England Faces Defeat In Last Test Match: Morris's Fine Innings.

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 August 1948, Page 6

England Faces Defeat In Last Test Match: Morris's Fine Innings.

(Rec. 9.25 a.m.) - LONDON, August 16. England, with 54 runs on the board in the second innings for the loss of Dewes’s wicket, faces almost certain defeat at the end of the second day’s play in the final test. A chanceless 196 by Morris, perhaps the finest Australian innings of the tour, was primarily responsible for Australia’s total of 389. The accurate attack bv Young and Bedser pinned down the other Australian batsmen while guileful bowling by Hollies made important breaches in the batting structure. . . Only the persistent, retreat of his partners to the pavilion seemed likely to'deprive Morris of an nneonquered double century, when overpa.o'(,r to get the strike he called for an unwise single and was run mil. Before his dismissal Morris had not given a shadow ol a chance, nor had he made a stroke inconsistent with the copybook. It. was an innings of sheer brilliance, without which Australia’s commanding position would not have been achieved. Morris batted 406 minutes ami Lit 16 fours.

Australia, in the two hours before lunch, added 90 runs for the loss of Hassett and Miller. England’s bowling in this period was very steady. Hassett took 133 minutes to make his 37.

Harvey played a sparkling but short-lived innings. The other batsmen, apart from Tallon, also had a short stay at the wicket. Tallon scored with lovely drives to each side of the wicket.

Australia’s innings closed with a lead of 337 runs.

Dewec was patently nervous following his first innings failure when he took strike with Hutton 80 minutes before stumps. Two very lucky fours and a couple of singles preceded Dewes’s dismissal by Lindwall with a ball which swung, missed the bat, and knocked back the off stump. Stumns were drawn seven minutes early when Hutton successfully appealed against the light after Lindwall had bowled five balls from the pavilion end against a background of spectators. Edrich, with neatly-placed shots behind the wicket, overhauled Hutton and was batting confidently at stumps. Watkins, one of England’s opening bowlers, was unable to play today because of a badly-bruised shoulder, which he suffered when he was

struck during his innings on the first day by a rising ball from Lindwall. Scores: — ENGLAND First Innings •>% AUSTRALIA First Innings Morris, run out .. .. -• 196 Barnes, c Evans, b Hollies ■ ■ 61 Bradman, b Hollies 0 Hassett, lbw, b Young . . . . 37 Miller, st Evans, b Hollies . . 5 Harvey, c Young, b Hollies .. 17 Loxton, c Evans, b Edrich . . 15 Lindwall, c Edrich, b Young . . 9 Tallon, c Crapp, b Hollies .. 31 Ring, c Crapp, b Bedser .. . . 9 Johnston, riot out 0 Extras 9 Total 389

Fall of wickets. —One for 117; two for 117; three for 226; four for 243; five for 265; six for 304; seven for 332; egiht for 359; nine for 389.

ENGLAND Second Innings Hutton, not out ; 19 Dewes, b Lindwall 19 Fdrich, not out 33 Extras 3

Bowline 0. M. R. W Bedser . . .. 31.2 9 61 1 Watkins 4 1 19 0 Hollies . . 56 14 131 5 Young . . . . 51 16 118 2 Compton . . ' 2 0 6 0 Yardley 1 7 38 0 1 Edrich .. ’ 9 1

Total for one wicket. li. W Bowling 0. M. Lindwall 5.5 0 20 1 Miller . . 4 0 13 0 Loxton . . 6 1 9 0 Johnston 5 2 10 0 Ring . . 4 4 0 0