DRAMATIC CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15033, 5 January 1911, Page 6

DRAMATIC CRICKET.

Upon the face of it the Australian cricketers owe nothing to luck for their success in the dramatic test match which was brought to a close at Melbourne yesterday. Yet it is by no means clear that this is the case. It was certainly to their advantage that the toss was won for the Commonwealth, eleven, as it was also in the first of the test matches with their visitors from- South Africa; but, while they did not utilise this so fully as they might have been expected to do, and 'while the second day's play nullified the benefit they derived from having gained the opportunity of batting first and placed the South Afric; in a very favourable position, it seems a reasonable conclusion, from the comparative failure of tree batsmen on the third and fourth days of the match that, although the weather remained fine, the wicket must have become so worn ajs to afford a measure of assistance to the bowlers. The figures show that on the first two daya fifteen wickets fell for exactly 700 runs, , and that on the last two days twenty-five' wickets produoed 561 runs only. And emphasis is given to the • disparity in favour of the results of the batting on Saturday and Monday last by the fact that one batsman alone, triumphing over difficulties that overcame most of the other players, claimed 159 of the 561 runs that were scored on Tuesday and yesterday. But for Trumper's invaluable innings the Australians would have suffered a disastrous rout, and Whitty would not have been afforded tlie chance of accomplishing the remarkable bowling performance that enabled his side to snatch the game out of the fire and to accomplish a memorable victory. The considerations we ha.ve mentioned seem to support the belief that the general experience that the team which secures the first use of the wicket also, in ordinary circumstances, secures the best use of it and that the team which has to bat last is. placed at a distinct) disadvantage, at any rate in a heavyscoring contest, has been borne out in the case of this match, and that the Australians are to some extent—perhaps to a large extent—indebted to the luck of the toss for the victory, meritorious though it was, which they have gained. The splendid score which the South Africans compiled in their first innings, and the magnificent form that was displayed by Faulkner in particular, together with the performance of their bowlers in. twice disposing of the Australians for an aggregate of 675 runs, will, however, have the effect of enhancing their reputation, and the interest of the public in the remaining test matches will not be materially affected by the fact that the honours of victory so far rest entirely with tho Australian team.