THE TEST MATCH

Feilding Star, Volume 2, Issue 423, 27 December 1924, Page 5

THE TEST MATCH

AUSTRALIA'S RIG LEAD. : :f RUT ENGLAND STILL FIGHTING. ÜBy Electric Cable.—-uooyngrit;. (Aust. and Cabie Association.) ~ ' Sydney, Dec. 24. The weather was dull but fine when England resumed their second innings, lequiring 563 runs to win. The wicket was in excellent condition considering that this was the sixth day or. the match. The outfield was good. The attendance was 20,000 at the commencement. Hobbs and Sutcliffe quickly settled down. Mai ley was bowling well and wa;, played carefully except his loose ones which were pitched well mi arid drove or pulled to the fence. Gregory, with the wind behind him, was sending the ball down very quickly, caused Hobbs some anxiety when one bounced over his head. Both men cut .him nicely. When Sutcliffe was facing Mailey, Collins placed a man at short mid-off in the hope of making a catch. He later adopted the same move with Hobbs and it proved successful, the batsman just tapping' a soft, one to Hendry. Hobbs scored more quickly than Sutcliffe till their scores were equal at 41 each. Then they kept together reaching 50 in 104 and 105 minutes respectively. The century also appeared in 105 minutes. Hobbs batted 111 minutes, the partnership yielded 110 runs.

Sutcliffe showed more confidence than in the first innings and played very correct cricket, finding the holes in. the field nicely. Bardsley, in the outfield, had a great deal of intercepting to do and acquitted himself well. Play slowed down till Chapman arrived. heT crowd e Apected great things. He hit the second six of- the match, putting Mailey twice over the fence and played vigorously, driving strongly. When the score was 187 Chapman was riearty run out by a, quick return from A. Richardson, and again a run later from Ponsford. The partnership with Sutcliffe put on 62 and lasted 46 minutes. Sutcliffe continued in good ' style. The second century appeared for 184 minutes' play. HencTren failed to maintain his average. He occupied the crease for 26 minutes. The Australian fielding, while good (especially that of Y. Richardson), lacked, the cleanness and snap of the Englishmen's. Hendren, in making a hit over his head off Gregory, split his hat.

Rain commenced at 3.15 and !0 minutes- Inter the teams left the field. \Plny was resumed fit 4.5", when the attendance had increased to 29,000. The tea adjournment bad been taken during, the rain, which caused the outfield to become, slippery'.

Suteliffe readied bis century off the second ball, after batting 209 minutes. He showed much skill in timing, pulling Gregory's head-high balls to leg boundary. Fifteen runs later a ball from. Mai ley bounced off his wrist. Any other fieldsman fcnsin Gregory, with, bis long reaen, would have missed it. Suteliffe had batted 247 minutes. He hit nine fours, and gave no chances. Wool ley gave a nice exhibition, hitting all round the wicket, picking the vacant ' spaces with precision, and- square-cutting.bril-liantly. When the board showed 262 Oldfiold snapped his bails off, but the batman's foot was just inside. With Sutcliffe's departure a Tot set in, Sandbam* Tate and Gilligan going cheaply. Kolleway tooK two wickets for none. Wool ley kept going and made 50. in 67 minutes. He hit Mailcy over the fence. Three hundred appeared in 28], minutes, freeman provided a. temporary bright spot. The conditions towards the end became unpleasant, rain threatened, and the light commenced to fail, preceded by lightning and thunder. Rain came down again at 5.30, and seven minutes later the teams left the field. Play was resumed at 5.55, and it was agreed to extend the time a quarter of an hour. At 03 Woolley was missed by Mailey at deep cover. Shortly afterwards with the score at 8 for 302 stumps were drawn. Scores:— England. First Innings.

Hobbs, f Kolloway, 1) Gregory 115 Sutcliffe, c V. Richardson, b Mailey 59 Hen rne, c Andrews, b Mai ley _ 7 Woolley, b Gregory 0 Hendron, not mil 74 Sandham, b Mailey 7 Chapman, run out ? v . 13 Tate, c Andrews, b Mailey ... 7 Gilligan, b Gregory 1 Freeman, b Gregory .. 0 Strndwiok, lbw., b Gregory. ... 6 Extras 9 Total 298

Bowling analysis.—Gregory, 5 for 1.1.1; Kelleway, 0 for 44 ; Mailey, 4 for 129;'Hendrv, 0 for 5. ' '/.'' i' .'",'■■ ■ i Fall of wickets: 1 for 157; 2 for 171; 3 for 172; 4 for 202; 5 for 235; 6 for 254; 7 for 272; 8 for 274 ; 9 for 274; 10 for 298. , Second Innings.

Hobbs, o Hendry, b Mafley 57 Sutcliffe, c'Gregory, b iVlailey ... .115 Hearne, b Gregory ... 0 Chapman, c Oldfield, b Henry ... 44 Hendren, c Gregory, b Hendry ... .9 TP/jolley, not out .... “94 Sandham, c Oldfield; ,b iVlailey ... 2 Tate, c Ponsoi’d," U KelleWay . 0

Gi Rigan, b Keleway 1 Freeman, not out 33 Extras Total for eight wickets 362

Australia. —First Innings

Collins, c Hericlren, h Tate 114 Bardsley, c Woolley, 1> Freeman 21 Ponsford, b Gilliyan HQ A. Birhardson, b Hearne 22 Taylor, 1) Tate 43 V. Bicbardson, b Freeman 42 Kelleway, e Woolley, b Tate —•• 17 Hendry, c Stnuhyiok, b Tate 3 Gregory, e Strudwiek, b Tate ... 0 Oldfield, not out 1 39 Mai lev, b Tate , •• 21 Extras 18 Total 450

Bowling analysis. l —Tate 6—130, Gilligan I—o2, Freeman 2—124, Hearrie 1 28, Woo!ley 0-35, Hobbs 0—13; Chapman o—lo. Fall of wickets: 4.6, 230, 275, 286, 304. 374, 387. 387-, 388, 450. Second Inning

Rii rdsley, 1) Tate 22 A Richardson e and !> Freeman '9B Kelleway, b Gilligan 23 Collins, e Chapman, b Tate 99 Ronsford, e Woolley, It Freeman 27 V. Richardson, c Hendren, b Tate 18 Hendry, c Strndwick, 1) Tate ... 22 Taylor, b Tate 198 Oldfield, c Strodwick, b Gilligan 18 Gregory, c Woolley, b Freeman 2 Mnilev,' not out' ••• 19 Fxtras 8 Total 492

Bowling.—Gilligan 2—114, Tate .5—98, Freeman 3—124, Hear'ne o_BB, Chapman o—lo. How the, wickets fell. One for 40, two for 115,/"three for 186, four for 210. five for 241, six for 260, seven or 281, nine or 325. ten or 452. JACK HOBBS THE CENTLRY--1 MAKER THE HEjRALB'S PRAISE (Received Dec. 27, 10.30 a.m.) Sydney, Dec. 27. Commenting on the cricket, the Herald says the successful partnership of Hobbs and iSutelifTe was the leading special feature of the batting. In making an opening partnership of over 100 runs 'in each innings of the match the pair achieved something that had never been done before. If there is one present-day player more than another with whom one associates the words "a hundred," it is Jack Hobbs. A glance at statistics shows the occasions on which ho has helped to put up three figures For the first wicket in first-class cricket number 97 this is an experience altogether unique. Even Dr. W. 0. Grace in his long and wonderful career took part in no more than 60 such partnerships, hut possibly that he did not do so is due to the fact that he did not got players to stav with him so consistently as Hobbs. riAWKE CUP MATCH. NELSON v. HAWKE'S BAY. The Hawke Cup match, Hawke's Bay v. Nelson, commenced to-day, on a sodden wicket in threatening weather. Nelson sent the Bay in, and two wickets were down for Six runs. After several interruptions through rain play was abandoned at four o'clock, when Hawke's Bay had lost five wickets for 140. BeMtiu, who was missed before scoring, ami again later, played a good innings for 89, not out. The scoring was painfully slow, except Bernau in patches. Neale (two for 17) was the most successful howler of the nine tried.