ENGLAND AVERTS AN INNINGS DEFEAT: COMPTON SCORES 154

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22664, 15 June 1948, Page 5

ENGLAND AVERTS AN INNINGS DEFEAT: COMPTON SCORES 154

(N.Z.P.A. —Eeuter-r Copyright.) (10.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 14. England has averted an innings defeat in the first Test. At stumps after a dogged fourth day’s batting England was one run ahead of Australia, with four wickets to fall.

Without a truly magnificent inning’s of 154 not out by Compton, Australia might easily have forced an innings victory.

Australia’s bowling throughout the day was hostile and the fielding, with one or two lapses, was brilliant. Miller's Bumpers Booed

Subdued booing followed two bumpers in Miller's mid-afternoon spell with the new ball.

Compton, who batted for 547 minutes, hit 17 fours in his unfinished innings and held England's batting together. He did not for a moment relax his monumental concentration.

He gave lan Johnson a hard chance at first slip off Miller immediately he reached his century and Tallon missed another catch off W." Johnston a few minutes before stumps. 1 Miller ended Hutton’s excellent innings of 74 after 50 minutes’ play this morning when he bowled him with a beautiful ball that swung from the bat and knocked back the middle and off stumps. W. Johnston, who dismissed Barnett and Yardley, consistently had Compton in trouble.

Runs came easily when Hutton and Compton resumed this morning and the partnership was worth 111 when Miller spreadeagied Hutton’s stumps. Earlier, a heavy shower had driven the players from the field for 10 minutes. Poor Light Holds Up Play Hardstaff had a life before he scored the ball going through the slips to the boundary. i The industrial haze clamped in by heavy clouds made visibility so bad an hour before lunch that the umpires stopped play. However, after a delay of 35 minutes the light had sufficiently improved to permit a resumption. Overcoming his early disquiet, Hard staff thrice punched a good length ball from Miller to the boundary. He scored 23 while the subdued Compton scored three.

A heavy haze enshrouded the ground when play was resumed after lunch, but Hardstaff continued to dictate the tempo of the innings. Then lan Johnson and Toshack pinned the batsmen in their creases. Johnson bowled eight overs costing 14 runs and only eight runs were scored off the bat in half an hour. Toshack after five successive maidens had Hardstaff caught at deep mid-on. Play was again interrupted at 3.30 p.m. when visibility was very bad. Upon the resumption Compton reached his century—after nearly four hours' batting. Barnett Caught in Slips

W. Johnston’s fourth over with the new ball brought result's. Barnett after a very scratchy half an hour snicked an outswinger to second slip. The bowlers were getting some lift from the pitch and a few boos followed two bumpers in Miller’s sixth over with the new ball. Compton hooked the first ball to the boundary and ducked the second.

Yardley survived one testing over frem lan Johnson in which he was twice beaten.

England still needed 23 to avoid an innings defeat when W. Johnston caught and bowled Yardley 35 minutes before stumps. A boundary through the covers by Compton evened the scores 10 minutes before stumps and Compton and Evans safely played out time until stumps.

The crowd today exceeded 30,000. Official Apologies for Booing

The chairman of the Nottinghamshire Cricket Club, in apologising to Bradman for the booing of Miller, said the older members were furious at Saturday’s demonstration which some younger members made from the pavilion. The test crowd today applauded the appeal by the Notts secretary to the crowd asking them to leave the conduct of game in the hands of the umpires. He said: “I want to bring to your attention the fact that the revised laws of cricket are in operation this season. There is a law which provides for fair and unfair play, and umpires have power to warn players if in their opinion ahything is unfair. We have two very efficient umpires here, one of them, Mr. Chester, is looked on as one of the most efficient in th-* world. If he had considered that the bowling in the last over on Saturday was unfair, you can be assured that he would have taken action.” ENGLAND. First innings 165 Second Innings. Hutton, b Miller 74 Washbrook, c Tallon. b Miller .. 1 Edrich, c Tallon, b lan Johnson.. 13 Compton, not out 154 Hardstaff, c Hassett, b Toshack .. 43 Barnett, c Miller, b Johnston ..... 6 Yardley, e and b Johnston ~ 22 Evans, not out 15 Extras 22 Total, for six wickets 345 Fall of wickets: 1/5, 2/39, 3/150, 4/243, 5/264, 6/32L

Bowling O. M. R. W. Miller .. 9 91 2 Johnston .. .. 43 12 99 2 Johnson .. .. 33 15 62 1 Toshack .. .. 33 14 60 1 Barnes .... 5 2 11 0 First Innings AUSTRALIA .. 509