THE FINAL TEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18324, 15 August 1921, Page 5

THE FINAL TEST

ENGLAND AT THE WICKETS. A BROKEN DAY’S PLAY. UNSPORTSMANLIKE SPECTATORS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON,-August 13. (Received Aug. 14, at 5.5 p.m.) The hnal Test match commenced in dubious weather conditions, being 50 minutes late owing to rain in the early morning. The weather was bright and the wicket wet on top and hard beneath when play started. Tennyson won the toss, and Brown and Russell opened the batting aggressively against the Dowling ot ivl’Donald and tiregory. Both played Gregory, who was rising well over the wicket, freely, but neither was at home with M'Donald, who sent down fast low stuff. His first over was a maiden, and the next three yielded only two runs. Half an hour’s play produced 27, when Russell just touched a leg-sider to Oldfield and was cleanly caught. Tyldesley was the next man in. The batting was quiet, though Brown made occasional vigorous carpet drives, and Tyldesley pretty shots behind the wicket. At 40 Mailey displaced M'Donald. Perfect fielding checked the scoring. Collins, at point, missed Tyldesley off Gregory when the batsman had scored five. Mailey continually boat Tyldesley. Fifty was hoisted for an hour’s play. AfDonaxd took Gregory's place, and Brown was uncomfortable before Mailey’s mixed deliveries. He alternated stepping back and driving, but failed to penetrate the field, and finally he impatiently lashed out, missed the ball, and uis stump was broken. Alter the luncheon adjournment the weather was sunnier. Woolley joined Tyldesley, who was uncomfortable . lacing Mailey, but with a lucky shot ho drove M'Donald to the boundary—the second one ot the uay. vVoonoy started by driving Mailey to the fence, and sent M'Donald twice to the boundary. At £3 heavy rain stopped the play. During the interruption, which lasted 160 minutes, the captains several times inspected the wicket. The crowd barracked Armstrong unmercifully, and hooted the Australians. They cheered the batsmen wnen they took the field again. In the first over Woolley sent one from M'Donald to the slips. Bardsley fielded the ball brilliantly, and as Woolley was attempting a secona run no knocked nis middle stump out. Woolley batted 25 minutes in his customary classical style. Tyldesley was now 14.

Mead joined Tyldesley, who continued shakily, getting an occasional lucky single. Mead was not aggressive, and axtogetner it was a poiutul oxmbition of Test batting. Whenever Armstrong fielded the ball he was ironically ckeered. The century appeared for HO minutes’ play. The crowd was given aa excuse for barracking when M'Donald struck Tyldesley on the jaw with me ball as the latter was making a wild eliorl to pull the bowler behind the wicket. Tyldesley then twice sent M'Donald to the boundary. This departure from cramped batting was loudly cheered. Gregory relieved M'Donald at 116. After batting 110 minutes Tyldesley drove a ball to long ou and was easily caught. M'Donald went on in place of Mailey at 128. Mead took an hour to. get 18, which, were mostly sneaked in singles. Sandham, who filled the vacancy, stonewalled for half an hour, getting only a single. It was a dull day’s cricket. At no period was the bowling mastered, and the fielding was superb. The batting emphasised the fact that England has never recovered from the ignominy of frequent failure against the Australian bowling. Scores: — ENGLAND. First Innings. A. C. Russell, c Oldfield, b M'Donald 13 S. Brown, b Mailey 32 Ernest Tyldesley, o Macartney, b Gregory 39 F. E. Woolley, run out 23 O. P. Mead, not out 19 A. Sandham, not out 1 Extras 2 Total for four%wickets 129 The wickets fell as follow: —1 for 27, 2 for 54, 3 for 84, 4 tor 121. A DRAWN GAME. AUSTRALIA v. KENT. DUiNDuiN, August 12. The weather was glorious and me wicuet fast. The aggregate attendance wws a record lor the ground. isicamorc ana xiardinge resumed to the bowling of Grigory ana M’Tkmaid. Huns came ireery, but jAiokmore iirid some luoay smoKS oil lu'Gonala, and shoufd have been oaugnt by Garter. At Of Gregory also missed him. M'Donald bowled an excellent length, and rose high, but Bickmore s height neutralised matters. The latter reached his halt-century mBS minutes. He despatched M'Donald lor three lours in one over, Armstrong lor two tours, and got another tour oil Ryder, who relieved M'Donald. Continual changes were made in the field to efieok the brisk scoring. The century was added in 70 minutes. Mailey then relieved Armstrong, and Ryder steadied the scoring with off-theory stuff, flardmge reached bd in halt an hour. Tie then lost Bickmore, who returned one to Mailey. Blackmore hit 17 fours and gave a fine all-round display, which was warmly appreciated. The partnership realised 154, which is tile highest recorded against the Australians on tho present tour. Mardinge played Ryder on when he was 74. At times he was brilliant. He placed tho ball correctly and never made a mistake. He notched seven lours. At the luncheon adjournment the score was four for 190. Before resuming Armstrong placed a wreath on tho base of the fountain memorial to Colin Blythe, the famous Kentish bowler, who was killed in action in 1917, as a tribute from tho Australians. After lunch the weather turned dull and changeable. The batting completely collapsed, only Wood ottering any resistance to Ryder and Mailey. The last six wickets fell lor 65 runs. The Australians went in again, and at the drawing ot stumps they had lost four wiokets for 119. Collins and Fellow opened the Australians’ second innings to the bowling of Cornwallis and G. Bryan. Comment is made on the fact that the visitors did not approach Kent to reduce the play to two days, as in the case of the Warwickshire and Yorkshire matches, which were set down for the days immediately preceding a test match. Tho spectators did not approve of the Australians electing to go in again, which made a certainty of a drawn match, and there was ironical applause after each delivery by tho bowlers during the first two overs, causing Trqughton (the Kent captain) to address a noisy section of the crowd. Pellow, Mayne, and Mailey fell cheaply, the score standing at three for 67 at the tea adjournment, of which Collins had made 47. On resuming Collins and Ryder added nine each, and tho former was then bowled by Hardingo. Ryder, with Armstrong, played out tune, and the match was drawn. Replying to criticism, Armstrong said that he was perfectly justified in not declaring. Ho was there to make the whole tour a success, and not one particular match. Following are the scores:— ' Kent. —First Innings. J. Bryan, c Armstrong, b M'Uonald ... 5 Bickmore, o and b Mailey 89 Seymour, b Gregory 15 Hardingo, b Ryder 74 Woolley, Ibw, b Ryder 12 Heuges, o Collins, b Ryder hi G. Bryan, st Carter, b Mailey 5 Wood, b Mailey 31 Troughton, c Macartney, b Ryder ... 1 Cornwallis, b Mailey 0 i Freeman, not out 3 ] Extras 10 I Total 237 ; Bowling Analysis.—Gregory, one wicket for 24; M'Donald, one for 49; Mailey, four for 54; Armstrong, none for 28; Ryder, four for 72. Australia. First innings 676 i Second Innings. Collins, b Hardinge 56 Follow, cM. Bryan, b Cornwallis ... 2 Mayne, c Woolley, b G. Bryan 1 Mailey, b Freeman 12 Ryder, not out 21 Armstrong, not out 22 Extras 5 i Four wickets for 119 Rowling Analysis.—Cornwallis, one for 12; I G. Bryan, one for 9; Hardinge, one for 45; Bickmore, none for 23; Freeman, one for | 10; J. Bryan, none for 15,