PROSPECTS ROSY

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12021, 26 December 1924, Page 7

PROSPECTS ROSY

AUSTRALIANS SCORE 452 LAST WICKET STAND BY TAYLOR AND MALLEY. ENGLAND NEED 563 TO WIN. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received December 24, 8.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 24. Wintry conditions ruled for the fifth day of the first Test match between England and Australia. A strong south-west wind, accompanied by showers of cold rain, made things most- unpleasant for players and. spectators alike. Play was adjourned for periods of 20 and 25 minutes before lunch. The attendance was small. The wicket was beginning to wear, and the outfield was slow. Collins, after adding two singles to his overnight score, snicked a ball from Tate to. Chapman at fine slip. He had batted 154 minutes, and hit three fours. Hendry gave a pleasing display. Although he could "do nothing with. Tate be pulled Freeman nicely to leg. Taylor was suffering from a boil on tho leg, which proved a handicap to his running between the wickets. TATE AGAIN IN FORM. The slightly wet wicket just suited Tate, who prior to lunch had taken two wickets for 2 runs, and had bowled five maidens. As in the fust innings he proved a tower of strength to his side. Taylor, usually a -fast scorer, could not at first got going, but he livened up after lunch, his partnerships with Oldfield and Mailey proving the brightest parts of to-day’s innings. Most of his score came from nicely placed cuts and glances. He displayed much skill in • pulling Hearne .to leg, and made many vigorous drives, some of which reached the fence, but most of them were stopped by smart fielding. ' As in -ho first innings, Australia proved that it had a most ' useful “tail," which could be depended on to add ( considerably to the score. Oldfield and Mailoy stepped out to Hearne and hit him hard. Strudwiok proved himself a versatile fieldsman, and occasionally made a dash of 50 yards into-the field in pursuit of the ball. Three hundred appeared on the board for 324 minutes’ play. TAYLOR PLAYS SUPERBLY. The rain cleared during the afternoon, and the sun shone *out fitfully. The outstanding feature of the play i to date is the remarkable last wickst ; stand of Taylor and Mailey, which has ! added 127 runs. Taylor’s exhibition '.Was absolutely superb. He played carefully, yet vigorously, placing his strokes with great precision and force. He batted 164 minutes, and hit eight fours. Tils century took 149 minutes. The partnership scored quickly, and put on 100. runs in 61 minutes. Mailey also played forcefully, and showed 1 good judgment in placing the ball. He i occupied the crease 79 minutes, and jhit four fours. Gilligan made frequent changes in 'the bowling, in an attempt to separate the pair. At last Tate broke Taylor’s defence with a straight ball, which, ha. tried to pull. Both players were accorded a great ovation on leaving the field. The innings lasted 145 minutes. The attendance grew to 8000. ENGLAND’S GREAT TASK HOBBS SLOW IN STARTING. With an hour of the day’s play reitraining England took the field, facing the tremendous task of making 605 to | win. j Hobbs ,accompanied by Sutcliffe, ! opened brightly, -though Hobbs appeared to be not too comfortable in facing Gregory, who was bowling with a strong wind at his back, and rocking in very quickly. When the hoard showed 23 Hobbs survived an appeal for leg before. Collins put Mailey on against the wind in an endeavour to catch Sutcliffe. As in the first innings, it was shown that the Australians can learn a lot of points from the Englishmen m running between the wickets. The visiters lose very few runs. . Neither batsman took any nsks, and runs came slowly. When the total was 37 Hobbs was nearly stumped. He was scoring very slowly, and reached double figures in singles, an unusual thing for him. Scores: — AUSTRALIA. First innings Second Innings. Bandsley, b Tate ••••”•• ?? A. Richardson, o andi b Freeman »o Kelleway, b Gilligan 23 Collins, c Obajpmian, b Tate 60 Pbnaford, c Woolley, b Freeman ... 27 y. Richardson, c ' Hendiren, b Tate 18 Hendtry, c Strudwick, b Tate 22 Taylor, b Tate ... : 108 Oldlfipld, c Strudwick, b Gilligan 18 Gregory, o Woolley, b Freeman ... 2 Mailey, not out 46 Extras 8 Total 452 Bowling analysis—Gilligan, two wickets for 114; Tate, five for 98; Freeman, three for 134; Hearne, none for 88: Chapman, none for 10. How the wickets fell —One for 40, two for 115, three for 168, four for 210, five for 241. six for 260, seven for 281, eight for 286„ nine for 326, ten for 452. ENGLAND. First innings ....' 298 Second Innings. Bobb's, not out 13 Sutcliffe, not out 27 Extras 2 Total for no wickets 42 There will be no play on Christinas Day, but the match will be resumed on Boxing Day. RESULT DEPRESSING ENGLAND’S HOPES SHATTERED. (Sydnev "Sun” Cable.'. LONDON. December 23. Commenting on the Test match, the “Standard" says that the failure of the", whole team, except Hobbs, Heudren. and Sutcliffe, is depressing, especially as Gregory and 1 Mailey, whose style and methods are well known, took all the wickets. The “Evening News’’ is of the opinion that victory in either tho cricket Test match or against the All Blacks at Rugby is most improbable. australwsjTew star EULOGIES OF A. RICHARDSON". “SURPRISINGLY VERSATILE.” Bv Telegraph.—Pre©= Assn.—Copyright, SYDNEY, December 24. The “Sydney Morning Herald,” comI montiag on the Test match, soys: “A.

Richardson’s innings was, in many ways, a memorable one, characterised mainly by its power and precision in the making of orthodox strokes, and, in -that respect, is camparaible with anything of its kind previously seen on the Sydney cricket- ground. The ball was not forced away in unnatural directions, but it was made to travel to all parts of the arena with marvellous speed. From the outset he allowed no inclination to temporise, and, in addition, the power of his stroke and play was really surprisingly versatile. There was vim in every stroke, and if they were not all scoring strokes, it was only beoause the fieldsmen cut them off. “His judgment in running between the wickets, especially for short singles, was not exemplary, and on more than one occasion he was nearly run out." COUNTRY MATCH ABANDONED. Br Telegranh.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received December 25, 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 20. Owing to the protracted nature of the Test match, the Englishmen’s fixture against Southern Districts at. Albury has been cancelled. ENGLAND V. SOUTH AFRICA UNOFFICIAL TEST MATCH. Renter’s Telegram. CAPETOWN, December 23. In the first unofficial Test match at Johannesburg, England, in the first innings. scored 198 (Moßr.van 6, 'lVldeeIcy 14, Bowlsv 67, Russell 34, Kennedy 6, Geary 1, Jamieson 1, Tennyson 67, Bartley 0, Marriott 0, Parker 1 not out, extras 21). The bowling was good and the fielding excellent. Nupen captured live wickets for 54 runs. South Africa have lost two wickeite for 54 (Taylor 3, Susskind 35 not out, Ling 14).