BARDSLEY’S DAY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 June 1926, Page 5

BARDSLEY’S DAY

SECOND TEST OPENED.

AUSTRALIA 338 FOR EIGHT ENGLISH BOWLING TROUBLESOME. bY CAi>^ —A.O-3UUIATIUK COPYKICrU'i.'. LONDON, June 20. Thfe Australian cridketers opened the -second test against England by scouring isisci runs tor tUe loss of eignt wickets, tne score moulding a recordmaking innings of 173 (not out) by Bardsley, wiiose batting was supurb. Tb.o match, opened in brilliant sunshine, ancl before an attendance of •30,00 U, including His Majesty the King. Collins eon the toss and decided to bat. Tate and Root were the opening bowlers.

The score started with a bye from Tate’s first over, lloot immediately commenced with a leg series to Codins, who resolutely declined them. Root’s hrst delivery in the second over had Coliins completely beaten. The ball came from the off and was similar to those which did the damage at Birmingham. .The score was then 11. Tate’s third over was a maiden, but moulded a ball which Bardsley was very lucky to keep out of the wickets. Bardsley misjudged the stroke, and clipped the ball hard' on to his pad, thus saving his wicket. Thus warned, lie settled down to his favourite stroke, tlie glance to leg, which he employed 10 good effecet. It fell to Macartney’s lot to fiavie to play Root. Whereas Collins left him severely alone and was by a ball which came back instead of going away, Macartney went forward whenever possible and played the ball off the pitch. When seven he had a lucky escape from leg before from Root, who played up to Macartney’s habit of getting in front of tlie wicket. Carr made a doub'e change, putting on Kilner and Larwood. Macartney, against these bowlers, gave signs of over anxiety, his strokes being characterised by an occasional uncertainty, although his scoring shots were crisp and attractive.

Larwood’s legth, after a couple of overs, became variable, and Bardsley knocked some nice boundaries off him. Larwood’s fourth over to Macartney was full of incident. The first ball produced an unsuccessful appeal for leg-before, the second was a wide on the off-side, and was chopped by a strange stroke most unlike Macartney, the third was superbly sent to the boundary at square leg. The fourth also went to the boundary through slips. The fifth, a three to leg, was followed up by Macartney driving Kilner to the on boundary.

SIXTY-SIX IN AN HOUR. An hour produced 66, Tate shortly afterwards replacing Larwood. Macartney was then .set, and played Tate stylishly. He hit a single through the slips dangerously near to Chapman, who got his fingers to the ball. When 37 Macartney was given the benefit of the doubt on a strong appeal for Leg before.

TJi© English fielding throughout was clean and keen, Carr and Hendren being most prominent. Larwood, in his second Attempt with the ball, found his feet and got Macartney well caught by Sutcliffe at second slip off a rising ball, which should have been left alonte. He hit four fours. The board then showed 84 for two. Woodfull followed the example of his predecessor and left Root’s leg balls severely Alone.

After lunch, for the first time in history, English amateurs and professionals cam© out at the central entrance of the pavilion. Bardsley, when 52, cut Larwood hard and low into the hands of Carr, but the English captain failed to hold it. After obtaining a number of singles, Woodfull over-reached a ball and was well-taken at the wicket low down.

Bardsley continued a polished exhibition of cutting And strokes to leg. Tate bowled with good judgment, but, except at one period, was not dangerous, and setemed to give the batsmen little real anxiety. Andrews was never comfortable. He gave two chances before Kilner accepted a hot return. A buzz of excitement cnm € . from the crowd as Gregory took his position, but before he had got going Larwood had him completely beaten.

BARDSLEY WARMS UP. Bardsley, after a slow spell, began to score by boundaries made by brilliant leg glances, just deflecting the ball from the wicket. He reached the century with a fine drive past cover. He took 195 minutes to reach 100. This was Bardsley’s third test century, all scored in England. After bowling 23 overs, Tate secured life first-, wicket, Taylor putting his hat otlfc to a ball which kicked badly, and he was easily taken in the slips. The total was then 208 for six. Richardson’s position in the batting order, in view >of his recent displays, caused some comment. He was soon off thf> mark, and gave a splendid exhibition of driving. Bardsley, when 112, was badly missed by Strudwiek off Tate, the keeper fumbling an easy catch.

After tea Bardsley was aggressive, straight driving Larwood’s express balls. Richardson followed suit. Carr changed the bowling every , four or five overs, using mainly Tate, Root, Kilner and Larwood'. Richard son war taken by a ball which bent him all the way. He hatted fry 80 minutes and his score included six fours.

The seventh wicket bad added 24 runs. Bardsley continued freely, adding the larger proportion of his score in front of the. wicket. Ryder opened shakily and then opened out. _He drove Tate splendidly, but just on time he was snapped up at the wicket by Strudwiek. Bards'ev’s display was superb. His score is a record in England v. Australia tests at Lords so far. He bit thirteen fours. From the Australian team Ellis, Hendrv Ponsford, Everett And Grirnhiett were omitted, the later being twelfth man. The scores are:—

AUSTRALIA. First Timings. Collins, b "Root JL Bardslev not out i... 173 Macartney, c Sutcliffe, b Larwood 39 WoodfulL o Strudwiek, b Root ... 13 Andrews, c and b Kilner 10 Gregory, b Larwood 7 Taylor, c Carr, b Tate. 9 Richardson, b Kilner 35 Ryder, o Strudwiek. b Tate 28 Extras 23 Total for eight wickets 338

“CERTAIN TO BE A DRAW.”

CONFIDENT ENGLISH PRESS

LONDON, June 27. The Sketch says: The first day of the test was not exactly a feast of sparkling cricket, and was not garnished with Worcestershire sauce for Root. Except for an early triumph in the tricking of Collins he was not the Root of the Birmingham rout. Nevertheless that first and only closing of the leg theory trap was humorously pathetic. Thrice in Root’s first over Collins lifted his bat and let the leg round swingers pass with something bordering on sublime disdain, but Collins had not learned the lesson at Birmingham, andi almost contemptuously let the next ball alone. It whipped in, and the leg stick was skittled while the bat was still cocked in the ah. . , Andrews never got his eye in, and was the victim of Kilner’is guile in pitching up off breaks. Macartney even was not venturesome, proof that the bowling was consistent and needed watching. He was not tlie ofcl superb Macartney, or else he would not have felt out for Larwood’s outswinger and given Sutcliffe a spectacular chance. Woodfull seemed muscle-bound and Taylor weighed down by a run of county calamities. Gregory was strangely mute and inglorious, and Richardson was' streaky and uncertain. Ryder aroused the crowd’s ire by pottering for 20 minutes for two before lie got going. Bardsley was the ’unconquered hero of the day. He was always masterly, reproducing for the first time of the tour his most delightful deft turns to fine leg. He was really the only batsman to treat Root as a mere circumstance of the game Carr was not only the most outstanding fieldsman, hut handled the howling masterfully and made 24 quick changes. The game seems certain to be a draw.

THE PLAYER-CRITICS. “OVER-CAUTIOUS BATTING.” LONDON, June 27. KeUewav, in the Sunday Express, states: “It has been mainly Bardsley’s day. The great left-hander played all the bowling in the same easy way, and was never in doubt. Throughout England fielded well, following the magnificent example of Can-, who injured his hand in stopping one from Bardsley. Of the howlers Root was easily the best. The others worked hard _ and bowled accurately, hut Root obviously gave the batsmen more to think about than all the others. As the game stands Australia has come out very well and reached a total which, at one time, seemed unobtainable.” MacLaren writes in the News of the World: “The Australians, after tea, failed to push home their advantage. If the later batsmen had 1 hit out and got out and enabled England to hat a few minutes at the end of the day it would have been better from the Australian: viewpoint than over-cautious flatting, which has made a. draw almost inevitable. When w© lose the loss on a good wicket it is something that the opponents’ tactics saved its from defeat.”

Tate, in Reynolds’ News, alludes to Collins’s luck in winning the toss, “giving the Australians the first knock on the most perfect pitch I have played on since I was in Sydney.”

GREGORY’S INJURiY. MORE SERIOUS THAN KNOWN EARLIER. Received 10.25 a.m. to-day. LONDON, June 27. 11l connection with the injury to Gregory’s shin, there is still some doubt whether he will be able to reproduce Ibis best form. The trouble is only now being revealed. It caused the doctors gravest concern, and they declare it was an act of heroism on his part to continue bowling in the first Test. He must have suffered agonies. Returning to. the dressing room at the adjournment, he told the other players that it was no use; he could bowl no more. Immediately after the match, was abandoned, he hurried to London and secured‘the best possible advice. The doctors’ views were so‘ grave that, taken in conjunction with ■Everett’s sinovitis, the. .management seriously considered cabling for Scott or Blaekie. Fortunately, Gregory’s injury yielded to treatment. The Australians generally are .satisfied with the day’s play. They consider it impossible l to. lose l , and that there is a possible chance of winning.

BARDSLEY v. ENGLAND

BOSANQUET’S' COMMENT 1

Received 10.25 a.m. to-day

LONDON, June 27. The inventor of the “googly,” ,B. J. T. Bosanquet, writes: “The day’s play may be summed up: Bardsley v. England. The remainder of the batsmen looked very ordinary, and but lor the left-hander’s typical innings the Australians might have been cli.smi.ssed for an inadequate score, despite the ideal wicket. We have seldom seen so. powerful :a batting side so dependent on one man. Unfortunately, Bardsley was thrice missed and the bowlers’ attempts at dismissal were poorly supported. Rloot and Larwood justified selection, but Tate was unlucky. He may do something in the second innings. Carr handled the howling well, not allowing the Australians to get the bow.'ers’ measure.

LEADING AVERAGES

LONDON, June 25. First-class .averages to date are as f filln-ww—

roLiows: — RATTING. Inn. N.O. Tl. Av. Gregory .. .. 112 0 494 S° ?> lien dry . . . 2 0 139 69.50 Hentlren .. . . 22 5 Hod 67.70 San dll am . . 19 1 1180 65.55 Hobbs .. . . . . 18 1 1069 62.88 Richardson .. 12 6 353 58.83 Woodful I . . . 15 2 715 55.00 Chapman .. 12 * i 596 54.18 Macartnev .. 12 i 593 53.90 Hardinge . . . 17 2 782 52.13 Hearne .. . .. If) 2 693 49.50 Sutcliffe .. . . 18 4 593 42.35 Kilner . . . . . . 15 1 553 39.50 Holmes . . . . . 20 2 637 35.38 Cox . . . . -BOWLING. R uns 411 Wfets 38 At. 10.81 Rhodes - - 576 47 12.25 Richardson 360 30 12.30 Macartnev 444 35 12.68 Tv! dealer 682 51 13.37 Tate .. . . 929 68 13.GO Richmond 971 70 13.87 Mae.aulay 963 69 13.95 Larwood 758 52 14.57 Root .. .. 726 49 14.81 Kilner 914 51 17.92 M ai ley 620 33 18.68 Grimmett 476 \ 25 19.40