A DRAWN MATCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22816, 27 February 1936, Page 9

A DRAWN MATCH

AUSTRALIA v. NATAL CENTURY TO FINGLETON (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) DURBAN, February 25. The game between the Australians and Natal was drawn, an appeal against the light being upheld at 5.45 p.m. The only noteworthy feature of Australia's second innings was Fingleton's solid batting for 167. He treated the attack strictly on its merits. Natal had tried six bowlers on him when, eventually throwing caution to the winds, he was smartly stumped. There were stages when he batted very brightly, lifting Harvey over the fence and crashing him to the boundary. He hit 10 fours, and reached his thousand runs for the tour.

Richardson's declaration was farcical, leaving Natal 35 minutes to get 311 runs. The match petered out arid was drawn. Details: — • AUSTRALIA. First innings .. .. \ 256 Second Innings. Brown, cH. Wade, b Dalton .... 36 Fingleton, et W. Wade, b Pennington 167 M'Cabe, c and b Dalton. .. .... 5 Darling, lbw, b Anderson 26 O'Brien, run out ; 3S Chipperfield, lbw, b Pennington .. 12 Barnett, b Anderson .. 8 Sievers, not out .. .... .. .. .. 18 O'Reilly, c Sparks, b Anderson .. 3 Grimniett, b Anderson .... .'. .. 8 Extras 5 Total for nine wickets (declared) .. .. .. .... 326 Bowling Analysis.—Sparks, none for 43; Pennington, 2 for 41; Murray, none for 79; Anderson. 4 for 23; Harvey, none.:for 33. (Incomplete.) • NATAL. First innings .. 272 Second Innings. Dalton, c Richardson, b Darling ~. 9 W. Wade, not out ...... 17 Nourse, not out .. 3 Extras .. .. .. ...... .. 1 Total for one wicket .. 30 Bowling Analysis. —Darling, 1 for 13; O'Brien, none for 11; Fingleton, none for 3; Brown, none for 2. NATAL MERCURY'S COMMENT DURBAN, February 26. (Received Feb. 27, at 0.15 a.m.) ' . Commenting on the manner in which the Natal match terminated, the Natal Mercury says: "The Australians might so easily have made the conclusion of the match interesting. They chose instead to bat with incredible dullness, apart from the shining exception of Fingleton, and then to pay South Africa the discourtesy of staging a burlesque bowling performance by four batsmen. In a brief period Richardson condescended to give Natal a farcical second innings. We now regret that' Wade did not declare Natal's first innings closed after a lead of one run had been established. That might possibly have encouraged our shy visitors to give practical expression to the admiration they surely miist feel at the feat of poor little Natal, long notorious for the weakness of its bowling, in being the first South African side to force them to bat two full innings and still leave the issue in doubt."

It is understood that the reason why Richardson prolonged the declaration was to preserve O'Reilly and Grimmett for the test after their "tiring marathon effort on the previous day.