CRICKET.

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 493, 11 February 1908, Page 4

CRICKET.

THE FOURTH TEST MATCH. GOOD BATTING BY AUSTRALIA. ARMSTRONG~II4 NOT OUT. [BY ELECTBIO TELEGBAPH— OP -RIGHT.] (PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Melbourne, February 10. The Aveather was beautiful, ymd the wicket rolled out splendidly, being slow and easy. The day's work on the whole placed Australia in an excellent position and, though for the j greater part play was dull and of a ' stubborn, patient character, the last half-hour was tremendously lively and enthusiastic. Hill and Gregory played cautiously. The former was the first to go, through the magnificent work and machine-like precision of Barnes at cover point. With one hand he fielded Hill's stroke and retufned to Humphries, and Hill fell in endeavouring to regain his crease. An unusual thing in Hill's score was that it contained no boundary hits. Gregory was joined by Armstrong, but the Sydney ite soon departed. Armstrong and Ransford became associated and the latter quickly got going. A hundred was scored in 135 minutes. Rhodes bowled well, keeping a beaur tiful length. After lunch, Fielder and Rhodes took the bowling, and Ransford, when 26, gave a chance to Crawford in the slips off Fielder. Ransford was batting in high class fashion when he was caught at the wicket, after an innings of 103 minutes in which there wore only three boundary strokes. Macartney and Armstrong proved a j fast partnership which scored 54 in 33 • minutes, of which Macartney made 29. In the first over after tea Macartney was dismissed. Play, so far, had been dullish, but Carter enlivened the proceedings, scoring five successive fourers. Armstrong gained 88, which constituted his highest test score, amidst cheers. The partnership yielded 112 runs, and when Carter was caught in the slips, he received an ovation from the spectators. He hit 11 fourers. O'Connor and Armstrong outplayed time. The concluding half-hour was full of excitement, and enthusiasm. Armstrong, up to the fifties, had played wearisome cricket, but afterwards he opened out into dash and brilliancy, and there waß the wildest enthusiasm when ho twice successfully droveJßraund for a sixer. It was a magnificent and thrilling termination of the day's play, completely lifting it from practical dullness. Armstrong received an ovation on returning to the pavilion. He had batted 255 minutes, and hit twelve fourers and two sixers. Tho wicket is lasting well. The attendance was 12,000. Crawford consulted the doctors, as he was feeling unwell, having strained his right side and his heart. The doctors recommend him to see a London specialist. If England loses, Crawford will not play again in Australia ; otherwise, he plays only in the last test. To-day's fielding was superb, Australia fought for every run and many couples were made into singles by the brilliancy of the Englishmen. The bowling was good. Scores: — 'AUSTRALIA.— Second Innings. Trumpet, b Crawford ... ... 0 Noble, b Crawford ... ... 10 Hill, run out ... ... ... 26 McAlister, o Humphries, b Fielder 4 Gregory, Ibw, b Fielder ... 29 Ransford, c Humphries, b Rhodes 54 Armstrong, not out ... ... 114 MacArtney, c Gunn, b Crawford 29 Carter, c Braund, b Fielder ... 66 O'Connor, not out ... ... 12 Sundries ... ... ... 15 i Total for 8 wickets . ... 358 Australia's wickets fell as follows: four for 65, five for 77, six for 162, seven for 217, eight for 329.