Press Comments.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7885, 16 December 1903, Page 2

Press Comments.

Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, Yesterday. The Herald says Monday was a day of new records all along the line, the man who played the most important part therein appearing for the first time in,- a match between England and Australia. The Australians have* an extraordinary task before them, and it seems absurd to think, on the face of it, that they can win, though more evidently impossible things have been accomplished. The bowlers had the hardest task which has ever fallen to their lot in a test match, yet it cannot be said they did not bowl well. Two men had registered 889, and these were the only two who had collared the bowling. Howell bowled remarkably well, but the others' bowling was against a man to whom the ball had acquired the dimensions of a pumpkin, and a big one at that. The whole tsani worked very hard in the field.

The Telegraph, in summing up Foster's record, says, to begin with, he joined a small company of players who have scored centuries on their first appearance in test cricket, and then beat Ranjitsinhji's 175, hitherto the biggest innings for England in a match of the kind. Hitherto Gregory's 201 was the highest score in a test match in Australia. A few minutes afterwards Murdoch's 211 was no longer a record innings for a representative fixture either in Australia or England. Going on Foster played the biggest innings ever played by an Englishman against Australian bowling. Finally he beat the Australian total off his own bat. All through a long outing the Australian fielding never became loose, admirable work being dene by everybody without exception. Although the bowling got a little demoralised when Foster was flogging it for the last hour, it was for the most part good. It may be mentioned that yesterday established fifth and last wicket test records.