THE FOURTH TEST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 15 February 1933, Page 5

THE FOURTH TEST

CHANGING FORTUNES GAME GOING ENGLAND’S WAY PAYNTE ID VERITY PARTNERSHIP AUSTRALIA FOUR FOR 108 (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

BRISBANE, 14th February

With his side 69 runs in arrears, Paynter, who again came from hospital to hat, and Verity continued England’s innings in the fourth Test match.. The wicket* was hone drv, and wearing slightly. Shallow cracking is evident, and it is likely to crumble to-morrow. Four maiden overs gave an indication that the pair were content to dig themselves in. At the start of play Verity was missed by Wall at silly leg off O’Reilly, after the fieldsman had made a noble effort to take the chance. Paynter was playing a plucky knock, Verity being content to keep his end up. Verity was again lucky when Ponsford and Bromley both went for a catch on the leg side, and succeeded in letting the hall drop between them. The Australian fielding at this stage was extremely poor. The crowd roared as Bromley held a catch off McCabe from Verity, hut a no-ball had been called. England’s total was slowly creeping towards the Australian total, and 300 came up in 514 minutes. The batsmen continued to have a charmed life. Paynter’s 50 was posted after batting for 263 minutes, and the crowd gave him a magnificent ovation for his plucky effort. The Paynter and Verity partnership was made to be worth 50, put together in 93 minutes, and the batsmen now appeared to be set. The crowd sat tensely silent as the Australian first innings total was gradually being overtaken. At lunch, Paynter was 56 and Verity 17, the total being eight wickets for 321, only 19 runs behind. Woodful had used every bowler and every wile to separate the pair without avaif. If Australia loses the match, the poor fielding before the lunch period on the fourth day must accept much of the blame.

AUSTRALIA’S TOTAL PASSED After lunch the crowd watched silently as the batsmen brought the total close to Australia’s. Two fine-leg boundaries by Verity reduced the leeway, and then Paynter pulled Darling, who was brought on to bowl as a desperate hope, to square leg for a brace to equal Australia’s total. The crowd , sportingly cheered the gallant effort, and renewed the applause as the home total was passed. The runs were scored in 570 minutes. Australia’s out-cricket at this stage lacked all the sparkle and pep which brought success on Monday. At last, after the partnership had added 92 runs. With Paynter’s score at 83, Richardson caught Paynter in the cover* off Ironmonger. Paynter had batted for 238 minutes, and hit ten 4’s. Mitchell was out leg before to O’Reilly without addition, and England had a lead of 16 runs. The innings lasted for 599 minutes.

AUSTRALIA’S SECOND INNINGS Woodfull opened for Australia at 3.30 o’clock. The leg-theory was introduced in Larwood’s third over, to vigorous hooting by the outer crowd. Neither batsman took undue risks, hut the score mounted steadily, the first half-hour yielding 20 runs. , Paynter fielded, although Woodfull offered to let Brown take his place. With Verity on, the scoring slackened, the first hour yielding 37 runs, Richardson being 23 and Woodfull 7, extras 7. Jardine kept Larwood and Allen iu short spells at the grandstand end. Richardson pulled two consecutive halls from Larwood to the leg boundary, but Leyland might have caught the first, a lofty hit. Richardson was rather inclined to take risks, and in endeavouring to make a big hit off Verity he was well caught by Jardine. at mid-off. He hatted for 64 minutes. Bradman and Woodfull hoisted the half-century, made in 82 minutes. Bradman was batting with great confidence, hitting 12 off Larwood in one over, including two delightful square cuts to the boundary, In the next over he coverdrove Verity to the fence. It was the real Bradman’s forceful hatting, and worked the crowd to a fierce pitch of excitement. The barrackers jovially requested Jardine to give Larwood another over, and Jardine did. There was a mixture of hostility and amazement as Larwood made the hall fly. Bradman was too eager, being caught by Mitchell at point. Bradman’s over-confidence is entirely out of proportion in Test cricket. There was a further disaster in store for Australia, for Ponsford was brilliantly caught by Larwood at square leg. It was unlucky for Ponsford, hut such magnificent catches win Tests. Paynter retired from the field at 5.30 o’clock, looking done.

IN DIRE DIFFICULTIES Australia was in dire difficulties when Woodfull, after batting pluckily for 124 minutes for 19 runs, was caught in the slips off Mitchell. Four wickets were now down for 93 runs, and the backbone of the side had been dismissed in just over two hours. The game was now definitely going England’s way again, and much depended on the colts. Darling joined McCabe, and the century was posted in 136 minutes. Jardine received a nasty hit on the shin in fielding a hot drive from McCabe and the outer crowd roared with laughter. But when the captain stood up the grandstand patrons countered with a round of applause. McCabe and Darling played out time, Australia holding a lead of 92 with six wickets in hand. It is remarkable how the fortunes have swung in this match. The first day’s play definitely favoured Australia. England wa3 on top on the second, while the third went all Australia’s way. Today was England’s turn with a vengeance, the feature of the play being Paynter’s wonderful knock, Verity’s holding his end up, and Larwood’s sensational catch.

Shortly after five o’clock storm clouds gathered, but unless heavy rain falls the wicket would benefit from moisture, as it is hone dry at present. The official attendance was nearly 7000 and the gate takings £769, or a total of £8,805. Scores: AUSTRALIA First Innings 340 ENGLAND First Innings Jardine, c Love, b O’Reilly 46 Sutcliffe, lbw, b O’Reilly 86 Hammond, b McCabe 20 Wyatt, c Love, b Ironmonger 12 Leyiand, c Bradman, b O’Reilly ... 12 Ames, c Darling, b Ironmonger 17 Allen, c Love, b Wall 13 Larwood, b McCabe 23 Paynter, c Richardson, b Ironmonger 83 Verity, not out 23 Mitchell, lbw, b O’Reilly 0 Extras 21 Total 356 Fall of wickets: One for 114, two for 157, three for 165, four for 188, five

for 198, six for 216, seven for 225, eight for 264,<nine fofi, 356, ten for 356. Bowling Analysis

AUSTRALIA Second Innings

Woodfull, c Hammond, b Mitchell 19 Richardson, c Jardine,- h Verity... 32 Bradman, e Mitchell, b Larwood ... 24 Ponsford, c Larwood, b Allen 0 McCabe, not out 14 Darling, not out .' 8 Extras 11 Total for four wickets 108

The wickets fell at: One for 46, two 'or 79, three for 81, four for 91.

DISMISSAL OF SUTCLIFFE, JAR= DINE AND WYATT BRISBANE, 14th February It Is learned from persons in the members’ enclosure on Monday that there was dissatisfaction among the Englishmen at the dismissal of Jardine, Sutcliffe, and Wyatt. The captain and Wyatt declare that they did not hit the ball, while Sutcliffe says the ball which got him leg before was a “foot outside the oft stump.” It is stated that one member of the team said: “We are playing thirteen men—eleven and the umpires.” It is believed there will be a move for the replacement of at least one umpire for the next Test. Mr Borwick has officiated in all ■ the Tests so far. THE FIFTH DAY WEATHER COOLER (Received 15th February, 1.45 p.m.l BRISBANE, This Day. Tho-weather is cooler. A storm is predicted, and is likely to eventuate. The wicket is wearing surprisingly well, hut it is expected to play tricks this afternoon. A crowd of 5000 is present, and a big increase is likely should the early partnership prove prolific. STILL GOOD CHANCE FOR AUSTRALIA (Received 15th February, 10.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day.^ Newspapers and critics pay tribute to Paynter’s heroic display. They consider Australia has still a good chance of winning, despite costly fielding errors. ENGLISH SPIRITS REVIVE PAYNTER’S PLUCK PRAISED (Received 15th February, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, 14th February “Paynter, what a picture !” is a poster typical of tin: many handsome tributes to Paynter’s pluck. England’s recovery has greatly revived spirits, and experts are again predicting that England will win, though they fear tile crumbling wicket.

0. M. R, W. Wall .. 33 6 66 1 O’Reilly . 67.< 1 26 120 4 Ironmonger 43 19 69 3 McCabe .... .. 23 7 40 2 Bromley .. 10 4 19 0 Braclmau .... .. 7 1 17 0 Darling .. 2 0 4 0

Bowling Analysis 0. M. R. W. Larwood 11 1 33 1 Allen 10 3 26 1 Hammond 7 3 14 0 Verity 10 4 13 1 Mitchell 5 0 11 1