THE FIRST TEST.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 December 1924, Page 3

THE FIRST TEST.

ENGLISHMEN'S BRILLIANT OPENING.

BUT DISASTROUS FINISH. . . HOBBS SCORES 115. After a brilliant opening, in wnicli.Hobbs’made 115,- Sutcliffe 59 and Hendron 74, the English:' team §oeinett-:tp r imaccountalily go all to pieces, in the. first "Test - and were all : out :for ? 298.' : ’ ; ■■’’'■>:. • - ■JY C ‘ ISLE—WiE-is ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT ' SYDNEY, Dec.. 22. After two days’ play the main issue of the cricket test match’ between Australia, and ‘England .is‘just "as-much in -clqub.t as/when the gam’e started. In reply to the Australians 7 first innings of 450, the Englishmen to-dav carried their overnight score of 72 for nc wickets to 298. The home team-com-menced their second-strike, losing one Wicket for 61 when stumps were drawn for the day. The attendance reached 29,000.

• When Hobbs and Sutcliffe went to the-crease the rain /had- cleared' off and the weather was beautifully fine and yaini, with the wicket in- v good condition, but the’-outfield was'a bit dead. Gregory and Mailey opened the b'owling. _ Neither troubled the batsmen unduly, though Gregory was rising -awkwardly, being --sometimes head high and had to be watched. Hobbs, who most of the tjarly bowling, piled .up his score rapidly. . addino- 5J by lunch. ' men showed themselves past masters at running between the wickets, and gained many runs which'less experienced men would not have -seen. They 'Went- out for every possible -run Hobbs . displaying nice judgment in Pacing his strokes. He stepped out to Mailey and hit him hard. Sutcliffe, who yyas -. hob so much, -at home: with Mailey, scored slowly at first. He swings his bat stylishly and reached 50 in. 120 minutes.- . ‘

Mailey,. on the • whole, kept a good length, but -occasionally scut down a full tossj- which went to- the fence. When the total was at ' 125 and 184 Hobbs liad two narrow escapes, the first' being whdn' he was nearly slumped' bv Oldfield. .Then lie was Tilmost throwm out by- a sharp return "by A. Richardson. The Australian’ fielding had improved ■ considerably compared' ‘with Saturday 7 s display,-, Vic-. -Richardson particularly picking up and returning in fine style.

About an hour after starting Collins received news of his sister 7 s dfiath his place in , the field being taken by Ryder. The flags ,on the stands were and after lunch both teams wore black arm-bands. '

One hundred and fifty appeared after 152 minutes 7 -batting. Sutcliffe was Playing ■" defensively, and 'Bardsley placed the field close in. - The move'was successful, Sutcliffe- being trapped by the -fifth ball of Mailey-’s -first over after lunch,.,Y. Richardson making -a fine catclr at ' mid-off. Sutcliffe • had batted for 160. minutes. ' This was Mailey 7 s eighteenth over for ;73 runs; The first wicket yielded 157. ■Hobbs. 7 century,/which was made in 171 minutes, wfis received-with cheers all round. the ground; • Gregory and Mailey showed a considerable improvement after lunch. Hobbs continued to step out tp tho A se. of Mailev which came well up and blocked the others. Finally he fell to one from Gregory, which he .snicked into KeUeway’s hands at third slip; Hobbs received a tremendous reception on leaving the ground.. He had batted- 219 . infinites and hit seven fours. He played a masterly innings and upheld his reputation as the world’s greatest batsman. ‘ The second centfiry occupied -217 minifies in compilation.

As’,-the afternoon -advanced it was seen that England's chances of reaching Australia ?s total -were very small. Woolley, Sandham, Chapman, Ficcmarij niul (rilligaxi * went cb^aplj 7 '. as in the /match against New .South-Wales, made a determined stand and to him •fell- the- honour of 'hitting the first -six. of the match, putting - f a high one from • Gregory-over the fence. He gave one chance,'which Bardsley failed" to accept; .'and’ reached "fifty' in 78 minutes. - 1 ;- v ■

phapman was thrown out beautifully by Anclrews, who was relieving Taylor tlirough - the latter’s indisposition. Barnsley made frequent changes, in the bowling' Maliey, Gregory and Kelle.way being used in turn/ the honours of the day. going to the first two.- - ' tJ 1 ?' scored was 270,' Tate gave a difficult -chance to Andrews.- 'The pext 'ball he made an Exactly Similar stroke, which • found Andrews 'ready ■Hendren played ■ a: magnificent innings, the- timing of- his : leg strokes being Superb. He batted' for 113 minutes., and liit one six and six fours." The innings lasted 302 minutes. - The Englishmen’s collapse places Australia in a strong position. A Richardson bowled one maiden over. ;

Australia commenced the second innings’ w 7 ith-forty minutes to go,' Bardsley taking strike to Gilligan. In Collins’ absence A. Richardson partnered Runs came quickly, Bardsley doiiig most of the scoring and placin'l- - all round the wicket. Tate was bowling •splendidly, and got Bardsley’s Wicket with the fourth -ball"of- his thirdover. Richardson was stepping out to Freeman'' and hitting hard. Fifty appeared in thirty-one minutes, and at 61 stumps were drawn. Details:—ENGLAND. First Innings. Hobbs, c Kelleway, b Gregory .... 115 Sutcliffe, eV. Richardson, b Mailey 59 Hearns,- <? Andrew's, b Mailey .. .; -7 Woolley, b '.. v 0 Hendren, not out ! *" 74 Saiidham, b Mailey 7 Chapman, run' out 13 Tate, c Andrews, b Mailey 7 Gilligan, b Gregory .; j Freeman, b Gregory 0 Strudwick, lbw, b Gregory 0 Extras 9 Total 298 Bowling analysis—Gregory took five wickets for. Ill; Kelleway, none for 44; Mailey, four for 129; Hendry, none for 5; A.' Richardson, none for 0. Fall of the wickets—One for 157, two for 171, three for 172, four for 202* five for 235, six for 254, seven for 272’ eight for'274, nine for 274, ten for AUSTRALIA. " First Innings 4qo Second Innings. Bardsley, b Tate 22 A. Richardson,- hot out 30 Kelleway, not out •-. 9 Total for one wicket 61

MANAJA v. ELTHAM.

The" following are the complete details jD the -game' ‘playedat 'Elthani “oil .satur.uay< a . lireois• only- of- which appeared in our.issue of yesterday: MANAIA. First Innings. ; Hobday, b Priest 4 riughee, l.b-.iy., b Rhilpotts ......... 2 HjcKey,, b" Bhilpotts r .....A,,.....;... O. Clark,- c Nairn, h Donnelly ?........ 21 Roberts, b 'Priest 0 Bairstow, c Hay,'b Priest ...L.. 7 \Vhalen,. b- Rhilpotts 0 Watson, b Priest;,. .v..- 2 Coleman, not piit 2 Burrell; b Donnelly ..................;.. 2 iuteSr b'Donnelly 5 Total ..A... ■ 4Q Bowling : Rriyst four for IS, Philppits -.-three for .17, Donnelly three for a.y ... ‘ Second Innings. Hobday, b Pliilpotts V..C.0 Hughes, l'.h.w. : i' b Ilay 20 Hickey : , b Philpofts'...v. o Clarkj-. b ’ ithilpottg. 3 Roberts,’ b'Ph'iipotts ...77.77..77. Q Bairstow, b> Rhilpotts 5 Whalen;'- b H’av v..-.... • ,5 Coleman, st. W 7 Rittle’ “b Pliilpotts <5 Yates, not out . G Bfirrell,/b HaY ......77.77777: 7 Watson, blphiipotts .......5 ' ‘‘Extras i';......... 2 Total ' 53 . Bowiihg: Philpotts seven for 25; Hay three for, 21, -Priest none for 4. . ’ ELTHAM. ; First Innings. Na irn, b Hughes.- ..; .. 2 \\: Little, b ; Bairstow Q 0. Hemingway, b. Bairstow 3 H. O. Donnelly, b “Hughes ........ 3 D. 0. Hay* b Hughes -A..' ....; 3 R. A. Philpotts', Mli Bairstow !. IS B. Johnson, b . Bairstow 4 M. WPriest, h Bairstow ...... 0 ; \V. W. - Avery, b Bairstow 0 W. Oarey, b Hughes ................. 1 T. Kerr,-, not out. _,{) Extras ..;... .... 3 Total 29 •Bowling.—Bairstow six : for ’ 12. Hughes four for 16. ' Second’lnnings. Naini, b- Hughes 6 Little,. c and b Bairstow •;... ~. -fi Hemingway, b Bairstow i ... ;; Donnelly, b Hughes " in H-ay,.> b ißairstOw :-:;.;..... ; 5 Philpotts’,, not-10ut...................... 26 Jdhuson, nob out 20 Priest,.-b Bairstow ....... .... .. -Q • Extras -» .i.., 1 T'ota-1 (for six lyickets) ......... 71 Bairstow 'f°u r ' for 29; •Hughes two .for, .36y Watson none 'for o.' : , • :• A Town v. Country match': has been' arranged ? for January 1 .(New •* Year’s Day) at Hawera, commencing at ; 10.30 a.m. Any of the players selected who are unable to play' are requested to communicate with Mr J. Nielsen ../Fown. -—Findlay, • 7 Prie.t, ' Fulton, Cr.ombie, Bernard,' , Dalgleish, Giblin, Grindlay, Philpdtts, Little.' Reserves: Yovvless, ' Machin, Oakea, Hamel,- Plank. -': i. ' Country.—Claiidgei Lambert, Cole, Fume, • Hughes, ‘.'Sherlock',, Hobday, Penny, Pratt, - Betts, Thomas. Reserves: H. Clark, Watson, Stephenson, Noting- , ,