FIRST CRICKET TEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18888, 22 December 1924, Page 13

FIRST CRICKET TEST.

AIJSTEALIANS' INNINGS.

ALL OUT FOR 450 RUNS. GOOD BOWLING BY TATE. ENGLAND 72 FOR NO WICKETS. E.f Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 10 p.m.) A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Dec. 20. The weather was fine when Australia, with an overnight score of 282 runs for three wickets, resumed the first innings in the first test match against England, with A. Richardson and Taylor at the crease. A stiff wind blowing down the pitch from the north-east end made the conditions a little unpleasant. There were 25,000 spectators when Gilligan led his men into the field, and the attendance increased during the afterroon to 45,000.

Tate opened the bowling on a hard - wicket with the wind behind him, ai.d the ball came in very quickly. After eight minutes' play Richardson fell a victim to the last ball of Hearne's first over. His 'brother, V. Richardson, succeeded bim, and with Taylor, carried the score along nicely, 300 being hoisted for 317 minutes' play. Both batsmen gave a fine display of cutting and glancijg. The Englishmen's fielding was up to the high standard of the previous day, to that although both batsmen were hitting hard, the fieldsmen let little past; them.

Hearne Injures His Hand. After one hour's play to-day the score had only increased by thirty-nine. Richarc);>on was stepping out to Hearne and driving him. Hearne, in stopping one of these, hurt his hand, and had to retire, Kilner taking the field. Hearne's over was abandoned. He had bean dropping the ball just in front of the crease, and had to bo placed carefully. Tate, who was bowling up to his usual form, was snicked several times to the boundary. Both Taylor and Richardson were cautious in running between the wickets, and might have obtained many more singles. Taylor had a marrow escape just before lunch. He went to run from a cut by Richardson, but the latter sent him back. He was well out from the crease when the ball was sent in, but Freeman missed it, and one run was gained,from the overthrow. Taylor went out to* the fourth ball after lunch. He had batted for 96 minutes, and helped to carry the score from 275 to 364. V. Richardson played a useful innings. He batted for 93 minutes, hispartnership with Taylor yielding 58. The loss of Richardson and Taylor changed the complexion of the Australians' innings until Mailey joined Oldfield with the board showing 388 for nine wickets. Their partnership proved most exciting and aroused great enthusiasm. It yielded 62 runs. Their batting was attractive, and neither man gave a chance. The. field was placed close in, but the batsmen managed to find nutlets. They remained associated for 87 minutes. '/ ■

England's First Venture.

The brunt of the bowling fell on Tate nnd Freeman. The Englishmen proved themselves adept at picking up the ball in their stride and returning it accurately. The innings lasted 504 minutes. The attendance at the tea adjournment had reached 47,000. England opened the first innings with a little over an hour to go, Hobbs and Sutcliffe batting to the bowling of Gregory and Mailey. Gregory was the first bowler, and had the advantage of the wind, but he bowled rather erratically. •Many balls off the wicket had just to be touched to go to the boundary. The batsmen played cautiously. The field was placed well put, and a number of short singles were obtained. Hobbs was stepping out to Mailey and hitting him hard. The Australian fielding was capable of improvement* Fifty runs appeared in 45 minutes, the result of bright and attractive batting. Both . men exhibited a nice stylo. Scores:— AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. Collins, c Hendren, b Tate .. ~. 114 Bardsley, c Woolley, b Freeman ~, 21 I'onsford, b Gilligan .. .. ~.110 A. Richardson, b Hearne ~.. ~. 22 Taylor, b Tate .. .. .. : ... 43 v. Richardson, b Freeman .. ~. 42 Kelleway, c Woolley, b Tate ... 17 Hendry, c Strudwick, b Tate ~. 3 Gregory, c Strudwick, b Tate .< 0 Oldneld, not out ... .... ... 39 Mailey, b Tate .„ ~., ;.., ~. 21 Extras ; .., ~ „ ~., ~. 18 Total . .. ... .... 450 Bowling Analysis. — Tate took six wickets for 130 runs, Gilligan one for 92, Freeman two' for 124, Hearne one for 28, Woolley none for 35, Hobbs none for 13, Chapman none for 10. The fall of wickets was as follows:— One for 46. two for 236, three for 275, four for 286, five for 364, six for 374, seven for 387, eight for 337, nine for 388, and ten for 450. j

ENGLAND.—First Innings. Hobbs, not out ~ ... ... ,„.„ 42 Butcliffe, not out . .... .. ; .. 28 Extras ._„ ; ,«„ ~. ... 2 Total for no wickets : _. ... 72 The match has already been responsible for three records. Collins and Ponsford, by adding 190 for the second wicket on Friday, created a fresh test match record for a second wicket partnership. The attendance on Saturday reached 47,152, and the gate money £4806. Both are claimed to be world's records. Tate was the hero of the day. In the rout of the Australians after lunch he captured five wickets, four of them for G runs and showed splendid consistency throughout. He bowled altogether fortylive overs, five of which were maidens. Considering the amount of energy he puts into his work the task was a herculean one, yet he stood the strain well Freeman was called on almost as much as Tate. He bowled forty-eight overs, but as with all googly artists, had not to expend so much energy. Of the 152 overs of the innings, Tate and Freeman bowled 103. They deserve great credit for the way they stuck to their job.