AUSTRALIA'S BAD START

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14888, 13 January 1912, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S BAD START

ROUTED BY FOSTER FOR 133.

BAD SHOW ON FINE WICKET.

HILL'S AND MINNETT'S "DUCKS."

ENGLISHMEN 49 WITHOUT LOSS.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright (deceived January 12, 8 p.m.) Adelaide, January 12. The third test match was begun in warm weather. The attendance was. about 9000. Hill again won the toss, and the Australians began batting on an excellent wicket. The English selection committee decided to make no change in the team which soundly beat tho Australians at Melbourne.

There was only one change in the Australian eleven, Wliitty, the South Australian bowler, going out to make room for Matthews, the Victorian all-rounder. Macartney was twelfth man. The teams were as follows : —

England.— (captain), Mead, Hobbs, Foster, Heanie, Rhodes, G. Gunn, Smith, Woolley, Barnes, Hitch. Australia,.— (captain), Trumper, Bardsley, Cotter, Carter, Hordern, Kelleway, Minnett, Armstrong, Ransford, Matthews. . Kelleway and Bardsley opened to the bowling of Foster and Barnes. After each had scored a single, Bardsley cut Barnes to the boundary. In Foster's third over Kelleway was bowled, the first wicket falling for six runs. With the score unaltered, in Barnes's next over Bardsley was snapped by' Smith at the wicket.

Hordern and Ransford batted cautiously. When he had scored six, Ransford had to retire temporarily, owing to a severe blow on the left thumb from a ball by Foster. Armstrong's Needed Stand. Armstrong came next, and hit two fours off Barnes, who, when the total was at 32, was replaced by Douglas. Foster was bowling splendidly. None of the batsmen could hit him. After he had bowled 11 overs for eight runs, Hearne gave him & spell. At the luncheon adjournment the total was 45 for 85 minutes' play, the bowling being very* fine. Hordern had simply blocked it with the object of wearing it down. Foster and Barnes again bowled after luncheon. Runs now came more rapidly. Armstrong hit each bowler to the boundary, and was then bowled off his pads by Foster. „ Armstrong had batted soundly for 59 minutes for 33; he hit four fours. Three wickets were now down for 65. Departure of the Stonewallex. Trumper'iß second shot was a fine cover hit to the boundary off Barnes. Hordern drove the same bowler to the boundary, and then was easily caught at short square by Rhodes off Foster. His 25 took him 103 minutes to compile, and his innings was marked 'by systematic stone-walling. Four wickets for 84The' next. 10 minutes were disastrous. Hill had two balls from Foster, ; and off the second was magnificently stumped by Smith, who brought back the ball a foot from the leg side. Five wickets for 88. Three balls settled Minnett, i who .was bowled by . a beauty . from Foster; : that bowler had then taken five wickets for 23.

Matthews ■was next;'- ' 'Each batsman hit a four, and then Matthews was ■ .easily caught behind the bowler by Mead, ojf Barnes. Seven wickets were now, down for 97.

Four byes completed the 100, which had occupied 145 minutes. Trumper, after making 26, was bowled by Hitch, the English fast bowler. Cotter had a merry life, which included a six into the members' pavilion, off Barnes. In the same over he was yorked, and nine wickets were down for 113. ■

Disastrous Innings Closes. Hansford resumed batting,.and at the tea adjournment Australia had scored 125 runs for nine wickets.

The innings was soon finished after tea, Douglas getting Carter caught by Gunn in the slips in his first over, after relieving Barnes, the total being 133. A calamitous innings had occupied 197 minutes. There was no excuse for the Australians: Foster bowled magnificently. He was always accurate, -and often swung the width of the wicket.

Nevertheless, the batting was nerveless, and lacked dash. A forcing player might have made a lot of difference. • -

The fielding of the Englishmen. was close and brilliant. Smith, at the wickets, was especially smart, and his stumping of Hill was a masterpiece.

Englishmen Start Well.

With an hour to bat, the Englishmen began their first innings, Hobbs and Rhodes opening to Cotter and Hordern. They soon showed how true the wicket was by forcing the play, each batsman driving Cotter for four.

Hobbs jumped out to Hordern and hit him down the ground, but Rhodes was not so comfortable. Half an hour's play produced 28 runs.

At 39 Hordern changed ends, Kellewav relieving Cotter. Rhodes was still troubled by the slows, but worried himself out of trouble. He took 45 minutes : to make 10. Matthews Steadies the Scoring. Hobbs, when he had scored 25, skied Hordern, but the ball fell safely behind mid-off. At 45 Matthews replaced Hordern, and appealed confidently for legbefore against Hobbs, but the umpire ruled against him. Matthews' bowling was excellent, and with a fine length he kept the batsmen quiet. Rhodes on one occasion nearly retnrned the ball to him The batsmen played out time, when the total was 49. Both had batted soundly and confidently, and never looked to be in serions trouble. The. scores are as follow: — AUSTRALIA.— Innings. Kelleway, b Foster ... 1 Rardsley, c Smith, b Barnes '■ 5 Hordern, c Rhodes, b Foster ... 25 Armstrong, b Foster ... • •33 Trumper, b Hitch ... 26 Hill, st Smith, b Foster 0 Minnett. b Foster 0 Matthews, c Mead, b Barnes ... 5 Cotter, b Barnes .11 Carter, c Gunn, b Douglas 8 Ransford, not out ... 8 Extras 11 Total 133 Bowling analysis: Foster took five wickets for 36 runs; Barnes, three for 71; Douglas, one for 7; Hearne, none for 6; Hitch, one for 2. ENGLAND.—First Innings. Hobbs, not out 29 Rhodes, not out ... 2D Total for no wickets ... ... 49