THE FIRST TEST MATCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 62

THE FIRST TEST MATCH.

ENGLAND OUT FOR 273. AUSTRALIA ONE WICKET FOR 50. GUNN MAKES A CENTURY SYDNEY, December 13. The first of the series of test matches between the Englishmen and Australians began to-day. The weather was fine, with a fresh breeze, and the wicket was in excellent order. Fane, who acted *s captain of the visiting team, won the- toes from Noble, and elected to bat. Gunn replaced Humphries, Young taking the latter's place behind the wickets. Young and Fane faced Cotter and Hazlitt. The first-named bowler had 8 knocked off him in the first over, but he^Jiad his revenge in the third over, when Trumper snapped Fane up in the slips. One for 11. Cotter was again successful in the following over, Carter making a brilliant catch at the wickets and dismissing Young, who had done the only bit of scoring to date. Two for 18. With the score at 26 Saunders .relieved Hazlitt. Hut-chings scored with freedom, making clean, hard strokes, and 50 appeared on the board after 40 minutes' play. Gunn was playing cautiously. At this stage Armstrong replaced Cotter, and as he kept an excellent length tbe batsmen [did .not appear to be at home with him.

Gunn, who had been at the wickets for some time, begot confidence, and the score crept up steadily. Although the cricket was not of the brilliant order, it was sound. Then Hutchings mishit one back to Armstrong. Three for 91. Macartney relieved Saunders, and Armstrong, who was mixing the pace, was treated with great respect. The century was hoisted as the result of 120 minutes' play, and this broxight Cotter on again at Macartney's end, Noble at the same time relieving Armstrong. The double change, however, had no effect, and then the luncheon adjournment was taken. After lunch Gunn played fine cricket, and brought his half-centmry up after being at the wickete eight minutes over tbe hour. Braund appeared content to leave most of the work to his partner. The scoring was not brisk, this being chiefly due to the excellent fielding of the colonials. At 126 the local skipper gave way to Armstrong, and as the Victorian bowler was difficult to negotiate the batemen devoted themselves chiefly to Cotter. Gunn, in particular, scored freely off the fast bowler, who eventually gave way to Hazlitt. Gunn continued to make some beautiful strokes, mainly on the leg side. Armstrong meanwhile had Braund completely tied up, and the batsman narrowly escaped being stumped in playing -forward to the. Victorian. Gunn continued to play with the utmost freedom and confidence, driving and cutting the leather to the boundary in rapid succession. Braund was scoring painfully slow, and had at this time been at the wickets 66 minutes for 16 runs. At 180 Saunders relieved Hazlitt, and off his first ball Gunn by a boundary hit brought his century up, amidst cheers, for 122 minutes' play. His late cute were brilliantly executed. Noble again came on, taking Armstrong's end, ard then Gunn gave his first chance, his total being 112. Clem Hill bad the chance in the slips, but he failed to get under the ball, and as a result 4 were scored. The second century then appeared on the board, at which stage Armstrong went on again in place of Noble, and Cotter tu-ok Saunders's end. The change, as it usually does, brought about the desired effect, Gunn putting up Cotter in the slips, . where Hazlitt made a clever catch. Four for 208. The retiring batsman's 3core included 20 4's. Hardstaff then partnered Braund, but the latter was almost immediately bowled by Cotter. Five for 221. Rhodes filled the gap, but in attenipting a risky run a smart Teturn to Carter terminated his career, and the sheet read six for 222. After the tea adjournment Crawford joined Hardstafi, but still the runs came slowly. Armstrong and Cotter were well on the spot, and could not be trifled with. In fact, they tied up the batsmen time after time. After a deal of cautious play, Armstrong got in a beauty which completely beat Hardstaff, who retired with a dozen. Seven for 246. Barnes had very short shrift. He scored a single, and then one of Cotter's lightning jerkers broke his kg stump in half, and the tally was eight for 253. Blythe joined Crawford, and the latter hit three boundaries in succession, but before he could renew the attack Armstrong beat him. - Nine for 271. Then Blythe succumbed easily to Cotter, and the innings closed with the score at 273. About 15,000 people were present when Australia began their first innings. Trumper and M'Alist-er opened for the colonials to the bowling of Barnes and . Fielder. With 4on the sheet M'Alister placed Barnes into Hutchings's hands in the slips, and the board showed one for 4. Hill then partnered Trumper, and both scored freely, the latter particularly playing stylish cricket. A separation had not been, brought about when time was called. December 14. The first test matph between England and Australia was resumed in hot, sultry weather. With one wicket down for 50, Trumper and Clem. Hill, the " not outs " of the previous evening, resumed Australia's first innings, Barneß and Fielder taking up the bowling. Both batsmen played cautiously at the opening. Twentytwo runs had been added when Trumper, who had been 'getting in some fine strokes, played forward to Fielder, and lost his wicket. Two for 72. With Trumper away, Hill forced the scoring, Noble contenting himself with defending and getting runs occasionally. One hundred appeared for 88 minutes' batting. The fielding of the Englishmen was faultless, and helped to keep Hill's tally down, for he was bitting vigorously. Blythe and Braund replaced the opening bowlers at the century. The Adelaide man raised his half century in 90 minutes. Crawford relieved Blythe at 119, but the bowling completely collapsed. During the luncheon adjournment clouds banked up, and a thunderstorm threatened, while a light drizzle began. Barnes and Fielder resumed the bowling. The light was very bad. Noble put up the fast bowler in the slips, Braund taking a beautiful catch. Three for 164. Armstrong went in, and just about this time the drizzle stopped and the light began to improve. Hill, who had played a brilliant innings without giving a chance, hit one of Fielder's off balls into the slips, where Gunn snapped him up. Four for 177. Ransford partnered Armstrong, and at 181 Braund was tried again. A separation was coon effected. Armstrong could not leave Fielder's off stuff alone, and he paid the penalty, Braund getting him i ifl the dips.

Macartney, the next Sydneyite, was fioon in double figures, passing Ransford before the second century appeared. The Victorian then opened out, and began to punish the bowling. Barnes relieved Braund, and for the first time in the match Rhodes went on, taking Fielder's end. The change was effective. Ransford chopped down on one from Rhodes, and the ball glided into Braund 'e hands in the slips. Six for 222. Carter was next, and play became very slow. After the tea adjournment Fielder and Blythe bowled. The light was growing bad at this time. Macartney was playing 6olidly. Fielder sent down a couple of wides in succession, and 250 went up. A few minutes later Macartney put Fielder into the wicket-keeper's hands. The retiring batsman* had batted for 71 minutes for bis 35. Seven for 253. Hazlitt succeeded. Fielder, who was bowling splendidly, now had an average of five wickets for 66. Hazlitt, shaped indifferently before the fast bowler, but Carter showed good cricket, and raised Australia's score to the level of England's first innings amid cheers. Superb fielding on the part of the Britishers' kept the Australian score from assuming large dimensions. Braund eventually clean bowled Carter. Eight for 277. Cotter took up the vacancy, and the Englishmen spread themselves on the boundary for him ; bnt the precaution was unnecessary, as after he had scored a couple, Braund clean bowled him. Nine for 281. Sanndem, the last man, unexpectedly helped Hazlitt to lift the total to 300 before he.' gave Braund his chance. The Englishmen began their second innings with only naif an. hour to play. Fane and Rhodes opened. Rhodes was given a life, being missed by Carter off Cotter. Both batsmen played cautiously, and were still at the wickets when stumps were drawn. December 16. Rhodes and Fane, the two fiot-outs of Saturday, resumed batting to the bowling of Cotter and Armstrong. The wicket was in excellent order but dry, and the weather wao oppressive, with a hot wind blowing. Fifty appeared as the result of , 50 minutes' play, and then Macartney displaced Cotter. Drizzling rain came on suddenly, but did vot interfere with the play. Rhodes put Macartney np in the slips, and M' Mister made a smart catch. One for 56, - Qunn fallowed, but Armstrong, who was bowling well, troubled the batsmen a good deal, and he sent down 10 overs for "1 runs. Saunders then relieved Armstrong', and play became most tedious, runs coming by occasional singles. Cotter went on again in place of Macartney at 79, and a little later Fane bit Saunders high to point, where Noble sprang into the air and effected a clever single-handed catch. Two for 82. Hutchings went in, and played out until the luncheon adjournments After lunch runs came more freely, and the century went up after two hours and two minutes' play* fintchings then began to hit freely, and be was overhauling Gunn's score. The latter was playing more defensively,, Armstrong, who had taken Cotter's end, and Saunders were bowling in excellent form, . the former Bending down nine maidens out of 15 overs. Hutchings's career was, however, brief, as he lifted Saunders high to mid-off, where Armstrong made an easy catch. Three for 105. Hardstaff followed, and at 127 Macartney was again tried. The game became so slow that it was manifest that the Englishmen's desire was to be dug out rather than to make runs. Cotter came on again at 134, and both batsmen played him with greater confidence than they did the slow bowlers. The score was increasing at a more reasonable speed, but the display on the whole was rather dreary. Qunn made some showy strokes, while Hardstaff obtained runs somewhat faster than his county companion. Al double change in the bowling was then made, Noble relieving Cotter and Sazlitt going on. at Macartney's end. As showing how tedious the play was it may be painted out that it took an hour and 50 minutes to compile 40 Tuns. With his score at 47 "Gunn was ghren a life afc' M'Alister's hands in the slips off Hariitft. The batsman acknowledged this respite by hitting three fourers off Hazlitt's over. The bowling change was acceptable too to Hardstaff, who was making some brilliant strokes. He pulled Hazlitt twice for 4. At this stage Duff went out in the field in place of Ransford, who was suffering from slight sunstroke. As Hazlitt waa becoming somewhat expensive Saunders replaced him. This brought the game up to the tea adjournment. On resuming Hardstaff increased hit total to half a century as a result of an hour and a-halfs batting. Cotter and Noble were conducting the attack, but Hardsteff scored freely, rapidly making boundary after boundary. Ho nearly lotrtJ his wicket through hesitating in a runv Macartney returned the ball smartly, hut Cotter was unable to get hold of it, and 1 this enabled the batsman to reach his crease. Then a beautiful hall, from Noble scattered Hardstaff's wicket, the batsman playing forward to it. Four for 218. Braund followed, but soon lost Gunn, who was dismissed by a catch by Noble 19 the slips off Cotter. Gunn had $*¥*$ a great innings, showing excellent Jjuningv and only marred by one chance, Jml h/wj batted for two hours 47 minutes, and h6 total included 1J fourers, Young had a brief innings, being beaten I b£ a good toll from Noble after scoring

<*. Six for 227. Noble had now secured two wickets for 10. Crawford was uncomfortable from the •tart, and, after adding 4, he was snapped tip in the slips by Hazlitt off Cotter. Seven for 241. Barnes then went in, and Armstrong and Saunders went on again. The batsmen were disinclined: to trifle with the Victorians, and play became colourless. Eventually Saunders clean bowled Barnes. • Eight for 262. The light became bad as Blythe joined BraTUKf, and, with only 15 minutes to play, rain came on again, and as a southerly gale accompanied by rain was reported southwards of Sydney at 4.30 the outlook for to-morrow is not promising. Blythe got runs easily off Cotter, while his partner (Braund) was- batting very solidly. Just as time was reached Blythe was caught at point by Noble off Saunders, the score then standing at nine irickets for 295. It is estimated that' 12,000 people were present. Very little rain has fallen, and unless more falls through the night' the wijv^et will not be affected to-morrow. ~* The following are the scores:—*

Bowung Analysis. Cotter, six wickets for 101 runs. Sattndcrs, nil for 42. Armstrong, three for 68Macftrtoey, ml for 5. Noble, nil for 14, Haxlitt, nil for 33. Second Innings. " •

- - Awtbaua.— First Innings.

Bowling Ahaltsis. Rhodes, on» wicket for 13 runs. Crawford, nil fox 14. Biwmd, two for 14. Blythe, nil for 39. Bwnes, one fox 74* Fielder, six for 88.

M'AlUter, o Hnichinga, b Barnes Trumpet, b Fielder Hill, o Grout, b Fielder . .. Nobl«, 6 Bwrand, b Fielder .. .. Armstrong, c Biaoind, b Fielder Ronsford, o Braund, b Rhodes .. Macartney, c Young, b Fielder Oaxter, b Braund Hwlitt, not out .. .^ •• .. Cottar, b Braund Saunders, c Braund, b Fielder . Bxtraa i 41 or 8' a 3! 21 11 i n Total .. .. .o .. ... i

x »ue, c .nuoitx v oikuuwib • . . . air . Rhode*, o M'Alister, b Macartney 29 Gram, o Noble, b Cotter .. .. 74 Hutohinge, o Armstrong; b &MUfcdez» * .. 11 HudiikS, b Noble •.. 63 Baurad, not out . . . . . i . . 31 Young, b Noble 3 Cimwford, a. Haalitt, b CJotter .. 6 Bara«e, b Stenndets .. .. ->. 11 Blythe, o Noble, b S»unders .. 15 - Extras 12 ToH.I for -nine -wickets -. 29S

e/rroLAiTD. — jßirsx inniTigg. Face, c Trmnper, b ' Cotter . . t! Young,, c Carter, b Cotter .. ..13 Chxtnr, c Hazlitt b Cotter .. .119 Hatchings, c And b Axmatrgng •- 42 Brannd, B- Cotter 30 H«rd»taff, b Armstrong „ .. .-, 12 Bltodes, run out .. '.t. ** .. X Cc*w{ord, b Armstrong «<r ». „ VI Barnes, b Cotter .r •« » 2 Blythe. b Cotter .. %» 5 Fielder, not out .. „ v t» 1 Extras .„ .. .. ». *. .. 16 Tot*t . ¥ ... «. .. -.