THE FIRST TEST.

Mataura Ensign, 15 December 1911, Page 5

THE FIRST TEST.

» 1 AUSTRALIANS BATTING. ON A PERFECT WICKET. 81 ELECTRIC TEI.EURAPU. COPYRIGHT. PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. Received Decern be tls, 1.50 p.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 15. The weather is beautifully fine for the first test match England v. Australia, which is commencing here to-day, and the wicket is in perfect , order. The following are the teams: England. Australia. Douglas ■ rrm Foster Whitty Ilobbs Trumjw Mead Bradsley Hearns Kellyway Wool ley Hordern Barnes Cotter Strudwick Carter Gunn Tvlinnett Rinnear Armstrong Rhodes Ransford The Australians won the toss andl are batting. THE ENGLISHMEN. That the English team is a strong combination can be seen by reference to last season's averages:— Batting. Bowling. Douglas 29.7 24.9 Foster 42.4 20.3 Hobbs 41.6 Mead 54.5 '— Hearne 42.8 22.0 Woolley 37.7 21.3 Barnes (second class) 43.3 7.2 Strudwick 21.6 Gunn 38.4 Kinnear 49.3 Rhodes 38.3 24.0 The bowling is regarded as being somewhat weak. Foster on Australian wickets ranks almost as a fast bowler; Woolley and Rhodes are le,ft-handers; Vine leg-breaks; Hearne "googlies" ; and Barnes is the "star" bowler of the side. Then there is also Douglas and Mead.