FIGHTING CHANCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 1210, 7 January 1925, Page 2

FIGHTING CHANCE

ENGLAND REQUIRES 372 TO WIN. ONE WICKET FOR 54 RUNS. MELBOURNE, Jan. C. The fifth day of the Test match was favoured with cool but sunny weatlier, when Collins and Taylor (25) resumed Australia's second innings! The wioket was cracking a little, and was thus conducive to "shooting." Taylor took strike to Hearne, who bowled a maiden. Tate took the ball from Hearne and Taylor glanced him for three, the over yielding nine. Hearne, at 81, relieved Tate, who bowled from the other end. Taylor got into the forties by snicking Tate Into the slips—a lucky shot. Collins, who had opened the innings, was now 26 and Taylor, who was fourth batsman, 46. They were running well between the wickets. Collins, when .'lO, Clayed a chance back to Tate, but the dwlcr dropped it amid cries of "Lucky Collins." Taylor pulled Hearne to the fence and raised his score to 50 for 75 minutes' play. Before the Australian captain could add to his score, Hearne beat him with an off-break. Collins had played a useful innings.—4-30-106. V. Richardson was accorded an ovation on going in to bat. Gilligan, at long off, was fielding brilliantly. When the score was 121, Douglas went on in place of Tate. Five runs later Richardson was smartly caught by Strudwick off Hearne.— 5-8-126. Kelleway, "The Rock," joined Taylor, who was going well for his century. At the luncheon adjournment the total was 5 for 139 (Taylor 76). TATE AND HEARNE IN FORM. When play was resumed, Tate and Hearne topk up the bowling. The former sent, down two maidens. Taylor droVe him to the off for a single and had 80 to his credit on the board. Kelleway was 30 minutes in getting 10 and nearly played on a ball which struck his pads. Taylor got five off Tate, four being for an overthrow. Hobos and Hearne carried on the burden of the bowling, maintaining a perfect length. Kelleway was playing defensively for a while, but presently broke the spell by driving Hearne to leg to the fence. Taylor reached 90 by driving Tate for a single, but the bowler had his revenge in the same over and clean bowled him. The retiring man had played an invaluable innings lasting 149 minutes and including seven boundaries and one five. —6.-90-166. Hartkopf joined Kelleway, who in the next over was caught and bowled by Hoarne. "The Rock" had stonewalled for his 17. Australia wa3 in a bad position when Hartkopf went out leg-before to Tate and the board showed eight for 168. OLDFIELD TO THE RESCUE. Gregory and Oldfield were both cautious at the wickets. The latter drove Hearne for three, Gilligan misfielding the ball, and Gregory pulled Hearne to the pickets. Gilligan replaced Tato when the score was 194. Oldfield banged Hearne to the fence and the score reached 203. Tate went on again and Hearne, at point, missed a difficult high catch from Gregory, who was now 17. A drive off Tate yielded four to Oldfield. Douglas replaced Hearne at 20& Gregory broke his bat and Oldfield created amusement hy swopping bats in transit. The pair were making a splendid stand. Oldfield was 30 and Gregory 18 when the tea adjournment came, with the score standing at 220. On resumption Gregory di'ove Tate for a couple of singles. Oldfield, playing with confidence, drove Hearne for three, but the bowler soon had the satisfaction of getting a leg-before decision. The retiring batsmen's display was a feature of the critical stage of the game.—9-39-239. Tate appealed for leg-before when Mailey had made two and the crowd was_ very angry. Next over, however, Mailey dragged one from the same bowler on to his wicket and the innings closed for 250. Taylor's display was brilliant and the Gregory-Oldfleld combination yielded 67. Tate and Hearne wore the destructive factors accounting for the indifferent exhibition given by the Australians.

ENGLAND'S UNLUCKY START. Requiring 372 runs to win, Hobbs and Sutcliffe began England's second innings, facing Gregory and Kelleway, at five o'clock. A. Richardson went on at 21 and bowled a maiden. Hobbs, when 17, just managed to get in before a smart return from Taylor. Mailey, at 31, took the ball and caused Hobbs some anxiety. Eventually, amidst tremendous applause from the 13,000 spectators, Mailey got a leg-be-fore decision over Hobbs.—l-22-36. Meanwhile Sutcliffe had been playing patiently. Strudwick joined him 'and the field was crowded in, but the English 'keeper got going, scoring faster than Sutcliffe. The pair played out time when the board showed one for 54. AUSTRALIA. First Innings -... 600 Second linings. Bavdsley, 1.b.w., b Tate 2 Collins, b Hearne ... .... 30 A. Richardson, b Tate ...- 9 Ponsford, b Tate 4 Taylor, b Tate 90 V. Richardson, c Strudwick, b Hearne 8 Kelleway, c and b Hearne ... ... 17 Hartkopf, 1.b.w., b Tate 0 Gregory, not out 36 Oldfield, 1.b.w., b Hearne ... ... 39 Mailev, b Tate /.. ... ... 3 Extras 12 Total ... 250 Bowling: Tate, 6 for 99; Hearne, 4 for 84; Tvldesley, 0 for 6; Douglas, 0 for 9; Gilligan, 0 for 40. ENGLAND. First Innings ... ».. 479 Second Innings. Hobbs, 1.b.w., b Mailey v.. ... ... 22 Sutcliffe, noi out ... ... 12 Strudwick, not out 16 Extras .... < ... ..< 5 Total for one wicket ... «..- 54 —Press Association. • COMMENT IN ENGLAND. SUPREME TEST OP TEAM'S GRIT. 5. Captain Philip Trevor, writing in the Daily Telegraph, says: "Never in the history of test cricket has there been such inteMit and excitement a» ifl being shown in the present matoh, which, by common ooaaeat, is regarded as the

supreme test of the English team's grit. People who ordinarily ignore cricket are daily discussing nothing else. I refuse to believe that Hobbs, Sutcliffe and Tate are the only members of the team who can live up to our woll-established reputation on this great occasion. Therefore, my optimism is unshaken." Wilson, a member of the previous team to visit Australia, while writing in the Daily Express, says: "The Australians, despite their bad start, will set us at least 450 to get. If the wicket helps the bowlers we shall have our backs to the wall in the second innings." Barnes, in the Daily Chronicle, expresses surprise at a fine weather wicket at Melbourne showing sigmj of Wearing. If Tate receives support from the others the Australians Will become a struggling side. England's collapse is a tribute to Collins's skilful bustling changes in the bowling." The Evening Standard says: "One aspect of the test match which is causing discomfort is the repetition of the Sydney slump. It is a cricket riddle that the last five Englishmen only added 75 runs without any appreciable change in the wicket. The score indicates that the Australian attack rose to the occasion. It is difficult to be complacent over the efforts of the six batsmen following Hobbs and Sutcliffe after the inspiration they provided."