CRICKET.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7391, 18 February 1902, Page 2

CRICKET.

FOURTH TEST MATCH. PROSPECTIVE EASY VICTORY FOR AUSTRALIA. Sydney, February 17. The match was continued in beautiful weather, the wicket playing excellently. There were about 15,000 present. Noble and Armstrong resumed batting, Braund and Jessop having charge of the bowling. The former was punished by both batsmen, but Noble, after adding five to his score, got leg before, and, though in some doubt, the umpire decided against him. He was two hours and three-quarters a * the wickets, and gave one chance during the partnership, which added 41 to the score. Six wickets for 160. Hopkins, who filled the vacancy, left the work to Armstrong, contenting himself with defensive tactics. The Victorian played with the greatest confidence. Tyldesley got under one, and caught it, but, having inadvertently got one foot on the cycle track, he fell. A consultation ensued between Tyldesley and the umpires, which led to Armstrong remaining af the wickets. The incident caused a lot of excitement among the spectators. At last, Braund, with a beautiful ball breaking from the off, dismissed Armstrong, who had batted an hour and three quarters, and hit seven 4's. Seven wickets for 205. Hopkins hud maintained his stonewall while Armstrong was batting, and had only put up nine for 70 minutes at the wickets, but now became aggressive, giving a fine display, and hitting fourers in rapid succession, eventually being caught. Howell's arrival was the signal for the fieldsmen to be placed at the boundaries. Braund's second ball was sent into the grandstand for five. Howell raised tho enthusiasm of the spectators to a tremendous pitch, and his fourth stroke saw 15 to his credit. He hit out all over the field, getting 18 off Gunn's over. Such a display was too good to last, but he knocked up 35 in fourteen minutes, including six 4's, and he received a great ovation. Nine for 288. Saunders, the last man, played feebly, but held his wicket sufficiently long to let Kelly add eleven, and then Braund dismissed the Victorian. Australia.— First Innings. Trumble, c Maclaren, b Jessop ... 6 Trumper, c Braund, b Jessop ... 7 Hill, c Jones, b Jessop 21 Gregory, c Braund, b Jessop ... 5 Noble, b Braund 56 Duff, c Lilley, b Blythe 39 Armstrong b Braund 55 Hopkins, c Lilley, b Braund ... 43 Kelly, not out 24 Howell, c Maclaron, b Gunn ... 35 Saunders, b Braund 0 Extras 8 Total 299 Blythe took one wicket for 57, Gunn one for 48, Jessop four for 68, Braund four for 118. COLLAPSE OF THE ENGLISH TEAM. At four o'clock, Hayward and Maclaren commenced the second innings of the Englishmen, Noble and Saunders opening the attack. The Sydney bowler's second over proved fatal to Maclaren, who had just scored five when he played one into Kelly's hands. One wicket for 5. Tyldesley filled tho vacancy. The play was slow, Hayward being at the wicket for twenty minutes before he broke his "duck." The Lancashire professional got into double figures in the first few minutes, but he had only just attained that position when he played Saunders up in the slips, Trumble effecting the catch. Two for 24. Next Noble sent down a magnificent ball, breaking in from the off and scattering Hayward's stumps. Three for 36. Jessop came next. The demon hitter opened with a cut for four, and then became exceedingly careful, both bowlers keeping a splendid length. Jessop had quite usurped Quaife's position as a stonewaller, but he played forward to a fine ball from Saunders, which displaced hia stumps. Four for 57. Braund, Quaife, and Lilley all failed. The downfall was remarkable, especially as the wicket was still excellent. England— Second Innings. Hayward, b Noble 12 Maclaren, c Kelly, b Noble 5 Tyldesley, o Trumble, b Saunders 10 Quaife, 1.b.w., b Noble 15 Jessop, b Saundors 15 Braund, b Saunders 0 McGahey, not out 12 Lilley, c Trumble, b Noble... ... 0 Jones, not out ... ... „; 6 Extras 2 Total for seven wickets ... 77 WHAT CAUSED THE COLLAPSE. MACLAREN AND HAYWARD'S FAILURE. Received February 18, 10.4 a.m. Sydney, February 18. The weather was fine. The keynote of tho collapse of the Englishmen was of course the dismissal of Maclareu and Hayward for so few runs by the excellent bowling. This caused a funk. The board was a pathetic sight to see, seven excellent batsmen being dismissed for such insignificant figures. The Herald says the batsmen were □ever comfortable, though the wicket was perfect. The sucoess of the Australians was purely and simply a triumph of the bowling, through which that hitherto valuable partnership of Maclareu and Hayward was nipped in ;he bud. With the fall of the former's wicket, the whole side commenced scratching. It now looks as though the Australians are sure to win. There is, lowever, yet time for the remainder of he visitors to set the home side a good lumber to obtain. The Daily Telegraph says the bowling if Noble and Saunders was very good, mt that it is doubtful whether it was ;ood enough to quite aooount for so horough a batting collapse. Things vent the way of the Australians, ■nd for shifty strokes they ; deveoped a knack of going to hand, nd, excepting in a difficult intance, no opportunities were missed. ?he batting failure emphasises the value fthe Maolaren.Hayward partnership, lot once during the eleven a-side latches of the tour has the team put p a score of 300 unless these two have lade a big start for the first wicket. Dunedin, February 18. None of the Otago players selected to lay in the inter-Island match being vailable, Baker has telegraphed to Mr laphael, as representing the Cricket ouncil,. suggesting the advisability of bandoning the match for this season.