STODDART’S TEAM IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1354, 10 February 1898, Page 27

STODDART’S TEAM IN AUSTRALIA.

CONCLUSION OF THE FOURTH TEST MATCH. THE AUSTRALIANS WIN THE RUBBER. Mtclbotjbne, February 2 There was sultry weather for the fourth day of the test match. Mason and Storer resumed to McLeod and Howell. Tramble very badly missed Storer in the slips just after starting:. Howell, however, immediately bowled Mason. Hearne followed, but only to see Storer give Darling a eatoh at third man, which was accepted. Bichardson was the last man in The two bowlers just added half a dozen, when Bichardson gave Trumble a catoh off McLeod, and the innings ended, for 203, after lasting five hours and 18 minutes. At a quarter to 1, the Australians, requiring 115 to win, sent in McLeod and Darling to commenoe the" task, to the bowling ot Hearne and Briggs. Darling opened with a 4, and he got 8 off Briggs' first over. The Adelaide man continued to score foursrs with great vigour, 30 appearing in the first 15 minutes. Briggs' three overs produced 21. Storer retired from |behind the wickets, Druce taking his place and Board fielding. Buns Came rapidly. Darling being chiefly responsible. The half-oentury appeared in 31 minutes. Hayward then replaced Briggs, who had been very expensive. Darling just touched one from the new bowler and Druce held it. . Hill suoceeded, and Wainwright went on instead of Hearne. After lunch Hill, who had not shaped very ooritfbrtably, managed to get bis leg in front trying a drag across and was dismissed without scoring. This was Hill's first blob against the Englishmen this season. Gregory followed. Hayward's average at this time was two wickets for 3 runs. McLeod was batting splendidly, making many fine- strokes. McLeod recorded his K half-oentury in an hour and 16 minutes. Gregory, who had left the run-getting to McLeod, reached double figures with a fine drive to the boundary off Wainwright. - McLeod displayed finer form than he has yet shown during the Englishmen's tour, making clean, powerful strokes. At 95 Mason was given the ball in place of Wainwright,L "Banji." taking Hayward's place, Bichardson, having strained his side, being unable to bowl. The Indian was heartily cheered for a maiden over. The century appeared after an iiour and 31 minutes' play. McLeod and Gregory gradually brought the score to the required number, when the Sydneyifce pulled " Ranji." for a couple, thus making the winning hit. The Australians thus won by eight wickets. Fallowing are the scores : , x England.—Second Innings. Wainwright, o McLeod, b Jones ... 2 , Briggs,jo Darling, b Howell .. ... 23 Maqlaren, c Iredale, b Trumble ... ... 45 Banjitsinhji.b Noble ... ... ... .... 55 Hayward, o and b Trumble... ... v ... 25 Druoe, -e Howell, b Trott ... 16 Stoddaft, b Jones ... 25 Mason, b Howell ... 26 Storer, o Darling, b McLeod 26 Richardson, c Trumble, b McLeod ... 2 Hearne, not out ... ... ... 4 Extras ....... \. 14 total ... ... ... ... ... 263 f Grand total ...... ... ~ .. 437 The bowling analysis so far is: —Trott, one for 39 j Trumble, two for 40; Noble, one for 31 ; Jones, two for 70; McLeod, two for 11; Howell, two for 58. / AtrsTßALiA..—Second Innings. Darling, o Druce, b Hayward 29 McLeod, not out ..'. ;.... ... ... 64 Hill, l.b.wyb Hay ward 0 Gregory, not out ... 21 Extra ... ... ... 1 Total for two wiokets ...115 Grand total .'.-.. ..\... '• ...438 Bowling analysis:—Briggs, none for 31; Hearn«,'none for 19 ; Hayward, two"• f r i'4 ; Wainwright, none or <JI; Mason, none tor 10; Baujitsinhji, none fir 9 Mblbouenb, February 3 The Australians have won the Jourth t : st ni-itch ard the rubber, and won hamis m ly, tberesult being a foregone conclusion. The attendance yesterday was suikll. There was a good deal of cheering at the ch.se, but' not; any extraordinary enthusiasm. Everybody had two days ago taken for granted that the Australians would achieve an easy win. Besides, it was rather too hot to allow oneself to get excited There is not much to be said abiutthe day's play. After the last three wickots on the English side - had heen tumbled down, the Australians went in and comfortably hit off the runs required for the loss of a couple of wiokets.

Good critics say that McLeod’s innings was the best they had ever seen him play. Id ill afforded a striking example of the vicissitudes of the game. Gregory made tko winning h=t by chopping a short one from Itanjitsiiibji for a couple. Richardson’s services were badly missed by the Englishmen. He wished to bowl, but btoddart would not allow it for fear of permanent injury to his <<id9. Hanjitsiohji gave a good sample of his bowling, approaching the wicket with a hop and run. He bowls a fair paced hall with a good length. Judging by the way in which McLeod and Gregory were shaping, there was something in his bowling. At one stage Hayward had two wickets for three runs to his credit. The total receipts during the match were JE2208. After the match the teams dined together oh the ground. Replying to a toast, Stoddart said his friend Trott always gave him first innings on these festive occasions, but did not always do so at other times. Eaoh member of his team, like himself, bitterly regretted the resnlt of the matches. Last time they were out in the Colonies they were successful, and went away happy; but the Australians had succeeded in taking back the laurels, which would necessitate another team coming baok to fight for them. He congratulated the Australians on their -victories. They had defeated his team most horribly. After visiting Australia regularly during the past ten years, he could say that -they would' never meet such a strong combination as the present one. If there was one feature of their play of freater merit than another, it was the

bowling. They had a distinct advantage over the Englishmen in the bowling. Hi 3 men did not understand balf as much as the Australian bowlers. These decisive defeats would be bitter pills to the people at Home, who could not Bee how they were to lose even one test match. ,

Kanjitsinhji. when interviewed, said he considered Hill had won the match. Excepting Hill’s display and McLeod’s in the last innings, the batting was far below the international standard. The bowling had little to do with the result. He admitted that the Australian bowlers were better than the English, but they did rather poorly compared with what they bad done Briggs summed up the position thus: — “ Tour boys are too good for us on Australian wickets.” London, February 1. The Daily Telegraph, commenting on the test match, says the Australians have shown vastly better cricket than the Englishmen, and it characterises the English score of 174 in tho first inmnes as a fiasco. London, February 3. The Sportsman considers that the Australian combination is as strong all round as any previous team. Tho superiority of its attack is evident. Sporting Life says that Australia can fairly claim to be superior to England in the cricket field. The Westminster Gazette says tho English team wa3 thoroughly beaten on its merits. It considers the Australian team the better combination. The Pall Mall Gazette heartily congratulates tho Australians on their victory. All the newspapers contain articles congratulating Australia upon winning tho rubber. THE NEXT TEST MATCH. Sydney, February 4. The fifth test match has been postponed till the 26th inst. Sydney, February 8. Howell has sustained a further injury to his leg, and it is improbable that he will be able to play again this season. Coningham took bis place to-day in the field. On present form, the next test team may find McKenzie included instead of Iredale. NEW SOUrH WALES v. ENGLAND. GOOD BATTING BY~THE CjLONIALS. McKenzie scores m Sydnev, February 5. For the first day of the return match between Btoddart ? s team and the New South Wales eleven the weather was oppressively hot. The attendance was about 20,000. Richardson and Storer stood out of the English team. Gregory won the toss, and tent Iredale and Donnan to the wickets. Hearne opened the attack, and Donnan back-cut the second ball to the boundary, and square cut the third and the fifth to the fence, the first over yielding 12. Iredale then faced Briggs, and softly played the third ball into Stoddart’s hands at mid-on. v Noble’s appearance was the signal for miserably slow play, relieved by an occasional drive to the boundary. At 40 Hayward displaced Hearne, and at 45 Wainwright substituted Briggs Just before luncheon Noble wakened up a bit and punished Hayward, but smart fielding kept the runs down. A tempting a short one, Donnan narrowly escaped being run out; Hearne, with a flying shot, just shaved the stumps. At luncheon the score stood oneior 65.

Resuming, Donnan added 3 and Noble a fourer off Hayward. In negotiating Wainwiight’s next over Donnan was taken behind the stumps, Wainwright securing the average of one wicket for 1 run.

McKenzie joined Noble and began laying on the wood with great vigour. He repeatedly drove both bowlers to the fence. In one over he knocked 12 off Hayward. The third wicket fell at 97, Maclaren dismissing Noble with a beautiful catch in the deep slip. Gregory partnered McKenzie and, copying the big man’s aggressive tactics, the score was soon well on to the second century. Several changes iu the bowling were tried, but McKenzie treated it all in the same way. The separation came just before the tea adjournment Gregory, misjudging one of Mason’s, enabled the bowier to secure an ea-y catch off his own bowling. Trumper partnered McKenzie. Thelattor, putting renewed vigour iuto his strokes, kept the fie.dsmen busy, almost every over yielding boundary drives. Trumper, after a short stay, was clean bowled by Mason. Pye assisted the big man to < arry his total to the century, the stroke which b ought up three figures travelling just over Hearne’s head to the boundary. •* R t nji ” tried his hand at the bowling crease at 258. With the total at 264 McKenzie lifted Hearne into Hayward’s hands at third mau He r ceived an ovation on retiring. He gave a sp eurii.i display his driving and cutting- being excellent. He gave two difficult chances.

Kelly joined Pye, and after scoring 1 1 was clean bowled by Stoddart just oh the call of time.

The fielding was good, but the bowling was badly tied up towards the close. PYDNEY, February 7. Tlmmatch between New South Wales and the Englishmen was resumed to day. iVlcKibbin had a brief but merry innings, knocking up his score of 20 in great style Howell gave a sensational and brilliant display, and afforded the Englishmen plenty of exorcise. He knocked Briggs over the fence for Hire and then treated Stoddart to severe punishment, making the hit of the match by lifting a ball clean into the adjacent ground. This achievement was warmly applauded both by fieldsmen and spectators. When Pye opened out he showed lively cricket. At 74 he gave the ODly chance of his inning', Hirst missing him off Hayward. Howell hit 17 off Stoddart in the latter’s second over, whereupon the captain gave the ball to Mason, who almost immediately captured Howell’s wicket and the innings closed. Wainwright and Mason opened the Englishmen’s innings to the bowling of Howell and Noble. The batsmen quickly had 28 on the board, when Howell in the slips smartly took Mason off Noble.

Ranjiteinbji was next. Howell was severely treated and McKibbin took his place. Wainwright reached his half century by fine, clean driving, placing the ball with excellent judgment. Then Howell, with a brilliant catch, low down at mid-on, sent Wainwright to the pavilion. Hayward followed, only to see “ Ranji ” dismissed splendidly at leg by Gregory. His innings wag a good one, his late cutting being superb,

Hirst added four, when he out Noble into Newell’s hands. Druee succeeded. Pye here replaced McKibbin. The play was very slow here. At 160 Howell went on at Noble’s end. Both Hayward and Druce warmed up, and showed great hitting powers, boundary after boundary being registered. Newell relieved Pye. Repeated changes were made in the bowling, but the partnership was firmly cemented, Hayward getting half a century on the board. Noble came on again, and his second-ball proved fatal to Hayward, who sent it to Howell. Stoddart wa3 next, but he only added 5, when Iredale caught him off McKibbin. Briggs followed, and played out time. Following are the scores New South Wales —First Innings. Iredale, o Stoddart, b Briggs 2 Donnan, c Board, b Wainwright 41 Noble, o Maolaren, b Hayward 34 Gregory, o and b Mason 25 Trumper, b Mason 4 McKenzie, c Hayward, b Hearne... ... 130 Kelly, b stoddart 14 Pye, not out 80 Newell, c Hirst, b Stoddard 6 McKibbin, c Druce, b Briggs 20 Howell, b Muson 48 Extras 11 Total 415 Bowling analysis —Stoddart, two for 50 ; Ranjitsinbji, nil for 17 ; Mason, three for 53 ;, Wainwright, one for 32 ; Hayward, one for SS; Briggs, two for 98 ; Hearne, one for 96. FINE UPHILL PLAY BY THE ENGLISHMEN. BRILLIANT INNINGS BY DRUOE. GOOD BATTING BY THE COLONIALS IN THEIR SECOND INNINGS. ?-yd.nby, February 8. The weather to-day was fine and cool, and the wicket was in splendid order. Briggs and Druoe resumed batting The latter continued to play brilliantly, but when Briggs had compiled 18 McKenzie caught him. Maolaren, who was indisposed on Monday, then partnered the Surrey bat. Maolaren hit up 20 iu a few minutes, the third century appearing. Then Newell took McKibbin’s place. Druce received an ovation on making bis first century in first-class cricket during the tour. Maolaren played a strong defensive game, while Druce scored. Just after lunch Druce, with a bad stroke, sent the ball to Noble, and his innings, which had been a brilliant one, and had lasted three hours and a quarter, ended. Trumper, who had taken Newell’s place, secured Druce’s wicket. Board followed.- With the latter’s advent the Lancashireman abandoned his defensive play, and pasted the bowling all over the ground, the score increasing rapidly, but at length Noble with a beautiful ball spread Maclaren’s Btumps. Hearne was the last man. Board, just after getting into double figures, lifted one to McKenzie, and the innings closed for 387, leaving the Englishmen 28 behind their opponents. • Donnan and Iredale commenced the second innings for New South Wales against the bowling of Hearne and Ranjitsinbji. Iredale only knocked up 7, when Hearne beat him. McKenzie was the next man He hit out magnificently, although he was twice dangerously near being caught oh the boundary by Wainwright and Mason. He quickly passed Donnan, who showed fine defence, with occasional. splendid drives. At 65 Mason gave way to Briggs, and Hayward took Hearne’s end. After the tea adjournment McKenzie reached his half-century, the result of 45 minutes’ batting. He was then nearly run out, but got back in time. The first hundred was hoisted for an hour’s work. McKenzie then mishit Hayward to Coningham, who was fielding for Maolaren. Pye followed. The scoring was slow, Mason and Hayward sending down several maidens in succession. Pye commenced his score with three boundaries. At 126 Hearne relieved Hayward, and Stoddart went on instead of Mason. Donnan reached 50 after being nearly two hours at the wickets, Slow play ensued until the drawing of stumps, the score standing at 140 for two wickets. Following are the scores: — England. —First Innings. Mason, c Howell, b Noble U Wainwright, c Howell, b Noble ... ... 50 Raujit-inbji, c Gregory, b Noble 37 Hirst, c Newell, b Noble ... 4 Htv ward, o, H swell, b Noble ... ... 63 .-tod arc, c Iredale, b McKibbin 5 B'iggs, • McKenzie, b MKibbin ... 18 Druce c Noble, b Iruifiper ... ... I(*9 Maolaren, b Noble 61 Board, c Mob.ei.zie, b McKibbin . ... 14 Hearne, not out 6 Extras 9 Total ... _ 387 Bowling analysis. McKibbin, three for 108; •Noble, six lor 111; Newell, nil for 36; Trumj-or, one for 21; ye, nil for 23; Howell, ml for 45; Do..nan, nil for 7. New Sou h Wales. —Second Innings. Iredale, b Hearne 7 McKenzie, o Coningham (sub.), b Mason 52 Donnan, not out . 55 Pye, not out 23 Ext as 3 Total for two wickets 140 The bowling analysis so far is : —Hayward, nil for 42 ; Mason, one for 21; Briggs, nil for 27; Ranjitsinbji, nil for 8; Hearne, one for 32; Stoddart, nil for 7.