Courageous Fight on Bad Wicket

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 December 1946, Page 4

Courageous Fight on Bad Wicket

Australia Wins by Wide Margin BRISBANE, December 4. By 5 p.m. to-day Australia had won the first test match by an innings and 332 runs. England again batted pluckily on a rain-damaged wieket in a vain effort to offset Australia’s colossal lead, but following on at 1 p.m. was all out for 172 in the second innings. Australia scored 6’45 in its first innings, and the English first innings* score was 141. L. Hutton went first ball to K. Miller, neatly caught by S. G. Barnesal short forward leg. From then onward England was always struggling against impossible odds. W. J. Edrich, hero of the first innings, was l.b.w. to E. Toshack, the second wicket falling for 13 runs and a stand by W. R. Hammond and D. C. S. Compton did no more than lend- passing encouragement to the dressing-room watchers.

The brightest batting.of the second innings was when J. T. Ikin and P. A. Gibb put on 47 in 32 minutes, and caused the hundred to be raised in 113 minutes, but when these two left the end was not long delayed. The wicket recovered amazingly overnight, a start being possible at noon on time. The outfield, which was inches under water last night, was a firm carpet of green. Soon after. 10 o’clock this morning it was being mown while the wicket rolled out surprisingly well, although still full of spite as far as the batsmen were concerned. All the luck of the game was against the M.C.C. team, which batted on two bad wickets successively. The game suggested that the Australian attack still has some weaknesses, and that the remaining tests may largely depend on the luck of the toss and the weather. R. Lindwall was sent to hospital with malaria overnight and was not at the ground to-day. Scores: — AUSTRALIA First innings 645 ENGLAND 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. Hammond, lbw., b Toshack. . 32 J. T. Ikin, c Tallon b Miller .. 0 N. W. D. Yardley, c Tallon b Toshack 29 F. A. Gibb, b Miller 13 W. Voce, not out .. - • • • 1 A. V. Bedser, lbw, b Miller . . 0 D. V. P. Wright, c Tallon b Toshack 4 Extras 16

Total 141 Fall of wickets: one for 10; two for 25; three for 45; four for 46; five for 46; six for 121; seven for 134; eight for 136; nine for 136; 10 for 141. BOWLING

Second Innings L. Hutton, c Barnes, b Miller ... 0 C. Washbrook, c Barnes, b Miller 13 W. J .Edrich, lbw., b Toshack .. 7 D. C. S. Compton, b Barnes, b Toshack U 5 W. R. Hammond, b Toshack .. 23 J. T. Ikin, b Tribe 32 N. W. D. Yardley, c Hassett, b Toshack 0 P. A. Gibb, Iwb Toshack .. .. H W. Voce, c Hassett b Tribe .. ■■ 18 A. V. Bedser, c and b Toshack.. 18 D. V. P. Wright, not out .. .. 10 Extras - • 25

Fall of wickets: one for 0; two for 13; three for 33; four for 62; five for 65; six for 65; seven for 112; eight for 114 nine for 151; 10 for 172.

Australian Bowlers Not Impressive BRISBANE, December 4. England’s defeat in this match has had nothing of shame in it; against a jumping, spinning ball, the batsmanship of Hammond, Edrich, Washbrook, Compton and Yardley must have served as an education in sticky wicket methods to every Australian present at Brisbane from Bradman downwards, writes Neville Cardiis. . Il is hardly likely that Hammond will again be treated so shabbily by fortune. To be caught once on a sticky wicket when facing a total of 600 runs is bad enough. To be caught twice in the same match is wicked. Brisbane has told us little of the relative merit of the two teams. Had England won the toss I doubt if Australia would have survived as long as England. . . , , But Australia did a little to-day to redeem herself in the field after Monday’s unsophisticated bowling. Toshack, in spite of too many long hops, bowled often as a left-hander should bowl on a wicket of his dreams. Yet he is far from test match class. Australia will do well to pray for fine weather in all the remaining matches. The luck of the toss, and luck in general usually turn with a vengeance. Indeed, the Australian victory was not at all convincing. The failure to finish the proceedings after Hammond’s downfall was rather an anti-climax. Ikin kept the flag Pyy}g for .his side and drove even lightheartedly some variable stuff, notaoly from Tribe. After this opportunity of looking closely at Australia’s attack on a spitfire pitch, Hammond and his men need not keep awake worrying overmuch about it. If they go to bed I praying for good wickets to bat upon they should be able to sleep tolerably well. In the second innings, Toshack achieved the authentic spin of his breed and school. To-day he occasionally observed a length and direction that compelled attention. When a left-handed bowler of Toshack’s pace is not holding the lively interest of at least two short slips and the wicket-keeper he should go home or give his right arm a chance.

O. M. R. W. R. Lindwall 12 4 23 0 K. Miller 22 4 60 7 E. Toshack 16.5 11 17 3 G. Tribe 9 2 19 0 C .V. McCool .. 1 0 5 0 S. Barnes 1 0 1 0

Total .. ..172 BOWLING O. M. R. W. K. Miller . . 11 3 17 2 E. Toshack . . 20.7 2 82 6 G. Tribe . . 12 2 48 2