THE SECOND TEST

Grey River Argus, 17 December 1928, Page 5

THE SECOND TEST

SLOW BATTING.

By England. STORM DELAYS PLAY. GRIMMETT IN FORM. \A RECORD CROWD. (Received December 16 at 3.5 P- lu -) SYDNEY, December 16. I, The second test mutch was resumed \ yesterday when Australia added only couple of runs for the last wicket, were all out for 253. The weather was warm and the wicket .excellent. Forty-three thousand were present at the outset. Ironmonger played stubbornly for three overs, scoring a single. He then was taken left hand by Duckworth. The Australian innings lasted for live hours. Oldfield batted for 102 minutes for 41 runs. He hit three fours, giving a brilliant and gritty display. Scores:— AUSTRALIA —First Innings. Richardson, c Larwood .. .. 27 Woodfull, lbw, b Geary . . . . 68 Kippax, b Geary 9 Ponsford, retired hurt . . . . 5 Hendry, b Geary 37 Ryder, lbw, b Geary 25 Nothling. b Larwood 8 Oldfield, not out 41 Grimmett, run out 9 Blackie, b Geary 8 Ironmonger, c Duckworth, b Larwood 1 Extras Total for nine wickets .. 253 The fall of the wickets was as follows:—sl. 65. 152, 153, 171, 192, 222, 251, 253. Bowling analysis: Larwood 3 for 77, Tate none for 29, Fcary five for 35, White none for 79. Hammond none for 18. ENGLAND OPEN INNINGS. England opened their innings with Hobbs and Sutcliffe, to the bowling of Nothling and Grimmett. The batsmen took no risks. Generally they were just tapping the balls back, and occasionally stealing singles. HARD LUCK. Grimmett beat each of the batsmen with balls that were slower than usual, but they failed to hit the wicket. Ironmonger and Blackie were next tried out. The batsmen were together till lunch, when the score was;—Sutcliffe 11, Hobbs 25; total, none for 36. On resuming, Hobbs added a single.

Then Sutcliffe, when 11, snicked Ironmonger to Hendry, who took a catch in the slips. The Yorkshireman played a vhanceless innings, though it was not bright cricket. A STOPPAGE. The light had now become duller, H’.iil a storm was indicated when Hammond came in. He had scored twelve runs, and Hobbs was 36, when in a bad light and a drizzle, play was adjourned at 2.50 p.m. THE HILLITES SPEAK UP. Thousands of 'people now left the packed Hill, those remaining covering themselves with newspapers. Though the', conditions continued bad, the crowd yelled for a restart, some factions indulging in counting out, as at the boxing contests. Some of the onlookers scaled the fence round the playing area, but they were removed by the police or by officials. HOBBS’ BIRTHDAY. During a lull. M A. Noble, on behalf of citizens, presented Hobbs with a boomerang and a cheque for £46, in honour of his forty-sixth birthday. Accompanied by Noble, Hobbs then walked round the ground, receiving a great ovation. One small boy jumped the fence, and Hobbs autographed the boy’s bat, amid cheers. After two inspections by the umpires, play was resumed, following a two hours’ stoppage. HOBBS’ EXIT. Hobbs soon went out. He reached forward to a ball from Grimmett, just touched it, and was splendidly caught by Oldfield. He was batting for 105 minutes for forty runs, and he hit two fours. Hobbs did not show any enterprise, but he was thoroughly sound, except on a few occasions when facing Grimmett. Neither Hammond nor Jardine was very comfortable against the slow bAvler, but both were together till 5.55, when, after two appeals regarding the light, stumps were drawn All of the Australian bonders showed good form, with Grimmett, whose wicket cost 52 runs, the most troublesome. The fielding was sound, Rich ardson and Hendry being brilliant. Oldfield kept wickets magnificently. The attendance was 58,464, and the takings were £6,200, both being records for one day in any test match. At the drawing of stumps. England had two wickets down for 113. Scores:— ENGLAND—First Innings.

Hobbs, c Oldfield, b Grimmett .. 40 Sutcliffe, c, Hendry, b Ironmonger II Hammond, not out 33 Jardine, not out 23 Extras 6 Total for two wickets .. .. 113 Fall of wickets: One for 37, two for 65. MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN. During the day, the following cable was received from the King’s private secretary: “I am requested by the Queen to thank you all for your message of sympathy and good wishes for the King’s recovery. His Majesty will much appreciate this kind thought of him, and when sufficiently recovered he will certainly inquire all about the matches. ’ ’ FLEET STREET CRITICS. (Received December 16 at 8 p.m.) LONDON, December 15. Next to the King’s illness, the test match is given prominence in the press. Due regard is given to unlucky Ponsford. Warner heads his article in the tl Morning Post” with Gordon’s verse, '‘No game ever yet was worth a rap,” pointing out that he came across the

lines before the test opened, little dreaming an accident would put Australia without her “scoring machine.” The goddess of chance seems at the moment to be working against Australia. Believing as many do, that this is one of the best teams ever sens to Australia, we would feign meet our opponents at their full strength. The ii;st dav’s play has put England m a trorig position, if the rain does not fall. Continuing, Warner says: Many hard things have been said about the “barracker,” but as a. matter of fact he is a keen impartial judge of the game. If he is occasionally overdemonstrative. this is due to avi excess of zeal. lie doos not think be would like English grounds, but in Rome we must accept Roman customs. In any care the barracker loves cricket. His applause is nowise confined to his own side. So far, it looks as if many people will have to revise their opinion of English bowling luck, says Tennyson in the “Daily Chronicle.” It is still against Australia. The loss of Ponsford. one of the most brilliant batsmen iu the world, is irreparable. He thoroughly agrees with Armstrong that Australia is facing certain defeat by sticking to the veterans. The Australian selectors should take courage in both hands, and chose some youngsters, such as Bradman and A’Boekett. Four selectors is-an unfortunate number, as it is highly probable they were unable to agree tin the claims of certain youngsters, and have been forced to compromise.”

He pays a glowing tribute to Woodfull, and says: “To bat on unperturbed when his colleagues’ wickets were falling is the hardest thing to do in cricket. He declared that responsibility has revealed great gifts in Chapman, who is recognised on all sides as rapidly becoming one of England's finest captains. Woolley in the “Daily Chronicle” says: The injury to Ponsford is a most severe handicap to Australia. It is not putting his ability too high to say he might have performed as Hendren did at Brisbane. Chapman’s manner of using the howling had much to do with the low scoring. No doubt the Australians suffered from over-anxiety. They shout 1 have played their natural

game. Provided the weather holds, he anticipates that England will secure a lead of two hundred in the first innings, even though Australia adds 50 per eont. to their total.

Clem Hill, cabling to the “Daily Telegraph,” says: The Australians have shown no real fight thus far. Larwood seems to have got some of the players frightened. He regarded Australia’s chances as good when Ryder won the toss, but though everything favoured them, the batsmen failed miserably. Well as Geary bowled, he believes Larwood and White were mam ly responsible for Australia’s failure. The “Daily Express,’’ in an editorial, deplores the casualties, because England wants to meet Australia at her best. SHEFFIELD SHIELD MATCH. EBELING AND A’BECKETT’S FINE EFFORTS. MELBOURNE, December 16. Victoria in the first innings made 259. Queensland in the first innings made 97 —O’Connor 44. Ebeling took 7 for 33, including the hat trick, and four wickets in one over. A’Beckett took 3 for 29.