On Wet Wicket.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 198, 15 August 1921, Page 6

On Wet Wicket.

DULL TEST CRICKET. ENGLAND BATS FIRST. j FOUR DOWN FOB 129. I __ i By Gable.—Press Association —Copyright ! London, Aug. 13. I The final test was commenced iu ‘j dubious weather conditions 50 minutes ] late owing to rain. In tho early ' morning the weather was bright. Tho wicket was wet on top and hard beneath when the match started. Tennyson won the toss and Brown and liusscll opened, batting aggressively against McDonald ar.d Gregory. Both played Gregory, who was rising well over tho wicket, freely, but neither was at home with McDonald, who sent down fqst and low stuff. His first over was a maiden and the uoit three only yielded two runs. Half an hour’s play produced 27, when Russell just touched a legsider and was cleanly caught. Tyldesley was next in. Tho batting was quiet, though Brown made occasional vigorous carpet drives and Tyldesley pretty shots behind the wicket. At 40 Mailey displaced McDonald. Perfect fielding checked the scoring. Collins, at point, missed Tyldesley off Gregory when the batsman had five on. Mailey continually beat Tyldes-; ley. I Fifty was hoisted for an hour’s play. McDonald took Gregory’s end. Brown was uncomfortable before Mailey’s mixed deliveries. He alternated stoping back and driving but failed to .enctrate the field. Finally ho impateiently lashed out and missed tho ball and his stump was broken. After lunch the weather was sunny. Woolley joined Tyldesley, who was un-' comfortable facing Mailey, but with a lucky shot he drove McDonald to tho { boundary, the second one of the day. Woolley started by driving Mailey to the fence and sent McDonald twice to t the boundary. ; ( RAIN AND BARRACK. ' c At 83 ncuvy rain stopped play. During ihu iiuuriupUun, wiuvh lusted 160 k LuiLuvOS, taq euptuim* several times in- ’ spected the wicket. The crowds bur- J lucked Armstrong unmercifully and huoted the Australians ano cheered the uutsmeu when they took tho field again. ? in the first over Woolley sent one f from McDonald to the slips. Bards- ( ley fielded tho ba/1 brilliantly and as , Wooley was attemptrug a second run > kaocktu hit itaauib stump Out. Wool- « ley batted 25 minutes in his customary i classical m. Tyldesley was 14. Mead joined 1 Tyiucsley, who continued shakily, get- ' ting an occasional lucky single. Mead < was not aggressive. Altogether it ! was a paim ul exhibition of test batting. Whenever Armstrong fielded the ball ( he was ironically cheered. The century appeared for 110 minutes’ play. The crowd ha( further excuse tor ' barracking when McDonald struck i Tyldesley on the jaw as the latter was < making.a wild effort to pull the bowler i behind tho wicket. then 1 twice sent McDo aid to the boundary. I This departure from ciamped bailing ‘ was loudly cheered. Gregory relieved Mi P n.ib' .-it 116 I After batting 110 minutes Tyldesley drove a ball to long on and was easily caught. McDonald went on at 128. Mead took an hour to get 18, mostly sneaked singles. Sandham, who filled the vacancy, stonewalled for hah an hour, getting only a single. It was a dull day’s cricket. At no period was the bowling mastered. The fielding was superb The batting emphasised the fact that England never recovered from the ignominy of the Australian tour. Scores: — I ' ENGLAND. First innings. Russell, c Oldfield, b McDonald . . I’3 Brown, b Mailey 32 Tyldesley, c Macartney, b Gregory 39 Woolley, run out 23 Mead, not out 19 Sanciham, not out 1 Extras 2 i Total for four wickets 129 ' Tho wickets fell: —One fc r 27, two for 54, three for 81, four for 121.—(A. and N.Z.) CROWD S HOSTILITY TO ARMSTRUNG. < London. August 13. Hie Teat match attendance was large. During the stoppage the crowd invaded the ground, 'lhe police kept them from the pitch. Several thousands assembled in front of the pavilion, demanding that play be continued. They blamed Armstrong for the stoppage. Armstrong refused to inspect tho pitch while the crowd remained round the pavilion. Tennyson unavailmgly urged the crowd to disperse. They remained demonstrative till play I i was resumed, aiid hooted Armstrong i when he was inspecting the wicket.— , i (United Service.) BATTING AND BOWLING. LEADING AVERAGES. London, Aug. 12. Batting averages—Mead 65.46, MacArtney 63.40, Bardsley 61.20, Sandham i 55.81, Hardinge 52..47, Bryan 52.20, : Russell 50.11, Shepherd Chapman 47.72, Hallows 47.24, Jupp 46.60, ' Armstrong 45-82, Ducat 45.26, Hearne 45.04, Douglas 44.70, Woolley 44.37, ‘ Hendren 43.78. Bowling.—Rhodes, 112 wickets, at an average tost of 12.87; Armstrong, j 81, 13.14; Gregory, 101, 14.69; McDonald. 112, 15.39; White, 126, 15.81; [ MacAulay, 86, 16-13; Lee, 66, 17.09; Bestwick, 132, 17.14; Freeman, 134, 17.37; Nash, 71, 17.45; Douglas, 119, 17.50; Parker, 138, 17.55; Woolley, 108, 17.66.—(A. and N.Z.)