AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18234, 2 May 1921, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

THE AUSTRALIAN TOUR.

MATCH AGAINST LEICESTERSHIRE. Frees Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,.. ' LONDON, April 30. (Received May 1, at 11.5 p.m.) The Australians commenced their cricket tour, playing against Leicester* shire, in glorious weather and on a good wicket. The attendance numbered, ,9000. Sharp won the toss, and Gregory secured a wicket with the first ball of the-match, dismissing Whitehead for 0. King hit the first boundary, sending Gregory over the slips. Mounteney jumped out to Mailey, and drove him for 4 and 6 subsequently, and the first 50 was hoisted in 40 minutes (Mounteney 26, King 20). M'Donald replaced Gregory with the ball. The fielding was good, but not faultless. Sharp was missed by Armstrong directly he came in. M'Donald was bowling a good length, and compelled the batsmen to play carefully. At the luncheon adjournment the,score stood at 99 for three wickets.

On resuming. Armstrong and Gregory took up the bowling, the latter was 'bumping dangerously at times, and the batting became steady. Coe was apnlauded for beautifully hooking Gregory. The fielding improved, and M'Donald replaced Gregory. Mailey caught Salmon brilliantly at second slip. Salmon’s innings was stylish, and lasted 70 minutes. Coe’s score was the result of a patient 70 minutes' play. Shipman was out first ball. The innings lasted 150 minutes.

Collins end Bardsley onened for Australia. Collins tried to hook a straight one from Beskin, and it got his middle stnmn. Macartney ■wholly monopolised the bowling, scoring with late cuts. Bardsley mostly made leg strokes. The 50 was hoisted in under half an hour, and the 100 in 50 minutes. Macartney’s masterly execution aroused enthusiasm. There was little variety in the bowling until Whitebead sent down slow right-handers. Bardslev might have been caught behind the wicket when he had made 21. Changes did not stop the scoring, and Macartney reached his century in 73 minutes. Pardsley was slow bv comparison, but still was sound. The field was altered, but the batsmen continued to score by clever placing. The ground fielding was oanital. Six bowlers were \ried, but the batsmen had not been separated ? t the end of 130 minutes. The batting became easier as th«* bowling tired. ' The following are the details:— LEICESTERSHIRE. First Innings. Whitehead, b Gregory 0 Mcuntenev, c Armstrong, b McDonald 28 King, c Carter, b M‘Donald 29 G. H. Salmon, c Mailey, b MT)onald 33 A. T. Sham, c Gregory, b M'DonaJd 9 Coe. c Collins, b Armstrong ... '23 A still, c Carter, b M'Donald ... ... ~.. ... O Sbiuman, b M'Donald 0 Lord, c Collins, b M'Donald .7 Benskin, b M'Donald ... 0 Sidwell. not out 0 Extras 7 Total - 136' Bowling Analysis.—Gregory, 1 for 31 f Mailey, 0 for 33- Armstrong, 1 for 24; M'Donald, 8 for 41. i Ball of the wickets ; 1 for 0,2 fdr 60,' S’ for 73, 4 for 91, 5 for 114, 6 for 124, 7 fot 134, 8 for 134, 9 for 136, 10 Ipr 136. ’ AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Collins, b Benskin 2 Macartney, not out ... 140 Bardsley, not out S? Extras 4 Total for one wicket 243 Leicestershire was one of the least suo; ccssfu'. >1 the counties in last year’s cricket. Out of 24 matches played the county, won seven only, 14 being lost and three drawn.. The failure was chiefly in batting, the liest, average among the players who played regularly through the season being that-of -5. Coe, with 23.41 runs per innings for 44 innings. A. Mounteney, with an averaged 20.20 runs per innings, came next in order, and after him the figures tailed off rather badly J. H. King, W. E. Astill, and W. E. Benskin bore the brunt of the attack for Leicestershire, and all did well. Sing's average was 17.65 runs per wicket, Astiu’a 19.E0. and, Benskin’s 22.26. Kinr had the satisfaction of capturing 100 wickets;' stiff Astill just missed that distinction. Lord_ is the only new player in the Leicestershire team. The luck of “Luckv” Collins seems to, have deserted him in the first match of the tour. It is ouite apparent that the Leicestershire bowling did not trouble the onlytwo other Australians who have batted ( so far, and, provided the wicket is not impaired by a change in the weather, a big score is assured for the visitors in their opening fixture, with a result that cannot fail to enhance the interest—from all ‘ accounts already great—which is being taken in the tour. The success of - M'Donald, whese teat in capturing eight wickets at a small cost will tend to focus attention on him in future matches, and the inability of Mailey to get a wicket, were the most striking features of the Australians 1 performance in the field. OLDFIELD. INCAPACITATED. LONDON, April 29. ’ An injury to Oldfield's left elbow is more serious-than was first thought. The doctor has diagnosed it as synovitis. Ho is Able to bend the elbow and doss iua hand, but not to grasp the ball. He will probably be unable to play for six weeks, possibly longer.—A. and N. Z. Cable. [Oldfield is the second wicket-keeper. He belongs to New South Wales.] WARNER ON THE TEAM. LONDON, April 29. P. F. Warner, writing in the first numher of the Cricketers’ Weekly, which he is editing, discusses the forthcoming tour. He says that the Australians are formidable opponents likely to win the rubber. Armstrong is a greater batsman than even l Bardsley, and steady as a rock; Gregory is eager and dashing, with all the impetuosity of youth. “ Gregorys are to Australia what Graces were to England.” At present Gregory looks to be nearly the best “all rounder” in the world and the most interesting personality in the team. Mailey should be more successful in England than he was in Australia, and Carter is still the best wicket-keeper Australia over had with the exception of the immortal Blackham. —A. and N.Z. Cable.