AUSTRALIA VICTORIOUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13649, 17 January 1908, Page 5

AUSTRALIA VICTORIOUS.

THE THIRD TEST.

MATCH WON BY 245 RUNS.

TERRIBLY HOT WEATHER

By Telegraph.Press Association.— Copyright.

(Received January 16. 3 p.m.)

Adelaide, January 16. Thk third test match between the Englishmen and it team representing Australia was concluded to-day, with the temperature a, 108deg. in the shade The wicket had a bad crack at each end, particularly the one to which 0 Connoi bowled. The bowlers were O'Connor and Saunders, and with six runs added to the Englishmen's score Crawford was easib caught and bowled by Saunders-. Hobbs now went in and straightway potted a ball back to O'Connor, who missed it. Then Hobbs hit Saunders for four and straiglit-drove him for sis, which was the best hit of the match. At 160 Braund was well caught by Hn-tignn at mid-off. Braund, who had batted for two hours and. 40 minutes, did not give a chance. He had hit seven fours. Barnes stayed, till the score was 177. when he was caught at short square-leg off a game stroke. Humphries was bowled by O'Connor, and a good catch in the long-field by Hansford disposed of Fielder. The innings had lasted three hours and 20 minutes, yielding 183 runs, which left the Australians victors by 245 runs. Hobbs batted well to-day. The Australians fielded brilliantly and O'Connor bowled finely, but the wicket helped him. Immediately after the match Hartigan and Hill were presented with a souvenir in commemoration of -their record partnership, the shilling subscription having yielded £23. The scores are as follows: — AUSTRALIA. ; First innings 285 Second innings 506 ENGLAND. First innings 363 Second Innings. Fane, b Saunders ... ... ••• 0 damn, c Tnmiper, b O'Connor 11 Hutcliings, b O'Connor ... ... ... 0 Braund. c Hartigan, b 0 Connor ... 4 7 Hardstaflf, c Macartney, b Saunders ... (2 Rhodes, c Armstrong, b O'Connor ... 9 Crawford, c and b Saunders ... ... '[ Hobbs, not out ... 25 Barnes, c Macalister, b Hinders ... 8 Humphries, b O'Connor 1 Fielder, c Ransford, b Saunders ... 1 Sundries ... 4 Total ... ... ... • •.. ••• 183 Bowling Analysis.—-O'Connor, five wickets for 40 runs; Saunders, five for 65; Annstrong, none for 43; Macartney, none for 17; Noble, none for 14.

NOTES ON THE PLAY.

A MATCH FULL OF INTEREST.

The sensational finishes in the previous two test matches, which gave a victory to the Australians and the Englishmen in turn, have had the result of causing a great amount of interest to be taken in the third test just concluded. The nature of the -plav itself increased the interest, for under extreme weather conditions great performances have been registered by at least two of the Australians, the nature of which, and coming at a period when a stand was most wanted, will not allow them soon to be forgotten. The interest that was manifested in Auckland in the match was evidenced by the large crowds which, throughout the day, congregated in front of the Hkkalu office raid eagerly scanned the " rush" cable messages as to the progress of the match. With a deficit •>.» !§ to make up as a result of the -first innings' play, the Australians played a tloggsd upiiiil game ail through their .second innings., and finished up with a lead of 428, an immense total for the Englishmen, to make in a second innings. The Australians' chances did not look promising from their opening display, and especially when five wickets were down for 135 runs, the dismissed men including Noble, Trumper, and Armstrong, M.!iree of tbo loading batsmen. Things did not look any better when seven wickets were down for 170 runs. The majority thought the game, was over. But Hill, the veteran of many battles, together with the novice in test matches, Hartigan, of Queensland, mada the memorable stand, carrying the, total to 441 before, a separation was effected. These two easily eclipsed all previous records for the eighth wicket in ;» testmatch. and beat the record for any wicket in a test match by 22. The record had stood at 154 for the eighth wicket partnership in a tost match, but Hill and Hartigan broke these figures, and the new record stands at 271. In view of the fact that this if: Hartiga.n's first appearance in a test match, and that Hill was ill, it v.'as a memorable cricket feat.

With such a score to make the Englishmen had indeed a strenuous task. Judging by their display in the second test it was reasonable to expect that they would make a great bid for it, but they failed to respond this time, and rise victory went to the Australians. The hitters' bowlers must have soon got on the spot, for wickets fell in quick succession for a time. Then there was a brief break in the monotony when Hardstaff and Braund made the only st-arfd, but the visitors' final wickets were quickly rattled . The highest total for an innings in a test match is held by Australia. At Sydney, in December, 1894, 586 inns were scored. England's highest score is 577, also made at Sydney, in December, 1903, when R. J*.. Foster made his great stand for 287. In the test match at Sydney, in December. 1903, "England's last two wickets added 245 runs, R. E. Foster and W. R. Rhodes adding 130 for the last wicket. The Adelaide wicket has not been so noteworthy as that of Sydney for high scoring in tests, so that the present performance of the Australians ranks as a very high one, and at least approaches the record. Australians have made some great stands in the past,, Noble's 284, and Armstrong's 172 (not out,), against Sussex in 1902, and Trumpet's 178 and R. A. Duff's 132 (an Australian record for the first wicket), in the 1902-3 season, being among the most notable performances.

INTEREST IN WELLINGTON. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN' CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. Keen interest has been taken in the cricket match, and large crowds have awaited the latest bulletins at the newspapers offices.