FIFTH TEST

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 17 August 1926, Page 7

FIFTH TEST

AUSTRALIAN INNINGS.

COLLINS PLAYS GREAT GAME

FIGHT FOR RUNS

BY CABLE- PRESS ASSOCIATION GOPYIUGIIT. Received! 11.45 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Aug. 10. Collins opened confidently against Tate, playing the first ball safely plumb in. the middle ot Ins bat, but Jio was somewhat uncertain when facing Larwood and showed a- disposition to edo-e the ball dangrously into the slipt Ho n-ave a. chance at- eight and another at. ten. and then proceeded to- trig himself in. Tate drew the field in until seven men were closely encircling the wicket. Only Sutcliffe at third nun was anyway deep. Rhodes started with two maidens, which Woodfull played with apparent ease. Rhodes entic-ea him. further out and then sent down, a ball of much fuller length, which Wood-full entirely misjudged and played on to the wicket. —5 for 90. Tate had Richardson guessing, lie .had'a lucky escape from playing the ball on and then survived a, leg-before appeah ct)LLINS CAUTIOUS.,

Collins- played; his accustomed game well and batted for an hour for 16. He was never in difficulties and met all the- bowling with ease., not attempting* to scorCt except under the safest conditions. A curious incident occurred ■when, lie had reached 22. He. was beaten by Tate and the ball, rebounding oil Strudwick’s ,pa«s, was caught by Col lins, tvlio returned it to the wicketkeeper. No appeal was made by the field, however, and Collins continued his innings.

Chapman changed the bowling fieqnently and! gave the batsmen no chance of settling down. Rhodes, after an over in which, only three singles were scored, sent down maiden after maiden to Collins, who was only once beaten. A -GRIM STRUGGLE. The grimness of the struggle- was slioivn by the fact that three hours batting only produced 120, including 11 byes. Richardson sent a hot return to Rhodes, which he was unable to hold. Ho was then called on to play several overs from: Rhodes, who repeated the tactics -which were fatal to Woodfull. He induced Richardson to leave the crease to hit and eventuality lie drove one hard! in the direction of mid-off, where -Geary made- a magnificent two-hand! catch very low and wide. The board then read 122 for 6. GREGORY IN -FORM.

Gregorv arrived and proved to bo in .fine form. Aft-r ten: overs, nine oi which were maidens, Rhodes was despatched to the boundary from, an excellent cut by Gregory. Collins had a narrow escape when 27, mistiming an off-break from Geary, He edged the ball past liis leg stump. The first ball Gregory received from Geary he despatched straight to the boundary, but in the remainder of the- over was beaten five times. Gregory, however, introduced life, into the game. Geary, trying the leg theory, had Tate, HendTen and Woolley close up on the leg side, for Collins, but the latter refused to be trapped. I The attendance, was 33,000. Except that Gregory was. more careful he plaved his usual game. When 3b lie gave a difficult return to Larwood, but his luck held. . . n After lunch he- skied his first, oaii from Stevens just out of reach, of the bowler, but was- then cheered for a magnificent cut to the ootuidaiy. MONUMENT OF PATIENCE. Collins continued his sterling game and was a monument, of patience. He had been batting 2 hours 55 minutes before he hit his. first icur, pulling a short ball from Stevens to the boundary. iStevens was not difficult and lacked varietv. Gregory made a couple of lucky snicks- off Larwood just- wicte of Chapman at first slip, the second ot which. brought the seventh wicket partnership to 100 im 97 minut-es,. of which Gregory’s share was 72. it ext over, in trying to hit Tate to leg, he tipped the ball gently into Stevens' hands at short leg, after a magnificent all-round display, full of courage and enterprise. It was a superb effort, to pull the game round. He hit ten fours in 102 minutes, the partnership yielding 107. A couple of overs Later, for the addition of two runs, Collins was caught by Stevens from a faulty stroke off the fast bowler. He hud batted three hours 43 minutes. It was a great effort, characteristic of doggedness and determination throughout, and was a splendid example for a captain to set his men. His score included only two fours. EIGHT "WICKETS DOWN.

The eighth wicket was now down for 231, and the total was still well behind England’s score. Further effort was wanted and Oldfle-ld and Grimmett supplied it. The former was stylish, but a trifle uncertain and had a life early. The .pair added! a series of most useful singles. The fielding was very keen and the batsmen took no risks, being content to await loose halls, of which there were very few. Grimmett followed Collins' model closely. -When 16, after a lucky four through the slips off Rhodes, he had a narrow escape from being run out and was only saved by the- slowness of Stevens- in. talcing a. good return from -Geary. The partnership was characterised by quick running, four being obtained! for a cut by Grimmett in the direction of third man which ordinarily would have been two. GATHERING IN THE RUNS.

Every possible run was gathered in. Grimmett especially found Stevens to liis liking. A couple from Geary •brought the total to 2-80 and a quickly run single by Oldfield off Tate put Australia, ahead. Tate, with a superb inswinger., eventually uprooted Grhninett’s middle stumip, after an invaluable partnership of 67 for the- ninth wicket. Grimmett was confident and in nowise, affeictd by the critical stateof the game. He batted magnificently for 76 minutes. Only four more were addled, Mailey being caught, at the wicket. Oldfield- was brilliant on both sides, and only grand fielding saved a much heavier total. ENGLAND IS SECOND STRIKE.

When England went in -again, Gregory and Grimmett opened the Australian attack. The former Avas not difficult. Hobbs secured the first four, after 25 minutes, swinging Grimmett to the leg boundary. Hobbs, with another swing off the same bowler, wiped off England’s deficit in half an hour. With just- over half an hour left for play, both Hobbs- and -Sutcliffe batted .cautiously and found runs difficult to obtain through th well-set field. Mailev again mixed! his bowling- well-

and utilised the, full toss which was so successful in the first, innings, but this time, lie 'was sent to the boundary repeatedly. Macartney was tried! -and his first over was a maiden, which made Ilobbs- think furiously and was thrice beaten. Time- arrived before 50 was reached, despite the encouragement of the crowd.

GREAT IN ADVERiSLTA’

TRIBUTE TO AUSTRIA IVIANS.* COLLINS ’ S C! ALE ANT EFFORT. , i. Rbceived 1.25 p.m. to-ctay. LONDON, Aug. lb. , AVa.rner describes the day a,s- '"one ot tremendous cricket. At jus .close fortune had, in nowise- decided upon which side it trill eventually smile. Australians, true to traditions, -seem to delight .in getting into -a- tight corner a,nd'.the,n getting out. 'This greatness in .adversity is always a, marked characteristic of their cricket. 'The time- to fear the Australians most is when one thinks they are beaten. This match is designed to rank -among the most famous- in last- hours, when it is vitally important lor England that neither Hobbs nor Sutcliffe should be dismissed. 1 have -lived through an eternity of time, and I. never once liked the look of Cbllins; lie revels, in crisis; he held the breach; he excelled himself.” Warner added that Collins- was a monument of patience and grit.” Even the most ardent Englander could not fail to applaud this gallant effort. Without him Australia would probably be sixty or seventy runs behind.” Relerring to Oldfield -and Grim me tt, Warner says they “played quitely but -soundly. The score .sheet- will -show how amazing was the tail of the Australians.'’ AVEA TITER- AND AVIOKET CONDITIONS. The official forecast indicates some possibility of thunderstorms- and rain. Obviously this would make a big difference to- the fate ol the match. The wicket at the close of the- play was in -splendid condition. The Australians see no reason why it should not last. They are -all at their splendid recovery. —Ans.-N.Z. Assn.

COLLINS—HERO OF THE DAY

THE OLDFIELD-GRIMMETT STAND

Received 2.10 p.m. to-day. LONDON, Aug. 16. M. A. Noble writes: “Collins's .stand will be- remembered long after the -other players’ centuries have been forgotten. Gregory -played a- spectacular and invaluable knock, but- it Was Collin,s that broke the back of the bowling, .made run-making possible, -and inspired the side as few men could. He hatted without gloves, and -after each jarring hit massaged the _•thumb. which b»a broke at Nottingham in 1921. The injury was Sorely increased when the swc:’le>n. thumb was struck by a rising ball from Larwood.” Referring to- th© -Old field-Grim met tstand, the writer says: “Roth deserve :>. nla-r-e in any team for sheer gritty baits man,ship against odds. A cricketer who ran score when better men fail is great. ’ ’ —Sydney Gun Cable.