THE FIRST TEST MATCH. A DRAWN GAME. LONDON, May 29.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 52

THE FIRST TEST MATCH. A DRAWN GAME. LONDON, May 29.

The first test match, England v. Australia, commenced on the Birmingham ground to-day in fine, but cloudy, weather. Six thousand spectators were present when play began. Trumble, Carter, and Saunders stood out of the visitors' team, the last-named being confined to Ins bed with a, sore throat. Mason, Hayward, and -Uewellyn were omitted from the English team, Lockwood being included. The teams were constituted as follows : — England. Australia. Tyldesley, Lancashire Darling. S.^ Aus. Maclareu, Lancashire Duff, N.S.W. Jackson, Yorkshire Trumper, N.S.W. Hu-3t, Yorkshire Hopkins, N.S.W. Rhodes, Yorkshire Hill, S. Australia Fry, Sussex Gregory, N.S.W. Ranjitsinhji, Sussex Noble, N.S.W. Jessop, Gloucester Armstrong, Vie. Lilley, Warwickshire Kelly, N.S.W. Braund, Somerset Jones, S. Australia Lockwood, Surrey Howell, N.S.W. Maclaren won the toss, and sent the Australians into the field. Maclaren and Fiy opened the English innings, the attack being entrusted to Jones and Noble. The start was sensational. Maclaren opened quietly, and made 5, when Fry faced Jones, and Kelly, standing back from the wicket, caught the Su-scx crack before he hacl scored. One for o. Ranji joined hi-j captain, and shortly after, when making a foolish attemptto steal a single, Maclareu was run out. The ball was at third man, who returned it before the batsmen hacl crossed. Two for 13. Jackson came n^xt. When the total reached 25 Trumpor replaced Jones, and Armstrong went on in place of Noble at 34. One run later Ranjitsinhji was clean bowled with the second ball of Armstrong's first over. Three for 35. Tyldesley filled the vacancy, and opened his account by hitting Armstrong for tw.o fourers. Jones relieved Armstrong at 43, and Howell displaced Trumper at 50, which appeared as the result of 70 minutes' play. The fielding of the Australians was superb. Jackson knocked' three fourers off Jones, and Tyldesley drove Howell for 5, a result wnich caused Noble to replace* Jones at 69. Despite the changes, the &core mounted steadily, the batsmen showing brilliant form. At the luncheon adjournment the board showed three for 99 — Jackson 27, and Tyldesley 2i). On resuming the score was. cajrried to 112, and then Jackson played Jones on to his wicket. He had played a very fine inning 1 -, lasting an hour and a-half. Four for 112. Tvldesley's contribution was Lilley partnered Tyldesley, but made a short stay, for, after scoring a coiiple, he put up a skier off Noble, Jon^s taking the catch at mid-off. Five for 120. Tyldesley had just previously been missed by Jones at mid-off from Noble when his score was 43, and he was again missed while still -13 by Darling at midoff off Armstrong, and he gave a hot chance next ball to Ann strong off his own bowling. Hirst now became associated with him, and a good stand was made. Tyldesley and Hirst continued to pile on the runs. At 194, Tyldebley being 74 and Hirst 42, a double change of bowling was again tried, Jones and Hopkins "going on. A good catch in the slips by Armstrong disposed of Hirfet. Six for 211, the partnership with Tyldesley being responsible for 91 runs in 80 minutes. Jossop filled- the -vacancy, but lu\s career was short-lived, Hopkins effecting an easy catch at deep cover-point. Seven for 230. Braund was clean bowled by Jones after getting double figures. Tyldeiley had just previously completed his century as the result of three and a-half hours' work, his cutting being beautiful. Eight for 264. Lockwood joined the Lancashire professional. The latter's time was now come, he being got leg before to Howell. He had been four hours and twenty minutes at the wickets, and his was a splendid batting performance. Nine for 295. Lockwood and Rhodes batted vigorously for the last wicket, the two adding 5b in 38 minutes. Stumps were then drawn, the board showing 351 for nine wicketa. [The detailed scores make the total 372.] May 30. Resumption of play in the test match between England and Australia was delayed by rain, which fell during the night and the early part of the forenoon. Owing to the sodden condition of the wicket it was 2.55 p.m. before the players took the field- The not-outs, Lockwood and Rhodes, escaping the usual fate of so many overnight partnerships, refused to be separated, and had no difficulty in negotiating the bowling of Noble and Howell. Runs came pretty freely, till the total reached 376 for nine wickets, when Maclareu declared England's inning*; cloifei. *

The usual pair — Duff and Trumper— opened for Australia, Rhodes and Hirst, bowling. Disaster came early, Duff being easily caught by Jessop, standing forward at point, ivhen he had made a couple. One for 9. Hill succeeded. The new-comer took strike, made a single, and then hit Hirst to the slip?, where Braund took a right-hand lightning catch. Two for 10. Gregory joined Trumper, but failed to score. Three for 14. Darling came next, but only made 3 when he was easily cauglrt at cover-point by Jessop. Four for 17. For a similar score Noble was finely stumped by Lilley off a breaking ball. Five for 25. Trumper was playing carefully. The bowling was very fine, the ground being soft. Armstrong wa9 caught by Lilley at the wickets off the first ball he received. Six for 25. Them Trumper fell a victim to Hirst. Seven for 31. Hopkins was taken smartly at the wickets, Kelly being badly missed by Jackson at cover-point off Rhodes. Eight for 35. Jones skied his first ball to Jackson at cover-point. Nine for 35. Howell was dismissed by a fine catch by Fry at long-on in the same over, the first innings having only produced 36 runs. Play was stopped at 6.10 p.m. owing to the bad light and rain. The attendance was good, but smaller than yesterday. May 31. The test match resulted in a- draw. Heavy rain continued falling throughout last night, and this morning the ground was thoroughly soaked. The weather cleared in the afternoon, and play was resumed at a quarter past 5 o'clock, the weather then being delightful. The wicket was still bad. Trumper added 9 to hi-, overnight score, and ended his career by giving Bi'aund! an easy catch in the slips off Rhodes. One wicket for 1G runs. Hill partnered! Duff, and, both batting very steadily, carried the total to 41; when Fry. af> square-leg, brought off a fine catch ah Duff's expense. Two for 41. Gregory assisted Hill to play out time. When stumps were drawn at 6.25 the score stood at two wickets for 46 runs. In consequence of the delay in starting, the crowd, numbering 14,000, clamoured for admission to the ground. Hundreds broke in. Many were trodden down, dozens being badly injured. The following are the scores :— i England.— Fir3t Innings. Maclaren, run. out 9 Pry, c Kelly, h Jones 0 Ranjitsinhji, b Armstrong .. 13 Jackson, b Jones „ 53 Lilley, c Jones, b Noble .. „ 2 Tyldesley, lbw, b Howell .. .. 138 Hirst, c Armstrong, b Trmnper .. 48 Jessop, c Hopkins, b Trumper .. 6 Braund, b Jones 14 Lock-wood, not out 52 Rhodes, not out .. .. „ „ 38 Extras .„ .. .. 3 Nine wickets for . . . . 376 Bowling Analysis. — Jones, three wickets for 77 runs ; Noble; one for 111 ; Trumper, two for 35; Armstrong, one for 64; Hopkins, none for 28; Howell, one- for 58. Australia.— First Innings. Duff, c Jessop, b Rhodes .. .. 2 Trumper, b Hirst .. ... .., .. 18 Hill, c Brauna, b Hirst .... 1 Gregory, lbw, b Hrrst .. ..... 0 Darling, c Jessop, b Rhodes .. 3 Noble, at Lilley, b Rliodes .. 3. Armstrong, c Lilley, b Rhodes „ 0 _ Hopkins, c Lilley, b Rhodes .. 5 Kelly, not out .. 1 Jones, c Jackson, b Rhodes .. 0 Howell, c Fiy, b Rhodes .. 0 Extras 3 Total 36 Bowling Analysis. — H.ust, three -wickets for 15 runs; Rhodes, seven wicketa dor 17 runs; liraund, none for 1. Second Inning?. Trumper, c Braund, b Rhodei « 14 Duff, c FTy, b Braund «. «,, — Hill, not out .. v. ,„ „, „ 10 Gregory, not out .. ■• .. •• 1 Two wickets for .. .. .. 45 Bowling Analysis.— Hirst, no wickets for 10 tuns; Rhodes, one for 9 runs; Braund, one for 14 rung ; Jackson, none for 7 iuiis. RECORD OF LOWEST INNINGS. The following ;s a- list of the lowest innings previously scored by a side in test matches : — 42 — Australia, at Sydney, February, 1888. 44— Australia, at the Oval, August, 1896. 45 — England, at Sydney, January, 1887. 53— England, at Lord's, July, 1888. 53 — Australia, at Lord's, June, 1896. 60— Australia, at Lord's, July, 1888. 61 — England, at Melbourne, January, 1902. 62— England, at Lord's, July, 1888. 63 — Australia, at the Oval, August, 1882. 65 — England, at Sydney, February, 1895. 68— Australia, at the Oval, August, 1886. RESULTS OF THE TOUR. Played. "Won* Lost. Drawn. 8 4 0 4= May 5. — Again London County, drawn. May 8. — Beat Notts by an innings and 4 run'). May 12.— Beat Surrey by an. innings and 78 runs. May 15. — Against Essex County, drawn. May 19.— Beat - Leicestershire by seven -wickets. May 22. — Bea-t Oxford University, by an innings and 54 runs. May 26. — Against M.C.C. and Ground, drawn. May 29. — At Birmingham: First test match, drawn. . AUSTRALIAN TEAM'S PROGRAMME. June 2. — Yorkshire, at York. June 5. — Lancashire, at Manchester. Jun* 9.— Cambridge University, at Cambridge. • i June 12.— Second Test, at Lord's. June 19. — Derbyshire, at Derby. Juno 23. — Yorkshire, at BradforcL July 3.— Third Test, at Sheffield. July 7. — Warwickshire, at BirmingbanT. ; July 10. — Worcestershire, at Worcester. July 14. — Gloucestershire, at Bristol. July 17. — Somerset, at Taunton. July 21.— Surrey, at OvaL July 24. — Fourth Teat, at. Manchester. July 28.— Essex, at Leyton (provisional).

August 7. — Hampshire, at Southampton. - August IK— Fifth Test, at Oval. " August 14. — M.C.C. and Ground, at Lord's. August 18. — Gloucestershire, at Cheltenham. August 21. — Kent, at Canterbury. August 25.— Middlesex, at Lord's. August 28. — Lancashire, at Liverpool. September 4. — C. I. Thornton's Eleven, at Scarborough. September B.— South of England, at Hastings.