AUSTRALIAN COLLAPSE ON RAIN-DAMAGED WICKET

Northern Advocate, 10 December 1936, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN COLLAPSE ON RAIN-DAMAGED WICKET

“ FATE PLAYS SCURVY TRICK ON . HOME SIDE"

DICE HEAVILY LOADED AGAINST BATSMEN

(By J. B. Hobbs.—Copyright in all countries. Reproduction in whole or in

part forbidden)

!.?' ' A' BRISBANE, December 9. . A USTRALIA COLLAPSED ON A RAIN-DAMAGED WICKET TODAY. ' ' THE LOSERS ARE TO BE COMMISERATED WITH ON RAIN COMING TO SPOIL WHATEVER CHANCE IT WAS THOUGHT THEY HAD |LAST NIGHT OF WINNING THE MATCH, OR, ALTERNATIVELY, OF RUNNING ENGLAND CLOSE.

f If there had been only a little rain last night it would have bound the wicket up. But there was too much at six o’clock this morning, making -vthe wicket sticky at the start. f, ‘I must say Australia should have got more runs than it did, I but I realise that they rarely see a wet wicket here owing to them v- being completely covered for State matches.

When, as today, the ball comes off the pitch slower than it travels through the air, and then kicks occasionally they look hopeless. Still, probably England would not have done very much better in the circumstances: It is likely that the big score the Australians had to get to win overjawed them and caused them to more dr less throw up the sponge.

Fifty Up.

Oldfield reached double figures, the first player to do so, but in Voce’s next over he was clean bowled by a well pitched up ball. Chipperfield hit a boundary just behind point off Allen, quite the best shot of the innings so far. ’ A single to third man brought O’Reilly to face Allen. He had a swish at one ball and missed the next, which upset his stumps. A maiden from Voce to Ward followed and then Chipperfield hit three fours in one over from Allen, the second giving him 20, and hoisting 50. Another single brought Ward to that end. In trying to hook a short one that got up he was hit in the face.

Remarkable Figures.

Allen and Voce both had remark‘able figures, but England had three (note bowlers in the side, Hammond, Verity and Worthington, who might i\ ave done equally well.

The irony of the situation is that : Verity had been nipping his fingi ers for weeks with the thought of j rain, yet when it came and' produced a wicket to his liking, he

The game was delayed while he received attention. When he faced Voce again it was obvious he did not intend to be hit again. After a halfhearted attempt to play the first ball he was bowled with a second. With McCormick unable to bat, Australia was all out for 58.

i did not get a howl. i The Englishmen will be the first to Empathise with Australia, and admit th|tt' fate; played the latter a scurvy trick-morning, practically presenting the visitors with, victory. Yet 1 honestly think we played better than Australia, and had already earned it. Sc that eyfeii if rain had not come we .should have won; Accidents Bound To Happen. • I know that is a risky thing to say with'Bradman in a side, as he is liable to get one dr two hundred off his own .feat, but the wicket after four days’ play, was showing signs of wear, and accidents are bound to happen. One or two batsmen would have been sure to get out through the ball keeping low or doing something unexpected. : ' Allen’s first ball today got up rather high. Badcock shaped as if he expected the second to do the same, but it came along very little above normal height. He played it wide of third slip, where Fagg caught- it so low down that the batsman waited for the umpire’s confirmation. Voce was over-pitching the ball and there appeared to. be nothing particularly dangerous about him. jt Wickets fell with the fourth and sixth balls of Allen’s second over. Sievers feeling for one, just outside the off stump was caught at second Slip and then the great Bradman came rin.

Bradman played the first ball, ..liutthe second kicked ?nd flew off the shoulder of the bat to Fagg, who was fielding in the same pface as before.

Australia’s Hope Goes.

With Bradman walking back to the pavilion went any hope Australia had of saving the game. McCabe was next to go, Allen getting his wicket with his ‘second ball in the following over, the batsman being easily caught by Ley land at deep square leg. That meant half the side out for 16 runs. Robinson scored two off the second ball of Voce’s third over. In the next, when trying to hit one to the on-side he lobbed an easy catch to Hammond. I felt sorry for Robinson and the other recruits coming in on a wicket like this in their first test.

The dice was heavily loaded against **uy . batsman. . Oldfield scored two fours through the slips in Allen’s next ovtir, the first off a no-ball, of which there was an epidemic due to the ground being loose. The only previous; four was to fine leg off the same bo\yler by McCabe.