STODDART'S CRICKET TEAM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2289, 13 January 1898, Page 24

STODDART'S CRICKET TEAM.

THE SECOKD TEST MATCH.

EASY WIN FOB, AUSTRALIA..

Melbourne, January 4,

All the talk last night and this morning was about the chances of the Englishmen having to follow on. Bub for the state of the wicket it would be anybody's game. As the wck^t is, however, the edda are in favour of the Australians. It will be very surprising if the wicket should last through. A local authority, who knowa the ground, stys that the appearances are oftea deceiving. Before the play commenced the wickeb remiuded one of a piace of Mosaic work, and into some of the cracks it was possible to insert one's finger. This condition of things is ascribed primarily to the inteneo heat, and secondly to the lack of sufficient top-dreseing. The pitch is going at just about Jones's 1-ngth. The general opinion is that it is not likely the mitch will last over to-morrow, and speculators are patting their money on the Australians at rathtr tempting odds. The game is not) however, all over jet.

The Aus.trslif.na put together their runs afi ihe rate of 55 per hour. Toe b*fc~ing, n*-vr-r-the?eas, v?ao rather dreary, Ireda'e's being ihe exec-pUon. Hs exhibited an abundant variety of pretty stroke*, and scored freely, his score including six 4's. He gave one hard chance. The catch with which Wainwright dismissed Trott was a beauty. The batsman cub a curly one from Briggs h»gli ; Kanjitcinhji leaped for tke ball, hub could not catch it. Wainwrigat, however, made a run from extra cover-point, and took the ball low down. The innings was free from chance, s-nd although low and then exceedingly dreary, it was one of eminent service. Noble did not shape too well. He tried hard to evade Richardson, and when be did face him he made little effort to play the fatal ball, which he apparently judged was off the wicked.. Evidently he does not understand the fast bowler yet. The bowling was good, Briggs's being excellent, and RichardsoD, Henrne, and Hirst bowled bttter than the figures show. The Englishmen missed the assistance of Hayward, whose injured thumb kept him out of the fi?ld. Board fielded in his place. The fielding w&s first rate and untiring right through the long innings, Maclaren, Hr-nrne, aud Rat>jit<-inDJi being perhaps the pick. After the fall of Mason's wicket there was only 20 minutes' play. Maelaren kep l ; the cracks for to-day, and Wainwiight appeared in the novel position, for him, of goiag in the first wicket dowo.

Another beautiful day for the cricket match, and a fine attendinca. It wss expected I Scedtfarl's team would only ka good for a moderate score, but tbe miserable fielding of the Australians gave almost every batsman a second life. Mac'aren was only 10 when Ti-ott missed him off a straight drive back off his own bowling. The chance, however, was & hot one. Some sensation w&s c&med when Phillips again no-baled Jones's suspicious delivery — the only time he cailsd him. Later Jones bowled at B inneraiar/e e^d. Wainwrighb fell to a ccol, admirably-judged right-handed catch by Jones, who took the ball going fast overhead. After pulling one back en Kelly's pa/, Madaren wag quietly taken by Trumblo in the slips", the third wicket falling with the score at 74. Rs*jttsiohji had two narrow escapes from being run out, Phillips just being able to give him the benefit of the doubt on the first one when he had made 15. Hayward bad two lives, Kelly missing an easy chance of stumping him when he had scored 21, and later on M'Kibbin would have caught him off his own bowling bub for slipping on the piteb, which was like glass. Hnywatd was eventually caught low down by Jonei at mid off. Four for 133. The next mistake proved cosfcly, M'Leod goiag on for Storer, and getting a chance — a fairly hot refcurn—when the batsman was 15, dropped it. Both Ranjitsiuliji and Storer played admirable cricket afterwards, the Prince trusbing chiefly to consummate timing and placing, putting very lifcblo weight into the strokes, bub batting faultlessly. At the 4- p.m. adjournment the Australians bad tried six of the best bowler^, and the score stood at 203, Rjuijitsinhji beiog 70 and Storer 40. Prior to this Gregory re-opened the hand injured in the intercolonial match and retired from the field. The tea adjournment was a costly indulgence for England, for immediately play was continued Trumble clean bowled Ranjitsinhji, a feat which was greeted with ringing cheers. Ranjitsinbji was in for 2 hours and 20 minutes, and scored only four boundaries. He never made a false stroke. Five for 208. Hirst, who followed, is usually considered a giffc to Jonae, and his first ba)l — a terribly fast one — snapped the off stump in two. Six for 208. When Druce was Bhe drove a fast one hard back to Trumble just over the wicket, the bowler touching it in trying for a catch. The next ball Storer touched, and was well caught at the wickets,. The retiring batsman played a useful though not elegant innings, and got his runs in 85 minutes. Seven for 223. ! Only one more run was added when Hearne, who had filled the gap, had his wicket spread all over the pitch by Jones. A plucky stand made by Druce and Briggs, both playiug fiae cricket; and hitting hard, caused frequent changes in the bowling. This pair scored faster than at any period of the innings. J Dtuce was missed by Trott off his own bowling when 37, and Briggs was given a life at the wicket 3 when 30, while M'Kibbin should have run him out earlier. The partnership, which was unbroken when the stumps were drawD, had put on 88 in 63 minutes. The attendance was 20,000, 13,000 paying for admission at the gate (£906). When stumps were drawn for the day the acore was 311 for eight wickets. January 5. The cool weather has departed, and yesterday was uncomfortably hot, but it did not are«

vest a big attendance, 20,000 being present. The receipts for three days amounted to £3500. Last night at the close of play the pitch was no worse than at noon on the previous day. The same fissures were there, but, contrary to anticipation, there was no indication of crumbling-. Its hardness has been its salvation so far. Ifc is manifest, however, that Maclaren, the Eoglish captain, distrusted it, for he would not allow a heavy roller to be used prior to starting. Rar-jitsinhji says that no more than 150 tuna will be made in the fourth innings. This wicket was never played on before, and was chosen against the advice of the curator. It was prepared a year and a-half ago from superfluous turf from other parts. At ths bast it ia certain to be fiery before the close.

The play yesterday was largely of » monotonous character, the only relief being the adding of 88 while Druce and Briggs were in, a little over an hour. While they were together the cricket was exceedingly lively, and besides being lively it was of great vslue and has given the Englishmen just a chance of success. It has shown the earlier baUmeu that they were wroug in being frightened of the wickefc. They gave it too much credit for possibilities, and played without the dash which is their own proper game. Nomt thfcy recognise that the pitch was not so bad ss it looked. One of the plajers asserts that ha will make the other side dig him out iv the second innings. 'Ehe impression is that the visitors ace going to mike -a gr6» t effort.

Tbe nc-bidisßg of Jones fos the second time was an incident of the afternoon, but very few on the gt-cund appeared to be aware of tbe fact. It seemed to be assumed that Jones had only broken an over. When Phillips called him, Jonea turned and looked at the umpire, and the umpire looked at him, but nothing was said. The position waa grasped fey Trott, and Jonea was taken off the next over.

The Australians had the misfortone to loae the servic aof Gregory. In stopping a hard drive from Hayward he a»ain split the wfcbhing between the thumb and the forefinger of the left hand, and was compelled to retire, Dotman fielding in his sfc^ad. The wouad rtqu ; red three stitches. If required in the second iuning.l he will bat, but will only ba *.ble to u.-e hi' right hand. Xr a cable's capture of Ranjifoinfaji'a wicket is a feather in his cap. Of recezit years the number of times that the prince has been bowled cculd be counte 4 ! on the fingers of one hand, and it was becoming a superstit-on amongst bowlers that his wicket wan not to be knocked •'oyvu. Trumble, with a plain b»U that made psca from the pitch, hit the top of (ha middle stump aud dispelled the s>«peretitioa. M'Kib'nn bowled splendidly till toward* the finish, he tired. Hobls also kept a fins ltngth. The fielding was nob so good as had been expected in so important a m»tcb. Kelly was not up to form behind tha wickers, and two or three times aUowed the ball to get pa'-t. All, however, worked hitrd, and Jouf s and Donnan did exceptionally good work.

The match was continued in beautiful weather.

KHly was very ill, suffering from a bad head owing to the tunstroke in the intercolonial match, and was just sble to keep wickets ; bub both he and Gi— goiry &t&nd out of intercolonial cricket until the third test match in Adelaide. '

England began th^ir second inniogs b*dfy, for Mason, after crouching and playing back to TrumbJe, Traa bowied when the scon; was only 10. RanjUsfnhji and Macla^en plaj-ed cautious, bat sound &ud chanceless, crioket, watching Trtunbla particularly. They carried the ecore to 65, wbea Maclaren, in trying a equate cut, was caught by Trc/tb low down at pois>t. Ths outgoing batsman wa3 68 minutes compiling his rung. Ranjitsinhji, after playing a bail from Noble against his wicket without shifting his bails, wss eleaa bowle/i by Noble at 71, having ta-kea 70 minutes in compiling his rune. He had several cloae chawces from Trumble. With tha exception cf Hayward, who, after being in difficulties, hit out hard, and was twice inltsad, none of the other ba.fcsfli'-n made naach show. Noble, bowling finely, swerved aboat a good deal in the flight agaiDfrt the wind, and got on a fair break-back Hirst) bad bad luck, for ha was given oat lbw to a ball which he had played before it struck his pad. HAy^ard was finely taken very low down in tfce slips by Trumble, and tho ianiwgs closed- rayidly to Noble'a deadly bowling for 150, the Australians, amid loud cheering, winning the game by an innings jui<l 55 runs. Noble was loudly cheered at the finish .

The Englishmen think their chance of mskrog a good finish di»apps&rtd when the wickefc cracked so badly during Sunday. The attendance was again la^ge. Scores :—: — Australia. First Innings 520 England. — First Innings. Mason, b M'Kibbin ... ... ... 3 Wairtwright, c Jones, b Noble ... 21 Maclaren, c Trumble, b M'Kibbin ... 35 Ranjitsinhji, b Trumblfl 71 Hayward, c Jones, b Trotfc ... ... 23 Btorer, c Kelly, b 1 rumble 51 ; Hi'sf, b Jones „. .„ 0 ' Hearne, b Jones ... ... 1 Druce, Ibvr, b Trumble ... ... «. H Briggs not out ... ... 4f> Richardson, b Trumble ... •.». ... 3 Extras ... _ ... ... 17 Total 315 Bowling Analysis — M'Kibbin, two wickets fop 66 runs ; Trumble, four for 54 ; Jone3, two for 54 ; Trott one for 49 ; Noble, one for 31 ; M'Leod, none for 44. Second Innings. Maclai en, c Trott, b Trumble 38 Mason, b Trumble 3 RaDJitsmhji, b Noble ... S7 Hayward, c Trumble, b Noble „. 33 Storer, c Trumble, b Noble ... ... 1 Hiisfc, lbw, b Trumble ... „. 3 Drace, c M'Leod, b Noble .... „. 15 Wainwrigat, b Noble ... 11 Hearne, c Jones, b Noble 0 Richardson, c Trott, b Trumble ... 2 Briggs, not out ... „. ... ... 12 Jfixtras ._. ... ~, «,. ,- 5 Total ~ ... 150 Bowling Analysis.— Trumble, four wickets fo» 53 runs ; M'Leod, noDe for 13 ; M'Ribbin, nous for 13 ; Trot*;, none for 17 ; Noble, six for 49. January 6. The second test match concluded just before 5 o'clock last evening. The weafcher during tho day was fine and cool. The attendance numbered 12,000, which is considered good for an off day. The gross takings at the gates reached £3839. The eccentric wicket bagan to give way early in the day, and gradually grew worse. A batting collapse followed as a natural sequence. On tha previous day the wicket was only nipping * bit, but on inspection yesterday morning it wos seen that the end was at band. The cracks became wider and more than ever suggestive of volcanio disturbance underneath. Aa the day wore on the crumbling increased. All that the batsmen could do was just to scratch. " I would have liked to have seen the besfc batsmen in the world scratching on that wicket to-day," said the Euglish captain when replying afterwards to the toast of the team's health ; and this was the sight that the spectators saw whilst he and Rftniitsinbji were in. This pair* together

/with Hayward, were the only ones who cculd do anything at all. As for Hayward, he made his runs by pure, simple banging. At the conclusion of the play ocular demonstration of the stats of the pitch was forthcoming in the shape of a piece of turf from an inch to an inch and a-ha!f thick and the size of a man's two hands which had become loosened from the soil, and it could be lifted up like a pancake. But, bad as the wicket was, the winners owe much to the bowling of Noble and Trumble — more especially to Trumble, who bowled unchanged throughout the day and had (he batsmen in trouble all the time. Noble went on at a later stage, and his figures are even better than Trum^le's ; moreover, he had & catch or two nvssed off him.

At the reunion of the teams after the match Captain Trott, responding on behalf of the Australians, said he thought winning the toes Lad a lot bo do with the result. He hoped that he would be fortunate to win the toss in the remaining three matches. Captain Maclaren eaid he was sure that the Englishmen had the worst of the wicket, and it was some excuse for their defeat. He admitted, however, that he had never 6een a team bowl so well as the victors. In the second innings the bowlers had assistance from the wicket. The Australians played a far better game than in Sydney. He hoped that when they next met they would pay on a wicket that would remain true to the finish. Speaking of the spirit in which the in itch was played, he said ib was the kind of cricket he liked to see. He looked forward to the rest of the series being contested on wickets and with equal luck.

Trott, seen afterwards, said certainly the Englishmen had the worst of the wicket, but his opinion was that it was nob so bad as had been made out. He considered that the bowling of Trumble and Noble was the principal cause of the Englishmen's collapse.

Ranjitsinhji said, taking into account ihe State of the wicket, that the match was lost when the toss was lost. " Our large beating was undoubtedly due to the wicket, though the Australians dlserved their victory. They batted better than we did, and their bowling was batter than ours in the second innings. Our batting scarcely rose above mediocrity all along. In this respect the match affords a strong contrast to that played at Sydney. The Sydney wickeb favoured neither side_, and theg«me was fought out; under equal conditions. Things were totally different bere. One side had the use of an imperfect wicket, and the other of a very bad one." He admitted that Noble completely beat him, the ball beiog an extraordinary one. He allowed for the break, but even then he was beaten. He had intended to play a defensive game. Rtferrh-g to Jones's fl«ldifig, he said he was a perfect wonder. He never saw better work. He spoke in high terms of the keen rivalry and . friendly feeling between the two teams, bub again displayed considerable soreness at the uugen-erous behaviour of the crowd and of a section of the press towards the Englishmen. He made some caustic references to the gloomy utterances of veteran critics who, during the match, had taken tb.p opportunity to deplore the science of crickeb. The Prince completely disagrees with their views.

Sydney, January 6,

The posting of the cackcb returns was wakened by big crowds in the city. The rapid fall of the Eoglitth wickets was greeted with keen satisfaction, and entb.usia.6in reached fever 'heat when the final message came through announcing the handsome manner in which the Australians had succeeded in turning the tables upon the Englishmen by a bigger margin than the English victory .in the first; test JHafceh.

London, January 5.

The Daily News, coinraealing ou Pajllips's action in again no-ballisg Jones in the H< Ibourne match, says it is refreshing to see "one umpire in the world who has the courage of his convictions in upholding the law againsb throwing. Tfae Sportsman heartily congratulates the Australians on their decisive, meritorious, and Buccesafnl &t&nd wh<m a crushing defeat was expected. The Australians, ib sajs, thoroughly deserve their victory. MATCH AT BALLABAT. Melbouene, January 7. In the crickeb match England v. Eighteen of Ballarafc the local team in their first innings scored 283. Chief scores wera Wiighl 60 and "Watiliss §0. Richardson, Sfcoter, and Stoddarb were ths most auccesef ul bowlers. January 8. Btoddart's cricket team, pl*ying againsb Ball&rat, scored 297 for seven wickets. Stoddart made 111, Mason 58, Maclaren 37.

7ebb ... luntborpe I'Gavin JJU Overs. Mdns. Euns. Wkts. .„ 10 2 33 — ... 14 3 40 3 ... 11 1 23 6

I'Farlane ... el 'Kersey ... Ikitch ,„ A'Ci'oria „ Qnvig Harke Balls. ... 105 ... 45 ... 165 ... 45 ... 80 ... 30 Mdns. 10 4 14 3 11 1 , Euns. 34 9 46 9 9 13 Wkts. 2 1 4 1

)awes H*nley Jttley r. Spenca foel ... Ei iOWMNG ANALYSIS. Balß Mdns. Runs. ... 55 1 4G ... 110 4 48 ... 15 ~ 11 ... '30 — 19 ... 55 — 51 Wkfca. 1 2 5

L Downes ... 'arker ... Jaker... „. ohnston „. 3ramond „. r. Downes ... Johns Overs. Mdns. Kuns. ... C 2 2 16 103 ... 21 4 59 ... 21 4 48 ... 7 3 14 ... 6 1 21 ... 8 2 17 3ton bowled two wides. Wkts. 6 1 1 1