FIRST TEST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 27 December 1924, Page 5

FIRST TEST

■■ .i i ■ ■ 1 * " 1 *■■*—■ ENGLISHMEN SET A BIG TASK REQUIRE 563 TO WIN CENTURIES TO TAYLOR AND SUTCLIFFE (By Eleetrlo Telegraph.—Copyright., (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.; SYDNEY, Dec. 24. Wintry conditions ruled lor the tilth day of the first, -test, match, and the attendance was only small, but it increased to 8000 in the afternoon. A strong south-west w‘,ind, accompanied by shoygn’s of cold rain, made things most unpleasant for players and spectators alike. Play was adjourned for periods of twenty and twenty-five minutes before lunch. The wicket, was beginning to wear, and the outfield was slow. Counts, after adding two singles to his overnight, score, snicked a ball from Tate to Chapman at fine -slip- He had batted 154 minutes and hit three 4s. Hendry gave a pleasing _ display. Al- - lus could do aiothing "with Tate, ho pulled Freeman nicely .to leg. Taylor -was suffering from a boil on his leg, which proved a handicap in running between the wickets. Tlie slightly wet wicket just suited Tate, who prior to lunch had taken two wickets for two runs, and bowled five maidens. As in the first innings, he proved a tower of strength to his side. Taylor, who is usually a fast scorer, could not at first get going, but livened up after lunch, his partnerships with Oldfield and Mailey proving the brightest parts of today’s innings. Most of his scores came from nicely placed cuts and glances. Ho displayed much skill in pulling Hearhe to leg, and made many vigorous drives, some of which reached the fence, but most were stopped _ by smart fielding. As in the first innings, Australia proved it bad a most useful tail, which could he depended on to add considerably to the score. Oldfield anj Mailey stepped out to Ilearne and hit. him hard. Strudwick proved himself a versatile fieldsman, and occasionally made a dash of 50 yards into the fieid in pursuit of the hall. Three hundred appeared on the board for 324 minutes’ play. ■ 1 The rain cleared during the afternoon, and tlie kun shone out fitfully. The outstanding feature of the play to date is the remarkable last-wicket stand of Taylor and Mailey, which added 127 runs. Taylor’s exhibition was absolutely superb. He played carefully, yet vigorously, placing his strokes with great precision and force. He hatted 164 minutes and hit eight. 4’s. His century took 149 minutes to get. The partnership scored quickly, and put on 100 in 61 minutes. Mailey also played forcefully. and showed* good judgment in placing the hall. lie occupied the crease for 79 minutes and hit Jour 4’s. Gilligan made frequent changes in howling in an attempt to separate the pair. At last Tate broke Taylor’s defence with a straight ball which he tried to pull. Both players were accorded a great ovation on leaving the field. The innings had lasted 425 minutes.

, With an hour of the day’s play remaining, England commenced the second innings, facing the tremendous task of making 605~t0 win. Hobbs, accompanied by Sutcliffe, opened brightly, though Hobbs appeared to bo not too comfortable facing Gregory, who was howling with a. strong wind at his hack and rocking the ball in Very quickly. When the board showed 25 Hobbs survived a.n appeal for leg-before. Collins put Mailey on against the' wind in an endeavour to catch Sutcliffe, as in the first innings. The Australians can learn a lot of points from the Englishmen in running between the wickets, for the visitors lose very few rims. Neither batsman took any risks; however, and runs came slowly. When the total was 37 Hobbs was nearly stumped. He was scoring very slowly, and reached double figures in singles, an unusual thing for him. Following arc’ the detailed scores : 'AUSTRALIA , : First Innings 450 Second Innings Bardsley, b Tate 22 A. Richardson, o and b Freeman ... 98 Kelleway, b Gilligan 23 Collins, c Chapman, b Tate .. 60 Ponsford, c Woolley, b Freeman ... 27 V. Richardson, c Hendren, b Tate./. 18 Hendry, c Strudwick, b Tate 22 Taylor, b Tate 108 Gregory, c Woolley, b Freeman 2 Oldfield, e- Strudwick, b Gilligan ... 'lB Mailey, not out 46 Extras 8

Bowling Analysis: Gilligan took two wickets, for 114 runs; Tate, five for 98 ; Freeman, three for 134; Heame, none for 88; Chapman, none for 10. Fall of wickets: One for 40, two for 115, three for 168, four for 210, five for 241, six for 260, seven for 281, eight for 286, nine for 325, ten for 452. SYDNEY, Dec. 26.

The weather was dull hut -fine when England resumed their second innings, requiring 503 runs to win. The wicket was in excellent condition considering this was the sixth day of the match,, and the outfield was good. The attendance was 20,000 at the commencement.

Hobbs and Sutcliffe quickly settled down. Mailey was bowling well and was played carefully, except loose ones, which were pitched well up. These both batsmen ’stepped out to and drove or pulled to the fence. Gregory, with a wind behind him, was sending the ball down very quickly and caused Hobbs some anxiety when . one bounced over’ his head. Both men cut liim nicely. When Sutcliffe was facing Mailey, Col-" lins placed a man at short mid off in the hope of making a catch. He later adopted the same move with Hobbs and proved successful, the batsman just tapping a soft one to Hendry. Hobbs scored more quickly than Sutcliffe till their scores were equal. 41 each, and then they kept together, reaching 50 in 104 and 105 minutes respectively. _ The century also appeared in 104 minutes. Hobbs batted for 111 minutes, the partnership yielding 110 runs. Sutcliffe showed more ocnfidence than in the first, innings and played very correct cricket, finding holes in the field nicely. Bardsley in the outfield had a good deal of intercepting to do and acquitted himself well.

Play »lowed e down till Chapman arrived ,and the crowd expected great things. He hit the second six of the match, putting Mailey twice over the fence, and played vigorously, driving strongly. When the score was 187, Chapman was nearly run out bv a quick return from A. Richardson, and again a run later from Ponsford. The partnership with Sutcliffe put on 62 and lasted 46 minutes. Sutcliffe continued in good style.

Tlio second century appeared for 184 minutes’ play. Hendren failed to maintain his average. He occupied the creasy for 26.

minutes. The'Australian fielding, while good, especially .that of 'V. Richardson, lacked the snap and cleanness of' the Englishmen. • 'Hendren in making a hit. over his head off Gregory split the bat-. 31 a iivconimehced at 3.15 and len rnintuit es later the teams left tho field. Play was resumed at 4.5, when tho attendance, was 29,000. The tea. adjournment had been taken during tho rain, which caused the outfield to become slippery. Sutcliffe reached the century off the second ball, lie showed much skill in timing and pulling Gregory’s head high balls to the leg botinddary. Fifteen runs later a bull from Mai ley hit his wrist and bounced off. Any other fieldsman than Gregory with his long reach would have missed it. Sutcliffe had batted 247 minutes. He hit. nine fours and had given no chances.

Woolley gave a nice exhibition of hitting all round the wicket, picking vacant spaces with precision, and squarecutting brilliantly. When the board showed 262 Oldfield snapped the bails off, but the battsnuui's foot was just inside.

With Sutcliffe’s departure a rot set in, Sandham, Tate, and Gilligan going cheaply, Kellewav taking two wickets for none.

Woolley kept going and made 50 in 67 minutes. He hit Mailey over the fence and 300 appeared in 281 minutes. Freeman provided a. temporary bright spot.

Conditions towards the end became unpleasant. Pain threatened and the light commenced to fail. Preceded by lightning and thunder rain came down again at 5.30 and seven minutes later the teams left the field. Play was resumed at 5.55, and it was agreed to extend the time a- quarter of an hour. At 93 Woolley was missed by Mailey at deep cover. Shortly afterwards, with the score at 8 for. 362, stumps were drawn. ENGLAND First Innings 298 Second Innings. Hobbs, c Herfdry, b Mailey 57 Sutcliffe, c Gregory, b Mailey 115 Hearne, b Gregory 0 Chapman, o Oldfield, . Ai'endry 44 Hendren, c Gregory, b Hendry 9 Woolley, not out 94 Sandham, c Oldfield, b Mailey 2 Tate, c Ponsford, b KellewAy 0 Gilligan, b Kelleway 1 Freeman, not out 33 Extras 7

Eight wickets for 362

SYDNEY, Dec. 26.

The Taylor-Mailey partnership on Wednesday for 127 established the Australian players’ last wicket record, the previous record being 120 made by Armstrong and Duff at Melbourne in 1902. The English record is 130, made by R. E. Foster and Rhodes hi Sydney in 1903.

SYDNEY, This Day,

Commenting on the cricket, the Herald says the successful partnership of Hobbs and Sutcliffe was the leading special feature of the batting. In making an opening partnership of over a hundred runs in each innings of the match the pair achieved something that lias never been done before. If there is one present-day player more than another with whom one associates the words “a hundred” it is Jack Hobbs. A glance at the statistics shows the occasions on which he has helped to put up three figures for the first'wicket in first-class cricket number ninety-seven. This is an experience' altogether unique. Even Dr. Grace in his long and wonderful career took part in no more than sixty-nine partnerships, but possibly that lie -did not do so is due to the fact that he did not get players to stay with him so consistently as Hobbs. . v

RECORD ATTENDANCE

SYDNEY, Dec. 26

At the end of .the fifth day of the test match a record bad been established for attendance of 135,361, and also for gate takings, which have amounted to £13,250. The previous records were 111,265 attendance, and £10,387 gate takings.

A MATCH CANCELLED

SYDNEY, Dec. 25

Owing to tho protracted nature of the Test match, the Englishmen’s fixture against the Southern District's, to have commenced on Boxing Day at Albury, has been cancelled. SHEFFIELITsHIELD MATCH MELBOURNE, Dee. 20. Rain prevented play in the Sheffield Shield match. ENGLAND V. SOUTH AFRICA CAPETOWN, Dec.‘ 25. In the unofficial test against England, South Africa, in the first innings scored 295 (Sunssking 41, Catterall 17, Nourse 71, Deane 13. Nupen 7, Conyngham 6, Neser 80, Billing 32, Hall 0, extras 11). England scored 198 in the first innings, andj.in the second has lost six wickets for 121 (Maoßryan 0, Tyldesley 51, Bowley 54, Tennyson 0, Kennedy 0, Geary 0, Russell, not out, 11). CAPETOWN, Dec. 20.

In the unofficial test England in the second innings made 149—Jameson 4, Parker 1, Bratley 8, Russell not out 20, Marriott absent; extras 5. Bowling: Nupen, 5 for 33. _i ' South Africa in the second innings scored 53 for one wicket. ‘ Catterall 17, Susskind not out 24, Ling not out .9.