CRICKET Storm Stops Play In Test

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 December 1946, Page 4

CRICKET Storm Stops Play In Test

M.C.C. Loses Five Wickets

for 117

BRISBANE, Dec. 3. A heavy storm preceded by dull light stopped play on the fourth day of the test match between Australia and the M.C.C. team at 4.21 p.m., after a 20-minute break through ram just after 3 p.m. At that stage England had scored 117 runs for the loss of five wickets in reply to Australia s first innings score of 645. ; ' The English batsmen struggled lor. runs all day on a pitch saturated by torrential tropical rain overnight, the fall being 165 points. When stumps were drawn the English captain, W. R. Hammond, and N. W. D. Yardley were not, out .with scores of 30 and 25 respectively. All the English wickets fell to the Victorian fast bowler, K. Miller. He took them for 44 runs in fceven overs, and used the pace of the wicket advantageously. , W. J. Edrich played a magnificent innings, staying 105 minutes for his 16 runs. He may never play a greater innings for England, for he took a savage battering on the body and hands from all the bowlers. Even E. Toshack was a menace on the wicked pitch, which began to approach the sticky stage after half an hour. In one over Miller hit Edrich five times —on the chest, ribs, hips, and hands. Still facing a huge task with five wickets down for 117, Hammond took control, while Yardley showed fine spirit. The pair were batting confidently at the tea interval on a pitch which seemed to be improving, and were becoming more comfortable when the storm broke. The storm was one of the worst in Brisbane for years. Sheets of iron from the grandstand were whirled loose, and spectators sheltering were drenched by driving rain and simultaneously pelted with hailstones. All prospect of further play was washed out within a few minutes, the outfield being inches under water and like a lake.

When play was resumed in the morning England opened slowly with three off the first over; a single to, Washbrook and two extras. Miller took over the Australian attack from Toshack, and his first delivery cost England a man, Washbrooke being caught by Barnes at leg for six. Compton began in fine style. In spite of the unfavourable wicket, he had 14 runs on in 22 minutes. He went out at 17, however, to an anklehigh ball from Miller, which found his leg right in front of the wicket. Miller took a much shorter run than usual for his deliveries this morning. Hammond was given a great reception as he came out to replace Compton. His advent was also the occasion of a change in the bowling, Lindwall replacing Toshack. Scores: —■ AUSTRALIA First innings 64b M.C.C. First Innings L. Hutton, b Miller 7 C. Washbrook, c Barnes, b Miller 6 W. J. Edrich, c McCool, b Miller 16 D. C. S. Compton, lbw, b Miller .. 17 W. R. Hammond, not out . . ■ ■ 30 J. T. Ikin, c Tallon, b Miller .. 0 N. W. D. Yardley, not out . . .. 25 Extras 16

Total for five wickets •. . . . 117 Allegation of Bodyline Bowling LONDON, Dec. 3. A combined dispatch from Brisbane by Reuter and the Exchange Telegraph Agency describes how C. Washbrook was hit on the forehead and W. J. Edrich five times on the body during the first over from the Australian fast bowler, K. Miller. The dispatch says: “This was indeed bodyline bowling even if it was not the same as caused such a storm in Jardine’s tour. Nevertheless it showed that an Australian bowler can exploit the short bumping ball to intimidate the batsmen.” FOUR TESTS FOLLOW PRESENT MATCH Each of the cricket tests in the present series in Australia has been set down for six days, with the conditional arrangement that, if the winning of the rubber is still at stake, the final test shall be played to a finish. The second test will begin in Sydney on December 13, the third in Melbourne on New Year’s Day, the fourth in Adelaide on January 31, and the final match in Sydney on February 28. Previously all test matches in Australia, except for a few in the | early eighties, were played to a finish. The last drawn test in Australia was in 1882.