The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 1912.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3562, 29 June 1912, Page 6

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 1912.

Probably in the long series of 92 test I cricket matches which have been played between England and Australia, not one lias been looked forward to with more interest than the game which concluded at the historic Lord’s ground on Wednesday last. The principal reason that unusual interest centred in the match was because it saw the first meeting of England and Australia in the great triangular contests. Both sides had already vanquished South Africa by over an innings, and, consequently it would seem that the real struggle for the cricket supremacy of the world must be fought out between England and Australia. It was a thousand pities then that the variable English climate should have seen fit to interfere with the game to such an extent as to make any chance of finishing it within the -three days allowed quite out of the question. The English cricket authorities, with the peculiar conservatism that marks- the Old Country, have decreed that three days only shall be devoted to each test match. When, on the other hand, test matches are being played in Australia they are invariably played out. In the game under consideration owin' delays caused by train, there was not time for either side even to complete an innings each. England were favored by winning the toss, and Hobbs and Rhodes gave the Home side a splendid start by carrying the total past three figures before the first wicket fell. Thereafter there was a falling away, and after 37 minutes’ batting on the third day of the match, the Englishmen declared with seven ■wickets down for 310 runs. There was still five-and-a-half hours left for play, and the Englishmen had hopes that Barnes, and Foster might repeat the bowling triumphs which routed Australia so badly on her own fields- last season. They reckoned without 'their

The Struggle far the Cricket Supremacy.

hosts, however, os the** Australians rose to the occasion with that line fighting spirit which has gained them the reputation of being the most indomitable up-hill fighters in the world. Some idea of the doggedness with which they defended may l>o imagined when it. is recalled that Charles Kellcway batted 275 minutes for G 1 runs. Charles Macartney, the brilliant little Sydney player—who, by the way, played for Otago the .season before last—had extremely bad luck in not reaching his century. His 99 on Wednesday' is pronounced by no loss an authority than Archie Maclarcn, the one-time English captain, to have been one of the finest innings ever played at Lord’s. At call of time Australia had lost seven wickets for 282 rims, only 28 runs short of England’s score for the same number of wickets. The result thus gives no indication as to which is the stronger side, and it would appear as if even the next tost between them may not prove this fact, as with two such strong flatting sides it is certain that three days are all too short in which to finish a match. The fine achievements of Hobbs and Rhodes, on the English side, and of Macartney and Ivelleway for Australia, prove that both countries to-day have players as capable as any of the giants of the past. It will then, most likely prove the case, as has been indicated, that it will not be until the final round—when a “tost” may be played out if two countries are tieing for the coveted honor—that some finality will be reached in; regard to this all-engros-sing matter.