FOURTH TEST MATCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18170, 15 February 1921, Page 5

FOURTH TEST MATCH

ARMSTRONG’S FINE SCORE, ENGLAND'S STUBBORN FIGHT, Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, February 14. (Received Feb. 14, at 9.5 p.m.) The weather was fine for the continuation of the test match. The wicket was good and the attendance large. Armstrong and Gregory resumed to the bowling of Parkin and Howell. Armstrong opened with 2 to leg, and Gregory cut Howell to the fence, following with a stroke to leg for 2. Armstrong then got a nice one through the slips for which he ran 3, passing England’s score in 262 minutes. Howell, wiio. was a little erratic, bowled a wide, but the fielding was very keen and many runs were saved. Armstrong then' drove Parkin to the boundary, completing his thousand runs in first-class cricket this season. Gregory was smartly caught behind the wickets off Parkin, and the crowd, recognising his splendid effort, gave him a tremendous ovation. Kelleway followed, and .began cautiously with a single off Parkin, which brought up 300 on the board in 284 minutes. Armstrong then drove a hard one, and in trying to stop it the ball jumped and hit Parkin on the face. Kelleway dropped down to stubborn tactics against Parkin’s wonderful length. Fonder was also bowling well. Armstrong hit one high, the ball just falling short of Hendren, and immediately after Kelleway had a narrow escape, hitting one back towards the bowler, the ball falling just out of his reach. The following ball bowled Kelleway, and Fender had his revenge. 7 Carter joined Armstrong, but had a short life, also falling a victim to Fender. 8— Mailey followed. Armstrong, playing for his .century, took the last over before lunch, and scored 3,4; 2,2 off Fender and peached his century amidst great cheering, after 185 minutes’ batting, 'On resuming after lunch Mailey and McDonald were content to let Armstrong do the scoring, the innings closing for 389. Armstrong opened the attack with Gregory and M'Donald. The batsmen were disposed to take no risks, and at 0 for 32 Mailey replaced Gregory and got Hobbs leg before with his first ball. Makepeace followed, and Rhodes, who was scoring freely, swept Mailey to y the boundary lor 4. M’Donald, whose average was 0 for 24, was given a spell, and Gregory changed ends. At the tea adjournment the score was 1 for 56. After the tea interval Makepeace, who Was batting brilliantly hit Mailey to leg for a. The latter’s average was now 1 for 17. Play then became slow, but was brightened by occasional flashes by Makepeace. Kelleway replaced Grefory, but Rhodes refused to take risks m is anxiety to wipe out the deficit. The century was reached in 105 minutes., Just previously Armstrong had retired unwell. Great disappointment and regret was expressed all round the ground when the news spread that he was compelled by medical advice to proceed home. Armstrong, it is stated, is suffering from slight malaria, but is expected to play to-morrow. His generalship was greatly in the field. Taylor, who was fielding remarkably well, was loudly applauded for knocking down the wicket with a boundary return,_ but too late. The batsmen, realising their responsibility through Hobbs’s second fail* ure, took no'risks, and play for the last half-hour was deadly slow. Rhodes was mostly getting singles, walking between the wickets, but satisfied with endeavouring to play out tirafe. Makepeace was stubborn in his' defence. The attendance was 20,000, and tpe gate realised £I7OO. Scores; ENGLAND. First Innings 264 Second Inmngs. Hobbs, lbw r b Mailey 13 Rhodes,, no.t out a.. .■■ ■.• ... ••• y* •" Makepeace, not out ••• •’ Extras 4 Total for ope wicket ..; ... 123 AUSTRALIA. * First Innings. Collins, c Rhodes, b Woolley 59 Bardsley, b Fender 3b Ryder, Ibw, b Woolley ... 7 Taylot, hit wicket, b. Fender ... 2 Pellew, b Fender 12 Gregory, c Dolphin, b Parkin 77 Armstrong, not out ... 123 Kelleway, b Fender ... .:. -.1 ... 27 Carter, b Fender V. 0 Mailey, run out 13 M‘Donaid,..b ’ Woolley ... 0 Extras ... ; 13 Total 389 The wickets fell as 117, 2 for 123, 3 for 128, 4 for 133, 6 for 153, 6 for 298, 7 for 335, 8 for 335, 9 for 376, 10 for 389. Bowling Analysis.—Howell, 0 for 86; Douglas, 0 for 17; Waddington 0 for 31; Parkin, 1 for 6; "F ender;-5 for 22; Wool-, ley, 3 for 56. 1 1 . ARMSTRONG IDOLISED. A REMARKABLE DEMONSTRATION. SYDNEY, February 14. The Herald says“ The feature of Saturday’s play "was the demonstration in favour of Armstrong, which was as spontaneous as it was remarkable, and left no doubt regarding the sympathy of the public.” The Telegraph says; “At one stage four wickets were lost for an addition of 16 runs, but Armstrong and Gregory were the saviours, the former playing such another, game as at Adelaide. Itwould have been a tragedy if Armstrong had not scored, so greatly is he idolised by the crowd. When going out to bat he was. /hailed as never a cricketer was before, and was compelled to lose no time in reaching the pavilion at the drawing of stumps in order to escape ’ demonstrative enthusiasts.” <