ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13683, 26 February 1908, Page 7

ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

< / - 1 • -—- . ; THE FIFTH TEST; : r ,/ ■ AUSTRALIA IN THE LEAD. • TRUMPER COMES TO LIGHT. '■' ' 'By Teligrapbi.— Association.—Copy tight. (Received February 2.), 10 p.m.) ■ i '■ i Sydney, February 25. .■'r.vv/F.'f.i ■■:.'■■;■. ■ .■;■ . The fifth test match was continued this afternoon on the Sydney Cricket Ground, "'.in beautifully fine weather, iff the pre- : * bene© of 7500 spectators. The wicket was tricky' at the start, but 'rapidly dried .into good condition. Rhodes and Barnes opened the bowling, the . former getting up dangerously, at times. Noble opened vigorously and played a ' Cjod innings. He lost O'Connor early in ';.. the game, Barnes clean bowling that | player : One for 25. ; . ; Trumper, the next man, was slow in l• ; moving, a'proceeding contrary to his ' V usual forcing play, but his previous fail- . ; . ures made him cautious on this occasion. : It looked like a good partnership till Noble got in front of a straight one from ', Rhodes in trying to play it to leg. lie had batted for 77 minutes : Two for 52. Gregory joined Trumpet', and set about ! .punishing the bowling, outstripping Trum- • per'? score in a few strokes. The latter ■ HOW opened out, and both the Sydueyites 'began scoring, keeping for a long time j . '"ou level terms, Trumper showing some of ri; his old brilliancy, while Gregory's strokes were of the kind that reminded one of his , old-time ability. Changes in the '.bowl- ' ing were rung in quick succession, in or-' '>';; der to dissolve the partnership, which v ' looked dangerous. After the first half--'hour, Crawford, Rhodes, Barnes, and I ! : • Uruund were tried, but the batsmen treated ., 1 the various styles of bowling with impar- ! tiality up. to lunch, (he century being re- ! corded for 113 minutes' play. On resuming, runs came merrily, and it became » rate between the two batsmen for the half-century, Trumper reaching it. first after 94 minutes' batting, the de- ■-"' licit on the first innings being wiped off. Gregory's half-century occupied 72 min- . utes.' The Englishmen were fielding brilliantly, but the batsmen were treating the - bowling unmercifully. A double "change ('■-' from Barnes a.nd Rhodes a, 160 proved fatal to Gregory, Crawford getting him > ' with the second ball ; Three for 166. - Macartney followed, and an interval of ;1, . slow play ensued. The newcomer had \ just obtained double figures when Jones !.'-.' caught him : Four for 192. . ' ;.■■■'.. £, ' Hill was the next, and shaped uncomfortably to round, who was bowling extremely well. The Second century . • .notched sites.' three hours and 25 minukfe' 04 play. Trumper continued his brilliant display, hitting three .tourers off Crawr'i° ford's 'over., -*. •;" After tea, Trumper brought his hundred up by a beautiful drive right down the ground;-*'-'' He had occupier! two .hours and 54 minutes. Ha i«taff, who was suffering from a strained leg, was replaced in the field by Blythe. Both batsmen : were nvv. vigorously ; pasting the bowling, ■ which came* demoralised, boundaries • coming with frequency. They were scor- >' ing off everything, Hill hitting with, tre- , mendous power. He sent Crawford hard ■ to the fence, and then got him for a coupie, but Crawford sent a third ball down fast. Hill lashed at it, but just touched ■ it, Young grabbing it: Five for 300. The ",' third century had occupied four hours and ;■':' '20 minutes. ... C ."■■•-• - •■ ;i- ■».'-- '■'. ■ Armstrong was' next. Trumper received a great cheer for having wiped the deficit off himself. It was the Trumper of old that baited to-day, and with the exception of a possible chance when he had scored a single, the innings was a flawless one. The English quartette of bowlers was so tired that Hobbs went on in place of Crawford. Trumper's time arrived at last. He lifted Rhodes high over the bowler's head, and Gunft got up . and , caught him. He was at the wickets for four hours, and hit 18 tourers :. Six lor ; 342. Hansford joined Armstrong, and playa- ~ ed out time. r Scores are as follow :— .

ENGLAND. '' First innings ... ... >•• •■• 281 AUSTRALIA. First innings ..." ... '•••' •" ld7 Second Innings. Noble, lbw, b Rhodes ... ... .... 34 . O'Connor, b Barnes -•••■• ••• ° 1 Trumper, c Gunn, b Rhodes -.. IW>. Gregory, b Crawford ... ... ... g Macartney, c Jones, b Crawford ... * i* Hill, c Young, b Crawford 44 Armstrong, not out , ...... ••* *» Hansford, not out ...... ■ ... J*. Sundries •♦• "_ i 0 Six wickets for ... ... ••• 357' A PROFIT OF FIVEPENCE. (Received February 25, 11.40 p.p.) Sydney, February 25. '■'■' - It is officially announced that the pro- , fit to '.he Victorian Association from the fourth test match amounts to sd, and that t«tho association, still have to pay for the coat and cap of Mackenzie, the twelfth ' 'man. • ' _ ■ -■—■■■ •