CRICKET,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10306, 13 March 1895, Page 7

CRICKET,

THE FINAL TEST MATCH,

The greatest crioket m:\teh in history was begun on the Melbourne Cricket ground on the lat (says the Argus). There never was such an attendance on an "off" day. By the time the gamo was at its best—about 5 o'clock—it was imjioasiblo to obtain a seat, and favourable tfwnding places wore difficult to find. The cricket was "gilt-edged." When Giffsn won the toss there was a cheer which told him, if ho wanted to bs tolti, that Australia must but. 7'he Englishmen were alio cheered when they filed out through tha pavilion gafco, led by Stoddart, and Bruce and Harry Trott had a great cheer as they followed. It was " switchback " cricket—very slow at times, then fast, then very fast, with here and there a jerk as a wicket fell. The visiting team played as one man, and that man a good man. It is safe to say that better lidding there could hardly bo. It is true that Harry Trotti was ;aiased by Ford at 10, Gregory by Ford at 19, and Darling hy Phillipboh at 46, but they were really hot chances. Though they told against the Englishmen in tha eroce, they were a long way from being a blot cm the play. Richardson aad Peel bowled splfDdidly, and the fact that on a batsman's wicket only 142 runs were made in thres hours by four of the bent men in Australia—Bruce, Harry Trott, Giffen, and Iredale—proves how good both attack and fielding must have been. This was the record at the 4 o'clock adjournment, and the prospects of Anstralia were not so rosy au could be desired. But Gregory and Darling, after taking considerable time to settle down, gave a splendid exhibition of batting, and brought tbe score to 282 when stumps were drawn, Darling having 72 to his credit and Gregory 70.

There was an inauspicious hush upon the crawd at tha Cricket ground at noon on Saturday when Gregory fallowed Darling back to the pavilion in the second over after play was resumed. It often happens so. Each man had hiß eye in on Friday evening; they could not get going on Saturday. But Lyons, the Lyons, he who was sceffed at in the New YearVmitc'o, and who has not since been played against the Englishmen, justified his selection for this match by a splendid score of 55, made in about an hour in bis old form, with the force of a Hercules put into every stroke that was intended to be a hit. .South Australia did mora tbau her share — Giffsn 57, Darling 74-, Lyons 55, and Jarvis (nofc out) 34, is her record, Jarvis's contribution being especially accaptable. The innings closed for 414. England opened with Ward and Brockwell, but the latter fell early, literally fell in trying forward play to Harry Trott. Jacvis was behind him—that's all. Stoddart's batting was the feature of the afternoon, as Lyons's had baen of the morning. Ward, Brown, MacLarsn and Peel were the other batscnea of the day, the two latter not out. Tho bast way to describe the play is to make a comparison. On Friday the Australians in five hours made 282 for four wickets, while on Saturday England bad the same number, of wicket 3 down for 200, made in less than three hours. As the scores stand it is anyone's game. It goes without ssyiog that the crowd watohed the ploy with tht» utmost kesnneas. When Giffen tossed the ball to M'Kibbin there was an excited shout, and as the new man ran to the wicket to deliver every eye was on him. His first ball nearly beat Ward. The crowd cheered. The second ball nearly beat Ward. The crowd again cheered. Such a thing has scarcely baen known before as a bowler being applauded for not bowling his man. But it shows the temper of the people. When later on M'Kibbin made Browu dance about in the crease to pluy a ball which hit his pads about 5000 men with one voice cried "How's tbai?" And when tome time afterwards M'Kibbin cloan bowled Ward there wan a mighty shout that must have been heard at Bathurst, where of coarse business was suspended for the day.

Better conditions could have been desired for the third day'a play, which whs witnessed by 20,000 peopla. It was blszjug hot in the early part of the game and muggy and close towards the laßt, with every indication of the change which .csme up from the south-wast later on. At one timo Giffen wore a has that would have fitted the Law Courts dome; at the finish he vmi baraheaded. The sun ought to bs brought before the V.R.O. stewards for in-and-out running. The fortunes of the day varied terribly. At half-past 2, long faces ; at 4, long drinks and congratulations. The whale aepsct of the game had changed. MacLaren and Peel curried on the scora from noon to dinner time, defying all attampts to separate them. They went back at a quarter-past 2, evidently well set for a great stand, bat when the Peel was removed by Gregory of! Giffen the fruit soon decayed. MacLaren evidently felt the heat greatly. There was something pathetic in the eagerness with which his friends iv the shade watched for signal* from him for refreshments ; there was nothing pithefcio iv the insinuating way a fieldsman or two got close up to get the t-a.il end of the beverage. Now and again between runs H&oLaren would drop on onu knee aud persuade himself ho was resting, but all the same his defence was impregnable. His dismissal came about in a strange way. Harry Trott drove him back on to his wicket, aud ho inadvertantly kicked the stumps and dislodged the bails. Splendid fielding and magnificent bowling accounted for the disappearance of the remaining batsmen in the twinkling of an eye, and the innings clo.ied at 4- o'clock for 335, or 29 behind the Australians.

Bruco and Trott opened ths second innings for Australia. Brace's sangfroid was more noticeable than ever. Mr Tavernsr, it is said, intends aakiDg him to take up permanent residence on the Naison in order that the expense of providing refrigerating machinery may be saved. But he was tempted and fell. Peel held * hot one off his own bowling A postal union followed—Trott and Giffen. For once the Victorian and South Australian departments were iv entire accord, and for onca they were slow. " The Government stroke," said a'cynic, but there was not much of that sort of thing in the play. It was slow because Peel and Lockwood wore bowling splendidly, and because MacLareu, Stoddmt, and Brown would stop hits brilliantly. Aud it was slow aloo because the light became dim and the batarneo did not waet to lose their wickets. They were determined to kill time, and they succeeded, for at 6 o'clock they returned to ths pavilion—one wicket for 69, or 98 to the good. " They've drawn his stumps," said the one'lady who understood the game. " Did ho have gas or chloroform ? " asktd her friend who didn't.

It certainly is a splendid match (aays the Argus). At the beginning of the fifth day no one can say which side will win, and thin widespread uncertainty is the most remarkable characteristic of the whole affair. Australia.1!* second innings realised 267, which put us 296 aheid of the visitors. Put the task in round figures at 300, and that will give a. better idea of what work the Englishmen have in hand. If they win they will be giants, and there will not be a man but will cordially concede to them all the honours of victory. Similarly, if Australia conquers it will be impossible to too highly praise the achievement. And bo the matter stands.

Tiie fortune of war has been against the Australians. Not to a great extent, certainly, but still against them. They had to begin their second innings when a blinding duststorm was at its height. It was ona of thoss storms which shift the sand off the bsck beach at Sorrento and drop it on the Melbourne Cricket ground, with a generous intermixing of local material to give the whole decoction that necessary opacity and penetrativaness so r?ell calculated to promote highcXass cricket by high-class batsmen in a highclass match. Of course the defence suffers in sucb circumstances. Tbe conditions are more in favour of tho attack, though it was no doubt irritating to Lockwood to have to seek the assistance of some of his colleagues in clearing the debris from his eyes before his turn came to bowl. The storm smote tho major—that is to aay, it firsfe played with his new canopy, then tueged at it, then tried to uproot it, and then in petulanes got well under and split it. The ordinary deck hands of the Melbourne Cricket Club had to do the work of cle&ringaivay tha wreckage, aud it is only necessary to add that it disappeared. ' And, what was most singular, so did the dust after lunch, and as the afternoon wora on and the nearer the time came for the Englishmen to bsgin their second iuniugs, the wind moderated and gave promise of a calm for next day.

It would nerer do for Giffen to get a reputation for missing catches. There was much solicitat on thi.i point, not so much for the sake of thfi ciptaiu's credit perhaps as from a desire that Brockwell should be got rid of when he gave his first ehauco. That batsman was determiLsd not to fall a victim to Harry Trott as in the first inninge, bo he punished that bowler for sin the first over. This brought him opposite Giffen. Almost every fraction of a second of time is accounted for iv the recollection of what then happenad. Gitfeu trotted up to the wicket, changed the ball from laft to right hand after lipping the right finger-tips as usual; then delivered, and kfterjing h'S way on had just got across the wicket line when Brockwell played forward upp:s\ily. The ball wens to just within reach of whore Giffen had pulled up. The whole team with oue voice fhouted, " Catch him, Gift.," and an era seemed to pass as the ball was stopped with the right hand and let go again to be taken securely by the left. Then there was a shout and Brockwell returned to the pavilion. Uudsr other circumstances the crowd would liave been delighted to see him bat; as it was, they were more delighted to pee his back. The deep earnestness of tlie play was indicated in different ways later. Giffen, laying his trap for Ward, first put Harry Trott at mid-wicket, very close in, and from the scoring box the expression and attitude of the fieldsmen waiting for the stroke were a study. In the next over of Giffen, Utace came in under Ward's bat, while Trott went to poiut, and Bruce sesmed to pick three bills almost out of the block hole, This all shows, the keeaness of the #lay.

The Australians have to own themselves beaten (telegraphs the correspondent of the Hobart Mercury) in the final tint match by Stoddiirt'fi team, which played batter all-round cricket. If ever a team deserved to win the Englishmen did this time, because from the commencement they had an uphill game to play. Without seeking in any way to detract from the merits of the win, attention may fairly be drawn to the fact that the Australians' chances of winning wero lessened by the drizzling rain which fell two hours before the play was resumed this morning, and this, instead of hurting tha wicket, did it good, for all the fire bad left the pitch, and tho Australian medium pace and slow bowling came along easily to the batsmen, who subsequently admitted that the wicket was as easy and perfect as if new. The greatest praire must bo given to Brown, who, discarding defensive tactics, by which he made hie two other centuries, took advantage of the easy wicket, and mercilessly hit the bowlers, treating GiifeD more roughly than any other batsman has dono for years past. The Englishmen beat us at fielding, too, forwhere&a they were almost perfect, our men made several grievous errors, though they never became absolutely loose. Only a brief space i 3 required to describe the last day'm play. Tho start was senoational. Ward and Stoddart took their places with only 28 on thfi board. Stoddart played at the first of Trott's and missed, the ball hitting fairly the centre of th« pad. Up went Trott's hand in appeal, and when tho umpire had promptly allowed it a rour that was !*n much oae of surprise as pleasure burst from the crowd. Two down for 28. At that particular stage the one feeling all round was that the game was over, and Australia had won it.

Brown then came in, and from the very outset had the bowlerß in trouble. The bowling was frequently changed, but with no avail, for Ward and Brown put on 210 runs for their partnership. Brown was loudly cheered on pussing MacLaran's score, and the hit that made his 140 was a. perfect stroke. That was his last. Hp glanced one of M'Kibbin's in the slips, and, at 25 minutes past 3, Giffen held him with a pretty left-handed catch. Three for 233. Ward scored 93, and was then bowled by H. Trott. The fourth wicket fell for 278. MaoLaren and Peel then carried the total to 298. England thua winniDg by six wickets and 2 runs.

The following is the order in which the wickets fell ou both sides :—

12 3 4. 5 « 7 8 9 10 Aug., Ist... 40 101 12(5 142 281 256 304 335 367 iU Kng., Ist... 6 110 112 168 32S 342 361 3G4 366 385 Aus.,2ud... 32 75 127 148 179 200 219 219 248 267 8ng,.2ad... 5 28 238 278

In their first innings against Eighteen of Northern Tasmania the Englishmen made 291; Stoddart (not out) 73, Brockwell 69. A cricket match will be played to-day on the Oval between teams representing the Bookmakers and Butchers, play to commence at 2 o'clock sharp.

A Hobart telegram states that the match between Sto(jdart's team and a Tasmanian team was drawn. The Tasmanians in their second innings lost thirteen wickets for 219. Westbrook made 4S, Windsor 38, Fernandez (not out) 31.