FINE POSITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22617, 4 January 1937, Page 10

FINE POSITION

SENSATIONAL PLAY CAPTAINS DISAGREE WICKET FAVOURS BOWLERS (By J. B. Ilobhs —Copyright in all countries. Reproduction in whole or in part forbidden.) (Received January 3, 5.5 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Jan. 'J! In spite of the unsettled weather the spectators were thrilled by the sensational day's cricket to-day. when the tide turned in favour of Australia. The home team commenced its second innings late with a lead of 121 runs. Australian cricket came back with a rush to-day and on the score the home team is in n.n excellent position. With rain threatening, however, during the week-end, I cannot at the moment say whether conditions will at the finish favour England. Who knows but that 011 Monday Australia may have a bad wicket to bat 011 and England a good one to follow? Weather Aspect The match is developing on sensational lines, owing to the weather. Heavy rain fell from six until eight o'clock last evening. The sun was shining early this morning and then came heavy showers and sunshine, rendering tho wicket very wet and delaying the start until 2.15 p.m. Although thero seemed a remote prospect of play for many hours the gates were opened and 50,000 holidaymakers watched all tho preparations for tho resumption with admirable patience. The captains twice went out, disagreeing the second time, Bradman wanting to play and Allen considering the wicket unfit. This brought the umpires out and they decided 011 another inspection at 2 p.m. The wicket was very wet, the ball making deep dents in the turf. Verity completed his'unfinished over with two balls to Oldfield. Voce's third delivery popped up and McCabe was caught at third slip by Worthington. Captain's Good Move Allen made a good move, putting 011 Hammond in place of Verity, otf whom O'Reilly, the left-hand batsman, might have hit boundaries. In Hammond's opening over O'Reilly missed five successive balls, making wild hits. He was caught in tho slips otf tho first ball of Hammond's next over. Ward brought up 200 with a drive for two and was then stumped. Bradman declared at this stage. I think Australia's score very good with the wicket in such condition. England soon had cause to realise this, for wickets fell .at none and 14. To the delight of the vast crowd Worthington was easily caught by Bradman at silly point off McCabe's third ball. Barnett edged Sievers' seventh ball for four between the wicketkeeper and first slip. Barnett had reached 11 when he made a shortami hook off Sievers and skied the ball to Darling at short-leg. On Leyland's arrival thero were seven men in the ring close round the wicket. Leyland was a long time before scoring. Then he hit O'Reilly to square-leg for four. It was a grim fight between bat and ball. Crowd Gets Excited The crowd was worked up to a great pitch of excitement. They screamed and jumped to their feet in anticipation of a catch when Hammond, in going for a big hit, skied O'Reilly, the ball falling safely. The bowlers were on the short side. On the wet wicket they should have pitched them up another couple of feet. Hammond and Leyland play back sc well that they accentuated this fault. I consider McCormick would have been a much more difficult proposition to the batsmen this afternoon. Sievers bowled one over after the tea adjournment. Then Fleetwood-Smith, the lefthand "googly" bowler, came on, O'Reilly changing ends. Leyland fell to a remarkable catch at short-leg. In that over from O'Reilly Leyland had just hit two past Darling and hoped to hit this ball round him again. Darling half turned in anticipation of a hard hit. He then dived to the left, taking a magnificent catch with his left arm fully extended. Another Great Catch

There was tremendous excitement when Hammond went out, thousands shouting and Riving rousing cheers for another wonder catch by Darling. Sievcrs had just gone on in place of Fleetwood-Smith and immediately got more life out of the wicket at that end. Ono popped up and Hammond could not get away from it. Darling, at short-leg, threw himself full length. With Hammond's dismissal all hope of a score vanished, England's batsmen faring no better than those of Australia had done in the two previous tests, although to-day's wicket was the worst of the lot. Allen declared at 5.15 p.m. and Australia lost O'Reilly's wicket. With the exception of Hammond, Lcvland and Harriott, England's players batted poorly indeed, but it is easy to find excuses, for the wicket was very tricky. The ball came off at unexpected angles and the batsmen were beaten rather because it popped than turned. After Hammond's dismissal wickets simply tumbled down. The batsmen at five o'clock were shaping so badly that T wanted to boo Allen declare. The difficulty was that lie did not know whether rain might come at any minute, or the light become so bad as to be appealed against. The Australians evidently did not want to como in and started bowling wide. Battle of Tactics It was amusing to watch the Australians' tactics, but they should have covered their intentions more cunningly. Allen, after vainly trying to reach' wide ones, applied the closure. The turn of the tide came when Bradman did the master stroke, putting Sievcrs on at the opposite end. Sievcrs kept a good length all the time, but at this end he was particularly deadly to Stop. After getting Hammond' in his first over ho played havoc with the rest. At one period lie took three wickets for three runs. It is possible that 35 minutes were a long time to send two "tail-enders in, but Bra dm an was justified as events turned out.