2L83 Saunders 198.1 635 27 23.51 Hopkins 17 49 2 24.50 ■ Howell 477.1 949 21 45.17 Tromper 46 119 2 59.50 : Armstrong 71 198 2 94 ! The English team's averag* >s in test ' matches are aa follow :— i - —Batting .— Times ! In. Runs. N.O. Avg. Hay ward ... 31 1.099 2 37.89 Hirst _. 13 370 1 30.83 Tylderfey ... ... 20 527 0 26.35 Brnund " ... 16 369 2 26.35 Lillev ... 26 530 2 22.03 Rhodes ... 11 85 7 21.25 ; —Bowling. I Overs. Runs. Wkts. Avg. i Rhodes 262.5 677 55 19.45 ' Eiaund ... „. 347.4 948 28 33.85 Hiivward 138.2 486 12 41.33 Hirst 209.3 574 12 48.75 Th» other members of the team have not I

—England.— Runs. 25,753 Wkts. 1.053 —Australia.— Ave;. 24.45 Runs. 24,958 Wkts. 1.121 At?. 22.26