M.C.C. TEAM

Evening Star, Issue 22578, 20 February 1937, Page 15

M.C.C. TEAM

ANDTHER DISAPPOINTING DISPLAY EIGHT WICKETS DOWN FOR 169 RETURN MATCH AGAINST VICTORIA [By J. B. Hobbs.] (Copyright in all countries. Reproduction "in whole or in part forbidden.) MELBOURNE, February 19_. The match between England and Victoria was commenced to-day. Allen, Fishlock, Fagg, Fames, Duckworth, and Worthington are standing down from the English team. The Victorian team is as follows: — Ebeling, Rigg, Lee, Gregory, Hassett, Ledward), Pearson, Sievers, Barnett, M'Cormick, and Nash; O’Brien twelfth man. „ . England’s early batsmen figured m a startling collapse on a fast wicket. The English batsmen broke another drv spell soon after reaching Melbourne. Though the weather was brilliant this morning, an overnight thunderstorm delayed the start of the match till 2.30. The sky then became overcast ‘and a breath less atmosphere threatened more thunder. Half an inch of rain made the turf near the cover on the wicket very soft. It was a slow, dull opening, but only because of the weather and because everyone’s mind , was occupied with thoughts of the great event to be staged here next Friday.. Robins, still deputising for Allen, won the toss. England made another deplorable start, this time worse than ever, am in thes hour and a-half before tea lost five wickets for 49 runs. , M'Cormick and Nash opened the bowling, and all that came from the first two overs was a bye. In M'Cormick’s second over Barnett and Verity each got a single, but off the seventh ball Barnett was caught in the gully, high up, off a ball that rose considerably. In McCormick’s first over there had’ been an appeal for a catch in the same position, which the bowler’s umpire referred to his colleague, who shook his head. Pearson, the fieldsman concerned, was, in the limelight, for in Nash’s second over he caught Verity in the same place after the Yprkshireman had been missed there two balls before. Only 10 runs came in 40 minutes, when Hammond, having cut at two successive balls from M'Cormick without connecting, hit the last one of the over past cover for 4, all run out. . Nash, having delivered three overs, went on at M'Cormick’s end. Hardstaff livened things up by scoring a 4 and a 2 to leg. In Nash’s second over at the new end Hardstaff hooked one for 2 and then cut one straight to the gully, giving Pearson his third catch. Hammond cut Ebeling for 4, and _ then was bowled when not attempting to play -the ball. M'Cormick replaced Nash in another change, which was successful, Wyatt being caught at the wicket off the fourth balL The pitch was certainly lively, but it invariably is ’ here. To begin with, a certain amount of moisture is necessary in its preparation to make it last, and this makes it sweat under cover. Victoria, with three pacey bowlers and two medium, has an attack which, is able to take advantage of this. M'Cormick we knew was a good fast bowler. Nash bowled against England last tour, but not in the first match this season. Short in stature, he has speed. Both delivered a number of short balls that reared and were difficult to negotiate, but this cannot be offered as an excuse for. the feeble display. Ebeling bowled a good length throughout. Recently English batsmen have shown a great dislike for a rising ball, Hardstaff, who plays it well, facing it and getting his bat right up in the air. However, allowing for the poor resistance, it was,a really good bit of bowling by Victoria before tea. After tea Sievers bowled for the first time. Ames hit the second ball for 4, cut the next, and hit another 4. Leyland on-drove the last ball of his second over to the boundary, so it looked as if England was in for a much-needed stand, but hopes were dashed when Leyland, in trying to offdrive • Sievers, hit the ball hard, but his timing was sadly out, and he was easily caught at extra cover. Robins played a plucky knock, and helped Ames to add 66 for the seventh wicket. Both made splendid shots. Many 4’s resulted, and for the first time to-day we saw the fieldsmen chasing the ball. One cause was that the life seemed to go out of the wicket. Another was that Ebeling did not bowl Nash. M‘Cormick, or himself much more. The batsmen relished the other bowlers more. Despite the improvement, the poor display of the earlier batsmen was disconcerting, with the test in the offing. There was certainly a suspicion that they were playing carelessly. Even so, 1 am worried. I am afraid they aren’t batting as Well as prior to the fourth tost. Perhaps the players have been suffering from too much cricket and gone stale. One bright note is that Ames seems to be absolutely at. the top of his form. Details:— ENGLAND. First Innings. Verity c Pearson b Nash ... ... 1 Barnett c Pearson b M'Cormick ... 1 Hardstaff c Pearson h Nash ... 14 Hammond b Ebeling 14 Leyland c Ledward b Sievers ... 19 Wyatt c Barnett b M'Cormick ... 1 Ames not out 59 Robins c Nash b Pearson d 3 Sims c Ledward b Ebeling 16 Voce not out - ••• 8 Extras 3 Total for eight wickets ... 169

EARLY BATSMEN AGAIN FAIL SYDNEY, February 20. (Received February 20, at 11 a.m.) The ‘ Herald’s ’ cricketing writer, commenting on England’s dramatic loss of the first six batsmen for 66 runs, points out they are all test players. The wicket was fast and lively. It was a collapse similar to that in the first innings against New South Wales on the fast Sydney wicket, but t there was a difference later in the day when Ames and Robbins figured in a bright stand. The fast howlers, M'Cormick and Nash, made the ball rise in a disconcerting fashion, and, as in Sydney, England’s early batsmen failed against this type of attack. This has enlivened the discussion on the probable selection for the final test team. Nash, who played for an Australian eleven against England in Melbourne in 1932-33, has been looked upon in Melbourne as a rival to M'Cormick. He maintained his pace well yesterday. The attendance was 6,824,