AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 May 1938, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

TOUR’S BRILLIANT START BRADMAN’S DOUBLE CENTURY [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.) LONDON, April 30. The Australian cricketers, thanks to D. G. Bradman, opened their tour well with a heavy first-innings score against Worcestershire. Bradman, with .an. innings of 258, made his third successive double century against this county in the opening match of an Australian tour. The teams are: — Australia —D. G. Bradman (captain), S. J. McCabe, C. L. Badcock, B. A. Barnett, W. A. Brown, J. H. Fingleton, L. O’B, Fleetwood-Smith, A. L. Hassett, E. L. McCormick, W. J. O’Reilly, M. G. Waite, E. S. White.

Worcestershire —Hon. C. J. .Lyttelton (captain), R. H. C. Human, H. H. Gibbons, C. H. Bull, S. H. Martin, R. T. D. Perks, R. Howorth, E. Cooper, S. Buller, A. P. Singleton, R. J. Crisp. 'This is the county’s strongest team, except for the absence of R; C. M. Kimpton, the young Australian batsman, who has been a student at Oxford. Worcestershire played 32 matches last season, won 10, lost 17, and drew five.

Lyttelton won the toss and sent the Australians in to bat on a good, fast wicket, explaining that the crowd had come to see Australia bat, and candidly adding “that there was less chance of a fiasco that way.” The South African medium-fast test oowier, Crisp, opened the attack before an overcoated crowd, which grew from 12,000 to 14,000, a record. Brown was completely beaten in Crisp’s third over, and was out leg before wicket. Fingleton was batting quietly and Bradman was cautious and slow to begin. Fingleton mistimed one and was well caught in the covers. He was more enterprising than usual, and his score included five fours. McCabe joined Bradman, and the pair went along quietly until lunch, when the score was 112 for two wickets. McCabe after lunch opened his shoulders, and Perks brought one in sharply and rooted out his off stump. Bradman, having settled down, showed a wide range of strokes and with Badcock receiving little of the bowling, the partnership realised 100 in an hour. Bradman had made 143 in two hours. One over from Human, who bowled high-tossed slows, yielded 27. Badcock was aggressive after tea and joined in the process of pulverising the bowling, which thoroughly disheartened the bowlers, but delighted the onlookers. The fine partnership was dissolved when Badcock stepped out to cover-drive and was nicely caught in the covers. Howorth was recalled, and with his second ball got Bradman, who, in trying to late-cut, was caught in the slips. It was a faultless innings, which included 32 fours and revealed practically every stroke of Bradman’s repertoire. Scores:— .. . AUSTRALIA; —First Innings. Fingleton, c Crisp, b Howorth .. 41 Brown, lbw., b Crisp 2 McCabe, b Perks 34 Bradman, c Martin, b Howorth 258 Badcock, c Singleton, b Perks .. 67 Hassett, not out 21 Barnett, b Crisp 16 White, not out 6 Extras 29 Total for six wickets .. .. 474 “BETTER THAN EVER.” LONDON, May 1. Cricket writers compliment Bradman on his additional record of a third double century in succession at Worcester. The "Sunday Times” says: “Bradman is better than ever. He drove exquisitely and late-cut most cheekily.” Tho M.C.C. announces that the tickets for the test match at Lords are sold out.

EFFICIENT MACHINE (Rec. May 2, 1 p.m.) LONDON, April 1. Howard Marshall, writing in the “Daily Telegraph’’ says: Bradman is as great a batsman as ever. His greatness dwarfs his most eminent contemporaries including McCabe, who is among the world’s first three batsmen, but McCabe is not going to allow ns forget him. Fingleton is also going to trouble England exceedingly. There is no doubt about Badcock’s quality. Hassett’s flowing strokes demanded attention. The team already exhibits a machine-like efficiency, indicating that Australia will be just as hard to beat as ever.

YORKSHIRE V. M.C.C. LONDON, April 30. Yorkshire, first innings, made 339 (Smailes 67, Wood 69, Sims four for 77) against M.C.C. 46 for the loss of one wicket.