SECOND TEST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 28 June 1926, Page 5

SECOND TEST

GOOD INNINGS BY AUSTRALIA BARDSLF.Y 173 MOT OUT (By Electric Telegraph-Copyright.) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 20. Tu the second test match Australia, in the first innings has lost 8 wickets for 338 runs. Collins, b Boot 1 Bardslcy, not out 173 Macartney, c Sutcliff, b Larwood 39 Woodful,'c Slrudwick, h Root .... 13 Andrews, c and b Kilncr 10 Gregory, b Larwood 7 Taylor", e Carr, b Tate 9 Richardson, b Kilncr 05 Ryder, e Struilwick, b Tate 28 - Extras 23

Eight wickets for

Stumps were drawn

DETAILS OF PLAY

(Reuter s Telegrams)

LONDON, June 26. Tin., second test opened at Lord’s in brilliant sunshine. The attendance was 25,000, including the King. The wicket was perfect. Collins won the toss and decided to hat. Tate and Root were the opening howlers. The score started with a bye from Tate’s first over. Root immediately commenced with a leg series to Collins, who resolutely declined them. Root’s first delivery in the second overbad Collins completely beaten. The hall came from the off and was similar to those which ‘did damage at Birmingham. The score was then eleven. Tate’s third over was a maiden, but included a ball which Bardsiey was very lucky to keep out of his wicket. Bardsiey misjudged the stroke and' clipped the hall hard on ro his pad, saving his wicket. Thus warned he settled down to his favourite stroke, a glance to leg, which was employed to good effect. It fell to Macartney’s lot to have to play Root, whereas Collins left him severely alone. Ho was trapped by a balL which came back instead of going away. Macartney went forward whenever possible and played the hall off the pitch. When seven he had a lucky escape from leg before from Root, who played up to Macartney’s habit of getting in front of the wicket.

Carr made a double change, putting on Kilner and Larwood. Macartney, against these bowlers, gave signs of over anxiety. His strokes \vere characterised by occasional uncertainty, although his scoring shots were crisp and attractive. Larwood’s length after a couple of overs became variable. Bardsiey knocked some nice boundaries off him. Larwood’s fourth over to Macartney was full of incident. The first ball produced an unsuccessful appeal for leg before; the second was wide on the offside and was chopped, a strange stroke and most unlike Macartney; the third was superbly boundaried to square leg; the fourth was bnundaried in the slips; the fifth was a three to leg, followed up by driving Kil. ner on the boundary. An hour produced 66, Tate shortly after replacing Larwood. Macartney was then set and played Tate stylishly. He hit a single in the slips dangerously near Chapman, who got his fingers to the hall. When 37 Macartney was given the benefit of the doubt in a strong appeal for leg before.

The English fielding throughout was clean and "keen.'' Carr and Hendren were the most prominent. Larwood; in his second attempt with the hall, found his feet and got Mac‘artney well caught by Sutcliffe at second slip off a rising hall which he should have left alone. lie hit four fours. The hoard showed 84 for 2.

Woodfull followed the example of his predecessor and left Root’s leg balls severely alone.

After lunch, for the time in history, English amateur and professionals came out at the central entrance to the pavilion. Bardsley, when 52, cut Larwood bard and low into the hands of Carr, - but be failed to- bold it. After obtaining a number of singles Wcodfull overreached a ball and was well taken at the wicket, low. Bardsley continued a polished exhibition of cutting and legging. Tate bowled with good judgment, but except at one period was not dangerous, and seemed to give the batsmen little real anxiety. Andrews was never comfortable and gave t wo chances before Kilner accepted a hot return. A buzz of excitement came from the crowd as Gregory took position, but before be got going Larwood bad him completely beaten. Bardsley after a slow spell began to score by 'boundaries. He made a brilliant leg glance, just deflecting the ball from the wicket. He leached the century with a fine drive past cover. He look 195 minutes. This was Bardsley’s third test century, all scored in England. After bowling 23 overs, Tate secured his first wicket, Taylor putting his bat to a ball which kicked badly and being easily taken in the slips. ! fbe total was then 208 for 6. Richardson’s position' in the batting order in view of bis recent displays caused some comment. He was soon off the mark and gave a splendid exhibition of driving. Bardsley, when 112 was badly missed by Strudwick off Tate, the keeper fumbling an easy catch. After tea Bardsley was aggressive, straight driving Larwood’s express balls. Richardson followed suit. Carr changed the bowling every four or five overs, using mainly Tate, Root, Kilner, and Larwood. Richardson was taken by a ball which beat him all the way. He batted 80 minutes. His score included six fours. The seventh wicket bad added 74. Bardsley continued freely adding the larger proportion of the score in front of the wicket. Ryder opened shakily. When lie opened out be drove Tate splendidly, blit just on time be was snapped at the wicket by Struct wick.

Bardsley’s display was superb. His score is a record in England-Australia tests at Lord’s. So far be has bit 13 fours.

PRERR COMMENTR

BARDSLEY’R GREAT INNINGS

LONDON. June 27

Kollo wav in the Sunday Express states: “It lias been mainly Bardsley's day. The great loft-lmnder played all the bowling in the same easy way, and was never in doubt. Throughout England fielded well following the magnifieient example of Carr, who injured bis hand while stopping a cut from Bardsley. Of the. bowlers Root was easily the best. The others worked bard and bowled accurately, but Root obviously gave the batsmen more to think about than all the others. As the game stands Australia lias corn' 1 out very well and lias reached a total which at one time seemed unobfviiable.”

MaeLaren writes in the News of the World: “The Australians after t n a failed to push home their advantage. ]f the later batsmen lmd bit nit and got out and enabled England to I at a few minutes at. the end of the day it would have been better from the Australian viewpoint than over-cautious batting, which has made a draw al-

most inevitable. When we lose the toss on a good wicket it is something that our opponent's tactics saved us from defeat.”

Tate in Rynolds’s News alludes to luel} in )winning the. toss, “giving the Australians the first knock on tlie most perfect pitch I’ve played on since I was iij Sydney.”

The Sketch says the first day of the test was not exactly a feast of sparkling cricket and was not garnished with Worcestershire sauce, for Root, except for an early triumph in the tricking of Collins was not the Root of Birmingham. Thrice in Boot’s first over Collins lifted his hat and let leg round swingers pass with something bordering on sublime disdain, hut Collins l ad not learned the lesson at Birmingham, and almost eontempously let the next ball alone. It whipped in and his leg stick was skittled while nia hat was still cooked in the air.

Andrews never got his eye in and was a victim to Kilnev’s guile in pitching up off breaks. Macarrney even was not venturesome, a proof that, the howling was consistent and needed watching. He was not ‘lie oh: superb Macartney or else lie would have felt out for Larwood’s outswinger and given Sutcliffe a spectacular chance. Woodful seemed musele-houn l and Taylor was weighted down by a run of county calamities. Gregory was strangely mute and inglorious, and Richardson was streaky and uncertain. Ryder ureused the crowd's ire bv pottering twenty minutes for two before he got going. Rai'ilsley was 1 lie uiwonquorod hero of ihe day He was u 1 ways maslciJy. He was really the olv lmtsmai to treat Root as a mere circumstance of the name. Carr was not only the most o iistavr.iing lie. ’- - but handled the howling masterfully, lie made 24 quick changes. The game seems certain to he draw n.

(Sun Cable.)

(Rec. 9.4 ft a.m., June 28) LONDON. June 27

Bosanquet writes: The day’s play may he summed up as Bardsiey versus England. The remainder of the batsmen looked very ordinary. But for the left lmnder’s typical innings the Australians might have been dismissed for an inadequate score, despite the ideal wicket. We have seldom seen a powerful hatting side so dependent on one man. Unfortunately Bardsiey was thrice missed. The howlers’ attempts at dismissal were poorly supported. Boot and Larwood justified their selection. Tate was unlucky. He may do something in the second innings. Carr handled the howling well, not allowing the Australians to get the howlers’ measure.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, June 27.

Warner, in tiie Maiming Post, says: “Bardsiey had some luck, hut the chances he gave were very difficult. His innings imust be described as a great one. Bardsiey, however slow he may be, is always good to watch. His method is good in the extreme and his defence splendid. His play on the Jeg side approaches perfection. He made many late cuts and drove pasti-mid-off more than he usually does. The fielding was splendid. Carr captained England extremely well and managed the howling so ably that' he kept the howlers fresh to the end. He will undoubtedly he a fine captain.

LONDON, June 27. The papers generally attack the Australians’ failure to foresee the game in the last hour. Strudwick’s wicket keeping is also criticised. The Despatch points out that Brown of Hampshire might advantageously be substituted, so strengthening the batting and allow the selectors to include another -bowler, regardless of his ability to make runs. LONDON, June 27.

Good judges of cricket are of the opinion that without running risk the Australians could have put on another hundred in the time available. The Bardsley-Rydor partnership made observers conclude that the~Australians’ object- was to become dead safe from defeat- before trying to win. This is not the best way of achieving an actual victory in a. three days’ test.

BEFORE THE MATCH LONDON. .Tune 25. Mr Smith spent many hours dealing with applications for tickets. Over a thousand, mostly Australians, applied and Mr Smith had to reduce the number to 250, one enthusiast sent an open cheque. His name was struck off and the cheque returned.

LONDON. June 20.

Test enthusiasts arrived outside Lord's at nine last evening prepared for a nightlong wait for 9000 unreserved seats. By 9.30 the queue lengthened and policemen arrived to arrange it. They also will be on all night duty. Those among the crowd not carrying attache eases had their pockets bulging with eatables.

Australians who visited Lord’s today were surprised to see a match between clergymen in progress. They though the groundsmen would have been busy on the test wicket. Rome were roping oIT part of the playing area to make provision for mere spectators.

WEATHER PROSPECTS FOR SECOND DAY

LONDON, June 27.

Rain fell in several parts of London to-night, but Lord's ground and district escaped. To-night’s forecast is variable winds, occasional local showers and warm weather. The outlook shows no material change.

GREGORY'S INJURY

(Sun Cable.)

(Ree. 9.40 a.m. .Tune 2S)

LONDON, June 27.

Tn connection with the injury to Gregory’s shin there is still some doubt whether he will be able to reproduce his best form. The trouble is only nowbeing revealed and caused the doctors the gravest concern. They declare it was an act of heroism on his part to continue bowling in tile first test. He must have suffered agonies. Returning to the dressing room at the adjournment he told the other players it was no use. lie could bowl no more. Immediately the match was abandoned lie hurried to London and secured the best possible advice. The doctors’ views were so grave that taken in conjunction with Everett's had foot the management seriously, considered cabling for Reott or Blaekie. Fortunately Gregory's injury yielded to treatment. The Australians generally are satisfied with the day's play. They consider it impossible to lose and there is a possible chance of winning.