TEST CRICKET M.C.C. Slump: Australia In Winning Position

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 February 1947, Page 4

TEST CRICKET M.C.C. Slump: Australia In Winning Position

ADELAIDE, February. 5 England suffered a batting slump when the fifth day of the fourth test match began on the Adelaide Oval to-day, and at stumps had lost eight wickets for 274 runs. Australia scored 487 in its first innings, and England’s score was 460.

C. Washbrook went to a catch be- I hind by D. Tallon off R. Lindwall from the sixth ball of the day. Tactics played a big part in forcing the Englishmen to take risks in order to score. D. G. Bradman set a widely placed field to his accurate bowlers, making boundary shots rare. L. Hutton was bowled by an off spinner from I. Johnson before lunch, but had reached 1033 runs in firstclass cricket for the season, being the first Englishman to do so. Bradman kept E. Toshack and Johnson operating from lunch to the tea adjournment. They were turning the ball on a wicket which was now threatening to become a big factor in the game. Tried to Batter Bowlers.

Tactics forced W. J. Edrich out. He tried to batter the bowlers off their length and force a change in the field placings, but he was beaten by Toshack’s flight and skied the ball to long on. Bradman ran round from mid on to take a well-judged catch. When W. R. Hammond went to a smart catch by Lindwall in trying to force Toshack to fine leg England was in a bad position. J. Hardstaff was always in trouble to spinners. J. T. Ikin never looked like getting started. , „

D. C. S. Compton held the fort for England, but was unable to force the scoring rate. He reached his 1000 runs in first-class games during the afternoon.

England scored only 30 runs in the hour before the tea adjournment, when the total was 198 runs. Toshack and Johnson bowled throughout before the tea session, each bowling 15 overs. At tea Toshack had taken four wickets for 62 runs off 24 overs. Johnson had one wicket for 43 runs off 22 overs.

Play from the tea adjournment developed into a battle of tactics. The Englishmen fought stubbornly to be still batting at stumps to allow Hammand to have the choice of the roller to be put on the wicket for the start of play on the last day to-morrow. Runs became a secondary consideration, with Compton and Yardley playing to keep theix' wickets intact. With only the tail-enders to follow Yardley the Englishmen could not expect many runs. Bradman’s Tactics. Yardley and A. V. Bedsei' went quickly, then Compton set out deliberately to keep T. G. Evans away from the bowling. Bradman set a field on the boundary to cut off fours in an attempt to keep Compton to singles and to give the bowlers a chance at Evans. Lindwall brought about the end of the Yardley-Compton partnership. Miller got Bedser’s wicket, but neither

he nor Lindwall could make an impression on Compton. Compton reached 50 after batting for 185 minutes —one of the slowest fifties for the series. His half-century included four fours. Toshack was thrown into the attack in place of Lindwall with eight minutes to play before stumps. The batsmen played out time. Evans was at the wickets for 40 minutes without scoring. Compton’s innings was net a good one to watch, but it was of great value to England from a tactical point of view. Scores: — ENGLAND First Innings 460 Second Innings L. Hutton, b Johnson .. . . • • <6 C. Washbrook, c Tallon, b Lindwall 39 W. J. Edrich, c Bradman, b Toshack 46 W. R. Hammond, c Lindwall, b Toshack .. .. , • ■• 22 D. C. S. Compton, not out . . .. 52 J. Hardstaff, b Toshack .. .. 9 J. T. Ikin, lbw, b Toshack .. .. 1 N. W. D. Yardley, c Tallon, b Lindwall I 3 A. V. Bedser, c Tallon, b Miller . . 3 T. G. Evans, not out 9 Extras ° Total for eight wickets .. 274

AUSTRALIA First Innings 487 FIJIAN TEAM MAY TOUR NEW ZEALAND (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 5. For the first time in 50 years, a Fijian cricket team is likely to tour New Zealand next season, according to Mr. P. A. Snow, secretary of the Fijian Cricket Association. A tour is now being discussed with the New Zealand Cricket Council. A month’s tour with 15 players, and with matches against the four major and some minor cricket associations is envisaged. Most members of the team, said Mr. Snow, would be natives, and January was considered the best month for the tour. The Fijian Cricket Association did not seek a profit from the tour, but it was interested in the possibility I that a successful tour might make possible visits to either Australia or England by a representative team.

Bowling 0. M. R. W. R. Lindwall . . 14 4 47 2 K. R. Miller 9 6 29 1 E. Toshack .. . . 31 5 69 4 B. Dooland . . 0 1 36 0 C. V. McCool ’ ' 14 3 34 0 I. Johnson .. . . 25 8 51 1