THE FIRST TEST

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1932, Page 5

THE FIRST TEST

AUSTRALIA 360

ENGLAND’S GOOD POSITION.

(Australian Fress Association )

SYDNEY, December 4, 'The first, test match was continued yesterday in ’delightful weather before .'an immeme crowd. A more exciting finish to Australia’s innings is hardl to imagine. The Australians resumed their first innings with 290 for six wickets McCabe being, 127 not out, and Grinnnett 17 not out.

On resinning Larwood and Voce sent Grinnnett, O’Reilly and Nagel back to tne pavilion in twenty mirtutes, with the addition of only 15 runs to the over-night score. , Then with Wall, the last man in, McCabe decided to- .attack the bowling. The spectators were in a continual uproa.r as McCabe belted both Larwood and Voce to all .parts of the field. McCLibe refused to run any singly except these off the l'nst ball of an over. Wall kept his wicket intact while 55 runs wen© added for the last wicket, of which McCabe made all but four. MciCbbia wts particularly daring. After he had passed 160, McCabe was dropped twice by the fieldsmen, who were now completely rattled by hits hurricane hitting, On one occasion both of the batsmen were at the same end, but Leyland sent a wild return, which went over the wicket-keeper’s head for two overthrows.

Australia’s total was 360 runs, which was miade in 365 minutes. McCabe batted for 242 minutes. He collected 25 fours.

Larwood took the bowling honours, and, with tb© exception of McCabe, he had all 1 of the batsmen beaten by his great pace. Sutcliffe and Wyatt opened brightly for England. They raised'. 50 rims in forty-two minutes, as compared with Australia".s' 78 minute's to score as many,. Sutcliffe wtos th e more enterprising of the two., being particularly severe on O’Reilly, who was not then bowling with his usual accuracy. When he was forty-three, Sutcliffe had a very lucky escape. He. played a ball from O’Reilly down hard. The ball ran into his wicket, but it did not dislodge the bails. After eighty minutes’ play a hundred, partnership had been realised. Grinnnett had both of the batsmen guessing at times, but Wall and Nagel were played with confidence. After batting for 98 minutes, Wyatt stepped in fronit of a top-spinner from Grinnnett and for the fifth time in his eight innings in Australia he was out leg before. Hammond, following the example of his team mates, immediately attacked the bowling, and gained several fours with hard straight drives. A,t the tea adjournment the score was one for 138. The first three overs after the. adjournment were maidens. O’Reilly bowled two of them and Grimmett one. Hammond then livened up matters by punching Grimmett to the pickets three times in one over. O’Reilly, however, was now bowling finely. He sent down seven, overs including five maidens, for three singles.

Hammond showed that he is in wonderful 1 form, , racing to 50 runs in fifty-seven minutes. He had hit ten fours.

Sutcliffe 1 , meanwhile, was going along steadily scoring many, singles on the leg side supplemented by an occasional boundary.

After the tea adjourn meat the bowlers were tired 1 , and Hammond and Sutcliffe continued their punishment, two hundred being passed in 171 minutes’ play, one hundred -for the partnership veals established, and Sutcliffe reached his eighth century in England-Aus-tralia tests in 186 minutes, including ten fours.

Contrary to expectations, Sutcliffe and 1 Hammond did not force the pace in the'last half hour, but at the drawing- of stumps they were still batting strongly having added 140 runs and placed England is a very favourable position. The Australians fielded keenly throughout. Oldfield was brilliant as wicketkeeper, andi he allowed only one bye. The attendance was 58,048, or only two hundred short of the record for Sydney, the takings being £5,763. During the afternoon dozens of pickets were torn off tli o fence to gain a better view of the play. The scores were a,s follows: —

AUSTRALIA—First Innings. Wood full, c 'Ames, b Voce ... 7 Pore ford, b Larwood 52 F ingle ton, c Allen, 1> Larwood ... 26 Kippax, 1.b.w., b Larwood ... 8 McCabe, not out 187 Richardson, c Hammond, b Voce ... 49 Oldfield, c AmcS b Larwood ... 4 Grim met), c Amiss, b Voce ... 19 Nagel, b Lanvood 0 O’Reilly, b Voce 4 Wall c Allen b Hammond 4 Extras ’ 20

Total The fall of wickets was n s follows: 1 foi/ 22 *2 for 65. 3 for 82. 4 fo.- 87, r, for 216, 6 for 231, 7 for 299, 8 for 300 9 for 305, 10 for 000. IV wling a' 'i lysis : Larwood 31 overs, - maidens, n 6 runs. 5 wickets; Voce 20 overs, 4 maidens, 11.0 runs, 4 wickets; Alien 15 overs 1 maiden, 65 runs, no wickets; Hammond 14 overs no maidens, 34 runs, 1 wicket; Veiity 13 overs, 4 maidens. 35 runs, no wickets.