AUSTRALIANS' TOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18310, 29 July 1921, Page 5

AUSTRALIANS ' TOUR

RETURN MATCH IN ESSEX

COUNTY’S POOR SCORE.

FINE EFFORT BY COLLINS

Freaa Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,

LONDON, July 27. The weather was bright hot, the attendance large, and tlio wicket fast for tho mutch Australians v. Essex. Armstrong. Al‘Donald, Carter, and Taylor stood out.

Tho mutch is being played in the Public Parle, the outfield of which is rough, but good in the circumstances. Earlier in tiio Australians’ tour Essex lost by an innings. (Jn this occasion tho side has been strengthened by the inclusion of A. O. Russell and the Ashton brothers, but Douglas and Ereoman are not playing. Hubert Ashton, a Cambridge player, was the first to register a century against the visitors. Perrin, who captained tho team in Douglas’s absence, won tho toss, and sent in Russell and Dixon, tho bowling being entrusted to Gregory and Hendry. The lastnamed accepted a return from Russell with three on the board. The wicket was inclined to bo fiery, and the wickets fell fast, the score at tho luncheon adjournment being five for 49.

Claud Ashton was caught first ball after the resumption of pluy. Giiligan and Perrin added 36 in 2C minutes in enterprising fashion, though the former escaped an easy chance of stumping early in tho innings. Both batsmen were hit by Gregory. Perrin receiving a blow below the heart, necessitating his retirement. He displayed marked ability to handle Gregory’s bowling, but Giiligan was uncertain. The latter hit. four boundaries before Gregory ullinijately found his stumps. Perrin was able to resume his innings, and remained not out. Essex’s innings, lasted two and a-half hours.

Bards.ley and Collins opened for Australia. both scoring freely off Louden and Dixon. Collins lifted Smith for six, reaching his 60 in an hour. Tho century was posted immediately afterwards, and Bardsley then succumbed in Franklin’s first over. Ho hit eight 4’s in his total Macartney had only just reached double figures when ho was sent back by Dixon. Collins and Andrews were missed during their partnership. the latter, particularly, by Hubert Ashton at second slip. Following are the scores:— Essex.—First Innings. Russell, c and b Hendry 2 Dixon, o Macartney, b Gregory 18 Morris, c Mailey, b Gregory 11 H. Ashton, st Oldfield, b Mailey 7 Perrin, not out ... 28 Fane, c and b Mailey 5 C. Ashton, o Gregory, b Hendry 5 Giiligan, b Gregory 31 Franklin, b Gregory 13 H. Smith, b Mailey ... 0 Louden, c Ryder, b Mailey 4 Extras 4 Total v . 128 Bowling Analysis.—’Gregory, - five wickets for 44 runs; Mailey, four for 48; Hendry, one for 10; Ryder, none for 22. Austealiaxs. —First Innings. Collins, not out NlOl Barnsley, b Franklin 69 Macartney, b Dixon 11 Andrews, not out • 19 Extras 2 Two wickets for ... ... 192 THE FOURTH TEST. AUSTRALIANS’ DOGGEDNBSS APPLAUDED. LONDON, July 27. Tho newspapers generally applaud the Australians’ dogged resistance, also Collins’s inexhaustible patience and his rocklike defence. —A. ami N.Z. Cable.

The strain of tho fourth test match over, and the weather being favourable and the wicket to their liking, tho Australians are exhibiting in their return match against Essex tho abandon whijjh has bpon a feature of their play in most of their engagements with county teams. The batting of tho Essex eleven, from which J. W. H. T. Douglas was a notable absentee, must have been very disappointing to the spectators. Gregory’s bowling on a wicket that was somewhat fiery must have boon disconcerting to most, of the batsmen, but Mailey, who captured his hundredth wicket of the tour, was hardly less successful than Gregory with tho half.

The Essex team last year included the Rev. F. 11. Gillingham and F. W. Gilligan among those who played more or less regularly. As, however, Gillingham usually goes in first to bat, it seems fairly certain that ho is not playing in this match, and that it was Giiligan who made the- top score for tho side. Fane may be identical with tho F. L. Fane who played for Essex many years ago, and visited New Zealand as a member of an English team. He had nbt played this j'ear up to the time when the last mails left England.

Collins, who was out of the Australia team, owing to injuries, for nine matches after the first test game, has, since he resumed playing, been making up for his lost opportunities. His century in his unfinished innings on Wednesday was the third he has compiled in his last eight visits to the wickets. Bardsloy, too, is poldding steadily on to hig 2000-runs mark, but ho is still nearly 200 runs behind Macartney in the aggregate.

TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA

THREE TEST MATCHES.

CAPETOWN, July 27. The Australian cricket team will play six matches in South Africa (the first on October 22), including three tests, commencing on November 7, 12, and 26. respectively.— A. and N.Z. Cable.