MCC Failed To Rise; Press Home Advantage

Northern Advocate, 6 March 1947, Page 3

MCC Failed To Rise; Press Home Advantage

(By W. J. O’Reilly) (Received 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, Wednesday. ENGLAND had a great opportunity to win the fifth test match but just could not rise to the occasion. When Barnes and Morris commenced Australia s second innings 214 runs were required for victory.

; This constituted a score which the , [ Australian batsmen were likely to find difficult in getting as our spinners, in the session before lunch, had spun the ball considerably. The wicket had not improved. The Australian openers batted confidently and were well on their way to a big partnership when Barnes foolishly ran Morris out. He played a shot from Wright to Compton at square leg and they ran two. Compton fumbled the ball and Barnes called his partner for the impossible third run. It was Barnes’ call and his responsibility for the loss of a valuable wicket which might have meant the losing of the game. Obviously rattled by his unfortunate error Barnes quickly followed Morris to the dressing room, being caught by Evans off Bedser in identically the same manner as he lost his wicket in the first innings. EDRICH DROPPED IT He stayed long enough, though, to see Bradman give a simple catch to Edrich in the slips off Wright. The fieldsman, caught napping, did no more than feel the ball with his right hand as it went past. Had that chance been taken Australia would have had a tough fight. With three wickets down for 51 runs and the English bowlers tasting blood anything could have happened. Neither Wright nor Bedser bowled with anything like their amazing form of the first innings. Wright reverted to his previous habit of interspersing far too many short-pitched balls amongst too few good ones. Bedser's attitude towards the task seemed to lack the fire and determination necessary for the occasion. BOWLING CHANGES Yardley did little to build up a definite bowling plan, or to add to the morale of an attack which wilted. In making some extraordinary last • bowling changes, with Edrich, Smith. Compton and himself, he neither spelled his main bowlers, Wright and Bedser, for any appreciable time, nor did he allow the change bowler time to muster up his resources. Bradman and Hassett settled down to steady scoring, watching the ball carefully off the pitch, and were content to wait for the over-pitched ball to hit hard. Both batsmen played their part well, their partnership putting the result of the game beyond doubt. BRADMAN AND HASSETT Bradman had more difficulty in playing Bedser than Wright. He finally lest his wicket to the big fellow when he mistimed an off-drive, hitting an easy catch to the covers. Hassett has batted slowly many times this season, but today his unhurried innings was a great factor in the Australian victory and he deserved the great hand he got when he was caught by Ikin at third short slip oil Wright. Hamence. who was never comfortable to Wright, edged the spin bowler into the slips, where the ball cannoned off Ikin’s arm for the catch to be j taken by Edrich at fine slip. ! He was unfortunate in making his | first test appearance on such a difficult wicket. lIIJTTON NOT COMING ! It is hard to assess the merits of the opposing sides in this game, as England was heavily handicapped by L. Hutton’s iUnc-ss. Hutton, who is still in hospital, will not go to New Zealand on Saturday. W. Voce will go in his place. The last ball of the fifth test brought to a close a pleasant tour. The MCC team did not, in my opinion, do themselves full justice from a performance's viewpoint, but they have carried out their important task in the resumption of international cricket with great credit. They were grievously handicapped by having no fast bowler and no dependable medium-paced stock bowler, j Their batting did not come up to expectations. Compton and Hutton found their best form too late to have any great influence upon the destination of the “ashes.” ENGLAND HAS MATERIAL England has Compton, Hutton, Edrich. Evans, Wright and Bedser as the nucleus of an excellent team when the Anglo-Australian contests are rei sumed next year. They must find a fast bowler and a left-arm medium-paced spinner. They will have the South Africans touring England this summer and they will no doubt take that oportunity of building up a strong side. Our Australian team shaded England in both batting and bowling. Seven Australian batsmen scored test centuries whereas only four Englishmen performed the feat. In bowling our attack was strong j and varied, England'slacked variation and numerical strength.

In the wicket-keeping department England, with Evans performing brilliantly, definitely held her own with Australia. AUSTRALIA First Innings 253 Second Innings Barnes, c Evans, b Bedser 30 Morris, run oui II Bradman, c Compton, b Bedser lio Kasseit. c Ikin, b Wright 47 Miller, not out 34 Hamence, c Edrich, b Wright 1 McCool, not out 15 Extras 5 Tola! for five wickets 214

ENGLAND First Innings 280 Second Innings Fishlock, lbw, 1) Lindwall 0 Washbrook. b McCool 24 Edrich, st Tallon, b McCool 21 Compton, c Miller. b Tor,hack ■ Ikin, st Tallon, b McCool 0 Yardley, b McCool 11 Evans, b Miller •••■■ 20 Smith, c Tallon, b Lindwall 24 Bedser, st Tallon. b McCool 4 Wright, not out 1 Hutton, absent ■* Extras - Total I!i <i n/-itltl TMr t

BOWLING O. M. 4 R. 75 \v •) 14 — 22 1 52 2 ;; — 1 7 Compton 1.2 — 11 -

bowling o. M. R. W. 12 1 4(> 2 u 1 11 1 21 5 4-1 5 14 — r>8 — .... 4 i 14. 1 B:i i ner> — 11 —