THE ENGLISH TEAM'S TOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3014, 20 December 1911, Page 61

THE ENGLISH TEAM'S TOUR.

FIRST TEST MATCH. | FINE STAND BY AUSTRALIA. j TRUMPER SCORES 113. SYDNEY, December 15. ' The serious business of the English team’s tour was commenced to-day with the first test match. The weather conditions were perfect, and there was a big attendance, 17,000 people being present. The Australians wore black bands on their arms in memory of Duff, who died, this week. The following are, the teams: England. Australia. 1 Douglas (Essex, capt.) Hill (S.A., capt.) i ■Foster (Warwick) Whitty (S.A.) Hobbs (Surrey) Trumper (N.S.W.) | Mead (Essex) . Bardsley (N.S W.) | Hearne (Middlesex) Kelleway (N.S.W.) Woolley (Kent) . Hordern (N.S.W.) Barnes (Notts) Cotter (N.S.W.) j Strudwick (Surrey) Carter (N.S.W.) ' | G. Gunn (Notts) Minnett (N S.W.) Kinnear (Warwick) Armstrong (Vic.) i Rhodes (York) Ransford (Vic.) Macartney gave place to Minnett. Hill Avon the toss, and decided to take advantage of the good wicket. Kelleway and Bardsley opened' to Foster and Douglas. Both were cautious, the runs coming in singles. At'2o Barnes relieved Douglas, and the fiiyst 4 were got from him, Bardsley late cutting beautifully. Bardsley next snicked a fine leg boundary. After tAvo overs Douglas again took the ball,- Barnes taking the other end. When the total Avas 44 Bardsley, in attempting to cut one from Douglas, tipped the ball to StrudAvick, who effected a brilliant catch. Hill opened with a Aveak stroke, the ball rising dangerously at mid-off. It passed the field, however, and went to the ' boundary. Fifty appeared after 56 minutes’ play. The captain quickly found form, and started punishing the bowlers, i glancing and hitting to leg in his best ; style. He soon passed Kelleway. Hearne ; and Woolley took up the bowling when I the ©core Avas at 76, and the latter in his ■ first over caught and boAvled Kelleway, a hard drive returning straight. After lunch Armstrong joined Hill, and ! cut Woolley for 4 off the first ball. He ; next made a straight drive for 2. Play brightened up considerably, and the century was hoisted after an hour and 32 minutes’ play. Hearne bowled erratically, and the batsmen punished him. Hill played all the boAvlers alike, scoring off practically everything to leg and placing the ball beautifully. He and Armstrong put on 45, and then Hill played a hard one from Foster to square leg and ran. : Rhodes brilliantly returned the ball, and : Hill was unable to get back, being run ; out. He batted for 54 minutes, and hit ; six 4’s. The score was three for 121 Avhen | Trumper joined ’Arriistrong. Trumper ■ hit Douglas’s first, ball for 4, all run out. Douglas Avas bowling with a wonderful length, and, Avith Barnes at the other j end, kept the runs down. Trumper Avas at the Avickets for 25 minutes before add- i ing to his score, and Armstrong was : almost as quiet. When he had scored 18 j Armstrong gave a hot chance, returning a hard ball to Douglas, who AA'ae unable to ! hold it. The boAvling was changed fre- ; quently. Play Avas again dull, the com- ; pilation of 150 taking 2 hours 33 minutes. \ One reason for the slow scoring was the

excellent placing of the field. Trumper was not using his customary unorthodox strokes. Armstrong brought his score up to 50 by driving Hearne for 4. This task occupied him for an hour and 35 minutes, and his total included seven 4's. His chief scoring strokes were powerful cuts and drives. The last ball before the tea adjournment was responsible for the dismissal of Armstrong. He played forward to a googlie from Hearne, and missed it. He dragged his foot over, and was smartly stumped by Strudwick. The partnership added 77 runs. After the tea adjournment Trumper played more like a champion batsman. Hearne, who was particularly punished, was bowling a lot of loose balls. Douglas and Foster again took charge of the attack, and both kept a good length. Ransford was uncomfortable, and played several weak strokes, although he gave no, actual chances. He was often beaten by' the bowlers. When he had scored 56 Trumper scooped one from Douglas high to the on, but Kinnear was just unable to reach it. It was a narrow escape for Trumper, whose first bad stroke it was. A couple of balls later Trumper passed Armstrong's total, pulling the ball from the off stump to the square-leg boundary—a typical Trumper stroke. The score was carried to 250 after 3 hours 46 minutes' play. Eleven runs later Rhodes bowled his first ball in the match, replacing Douglas. Ransford occupied an hour in scoring 17, an occasional single in the slips being his best stroke. At 26 he cut Barnes .high to Hearne at point, and the fieldsman held the ball. The partnership yielded 80 runs. Minnett scored 4 off .his first ball, hitting it to cover, and he then drove one from Barnes to the boundary. Trumper continued to play faultless cricket, his late cuts and leg glances proving particularly remunerative. Three hundred runs went on as the result oi 4 hours 30 minutes' play. Minnett showed great freedom for a novice, and played out time. December 16. With five wickets down for 317 Trumper (95, not out) and Minnett (22, not out) resumed batting for Australia. The weather waa fine, but a hot, strong, gusty wind blew clouds of dust across th*e ground. The attack was entrusted to Barnes and Foster. Minnett played brilliantly, and was loudly cheered, hitting three fours in one over from Foster, all placed differently. Trumper was extremely cautious, owing to his close proximity to the century, which he brought up by beautifully snicking Foster in' the slips to the boundary. He occupied 190 minutes in getting the century, and played sound, careful cricket. Minnett's 50 appeared in 49 minutes, almost simultaneously with Trumper's 100. The totil of 350 had taken 302 minutes to compile. Foster was expensive, 28 coming from four overs, mostly by Minnett. WoO'dey then took the ball, and in nis first ever Minnett lifted him to midoff. Douglas reached the ball, but was unable to hold it. At 373 Douglas bowled in place of Barnes. When he had scored 113 Trumper mishit Woolley to Hobbs at coverpoint, who made a good catch. Trumper batted 226 minutes, included in his score being 12 fours, and did not give a chance. The partnership aidded 109 run«. Minnett brought the total to 400 with a dangerous snick in the slips. Foster had just moved from the spot, and the ball travelled to the boundary. The innings had then been in' progress 347 minutes. Hordern came in next. Minnett was unfortunate in getting out just before the luncheon adjournment, Foster brilliantly taking him in the slips off Barnes. Minnett scored 90 in brilliant style, being at the wickets 111 minutes. Included in his score were 14 fours. Cotter should have been run out, but instead Douglas overthrew the wicket, four runs being scored. A few -balls later Cotter was bowled by Barnes. Carter followed, and was missed after he had scored two, and again by Hobbs at point off Barnes after he had scored 13. He was then clean bowled by Foster, whose first wicket it was, at a cost of 105 runs. Fosters next ball bowled Whitty, and the innings closed for 447. It lasted 385 minutes. The English fielding was fair to good. The Englishmen opened their innings with Hobbs and Kinnear, who faced Cotter and Whitty. Hobbs scored seven and Kinnear one in their first over. Hobbs should have been out when he was six. He cut a fast one to Macartney, fielding at point for Trumper, but the ex-Dunedin coach fumbled' the catch. Trumper was suffering from an injured knee, being struck by a fast ball from Barnes shortly before he was out. Hordern replaced Cotter at 35. He had Hobbs badly mixed. Kelleway bowled from the other end. , Both men batted steadily. Kinnear scored' 22, chiefly by clean carpet drives, and then Kelleway bowled down his middle stump with a perfect length off-break ball. Gunn joined Hobbs. Gunn had his hand still bound up. Cotter's fast deliveries appeared to further hurt the injured member, and the Notts man was clean bowled with only four to his credit. Rhodes came next, and opened his account by cutting Cotter for four. Hobbs played soundly, having in view Australia's big total, and took no risks. A splendid stroke was a fine snick. Rhodes was more free, cutting and driving cleanly. The bowling changes were frequent, and Hobbs gave a chance when his score was 39. He lifted Hordern to midon, but Cotter failed to hold the ball, which was shoulder high. A four by Rhodes followed, and brought up 100

for 119 minutes' play. Rhodes scored quickly, and was within one of Hobbs'a total—42—when he mishit a googly from Hordern to Hill at point. Rhodes batted for 59 minutes, and played, splendid cricket. The partnership added 62 runs. With half an hour to go Mead joined Hobbs, who reached 50 by the aid of an overthrow to the boundary by Kelleway while running a short one. The newcomer was unable to play Hordern, and hit one weakly back. Hordern caught the ball as it touched the ground, but two balls later Mead made a similar stroke, and this time was cleanly taken. Hearne and Hobbs played out time. The attendance was estimated at 35,000, , and the gate takings amounted td £2054. December 18. The first test match was continued today in fine-hot weather, which was tempered by a cool breeze. The wicket was in excellent condition. There were 13,000 people present. • Hobbs and Hearne resumed England's first innings. Whitty captured the former's wicket in the first over, before there was . any addition to Saturday's score. The ball, was pitched well up to leg, and in attempting a glance Hobbs lifted it to silly midon, where Hill made a clever one-handed (catch. Hobbs was at the wickete for 2 hours 47 minutes, and 'gave only two chances. He hit five fours and one five. Foster followed. Cot/ter, who waa bowling at. the other end, nearly captured another wicket before the total was further increased, Hearne snicked the ball waist high between Kelleway and Bardsley in the slips, and instead of a wicket four runs resulted. Foster brought the total to 150 by forcibly driving Whitty for two. The innings had then been in progress for three hours. Trumper's injury had sufficiently improved to allow' him to take his place in the field, but. Macartney still fielded in place of Minnett, who had injured his foot at the practice nets. Foster quickly passed Hearne at 19. Twos and fours were coming from almost every stroke. This pair emulated some of the Australians, notably Hill and Bardsley, making every possible run,, The practice met with the hearty appro-, val of the crowd, who repeatedly cheered.-, At 180 Hordern relieved Cotter, Kelleway, going on at the other end. Tho Australians had fondly imagined that Trumper was the only player who. dared to pull balls from the off stump to the leg boundary, but Foster disabused them of that idea by repeatedly pulling across, the ball once landing on the track. Both batsmen used their feet freely to Hordern. The total was taken to 200 in 3 hours 31 minutes, and Foster's 50 appeared in 5G minutes. Six runs later Foster attempted to play Hordern, but he hit the ball on to his wicket. His score included nine fours. Woolley quickly got his eye in, and faced the bowling confidently, whiifll Hearne was watching it carefully.. Afte» luncheon Whitty and Cotter renewed th« attack. Hearne's 50 appeared after one hour 47 minutes' play. At 293 Hordern took the ball from Cotter, and in his firs* over he clipped Woolley's bails. Th« spectators were sorry to see the dismissal of this batsman, as with the exception oi Foster he was the most attractive in the team. He hit five fours. Douglas played the first ball up to Trumper at silly point, and an easy catch was effected. When Barnes joined Hearne the play slowed down, several maidens following. Then Barnes drove Whitty for four, making the total 301, which were compiled in the same number of minutes. Hearne was loudly cheered on passing Hobbs'a score by lifting Hprde-rn to the track. Kelleway then relieved Whitty, and with his first ball he bowled Barnes. With Strudwick in Hearne hit out, but at 76 he skied one from Kelleway, ; Trumper taking a catch at long off. The innings closed with a deficiency of 129. The Australians' fielding generally was smart and clean. The wickete fell as follows :—One for 45, two for 53, three for 115, four for 129, five for 142, six for 231, seven for 293, eight for 293, nine for 310, ten for 318. I Trouble started ..early for the Australians in their second innings, Foster bowling Bardsley when the total was 29. The innings had then been in progress for 35 ' minutes. Hill joined Kelleway, who- was ; 17, and both played steadily. Fifty appeared in 54 minutes. The bowling was ! frequently changed, Douglas, Barnes, I Woolley, and Foster taking a few overs | each The bowlers were well supported by the field. After the score had passed 50 the play became uninteresting. The bowlers were keeping a good length, i especially Douglas, whose eight overs yielded only 10 runs. Hearne went on at 76, and the play brightened up a little, . but it was still far from brilliant, Hill and Kelleway seeming determined to play | out time. The work of compiling 100 took 106 minutes. There was a slight diversion when Hill hit the ball about a yard along the pitch and sneaked a ! run. The wicketkeeper and bowler both I ran for the ball, and collided, and mean- | while the men got home. With a quarter I of an hour to go Rhodes started to bowl, I but the rate of scoring did not improve, in spite of the barracking by a section of I the crowd. The following are the scores: AUSTRALIA.—First Innings. | Kelleway, c and b Woolley ... 20 Bardsley, c Strudwick, b Douglas ... 30 i Hill, run out 4$ J Armstrong, st Strudwick, b Hearne ... 60

Trumper, c Hobbs, b Woolley ... 113 Rartsford, c Hearne, b Baines 26 Minnett, c Foster, b Barnes 90 Hordern, not out 17 Cotter, b Barnes 8 Career, b Foster , 13 Whitty, b Foster ° Extras 24 Total 447 Bowling analysis.—Foster, two for 105; Douglas, one for 62; Barnes, three for 107 J Hearne, one for 44; Woolley, two for 77; Rhodes, none for 26. _ The scores as the Australian wickets fell were as follows :—44, 77, 121, 198, 278, 387, 420, 426, 447. Second Innings. Bardsley, b Foster 12 Kelleway, not out 47 Hill, not out' 49 Extras . ... 11 Total for one wicket 119 ENGLAND. —First innings. Kinnear, b Kelleway 22 Gunn, b Cotter 4 Rhodes, c Hill, b H«rdern 41 Mead, c and b Hordern 0 Hobbs, c Hill, b Whitty 63 Hearne, c Trumper, b Kelleway ... 76 Foster, b Hordern 56 Woolley, b Hordern 1 ... 39 pouglas, c Trumper, b Hordern ... 0 Barnes, b Kelleway 9 Strudwick, not out 0 Extras ... 8 Total 318 Bowling analysis. —Hordern, five wickets for 85 runs; Kelleway, three for 46; Whitty, one for 60; Cotter, one for 88; Minnett, none for three; Armstrong, none for 28. NOTES ON THE PLAY. SYDNEY, December 16. The Herald describes the cricket as prosaic. Even the effervescent Trumper waa subdued in his sparkle, and was at the level of test match seriousness. The Telegraph says Trumper made Douglas look to his laurels. His slow batting was the new Trumper with a vengeance. The bowlers were good, but if Trumper purposes to be dug out there is sore trouble ahead for them. December 18. Trumper's score of 113 on Saturday makes his sixth century in test matches. He also completed 2000 runs in test games. The Herald, commenting on Minnett's brilliant debut, says he imparted splendid power into nearly all. his strokes, bombarding the fielders on the off side repeatedly. His strokes ranged from third man to straight drives, with an occasional on drive. He is capable of Btill better things. WARNER'S ILLNESS. SYDNEY, December 18. Warner's illness is more serious than was hitherto thought to be the case. He will not play again during the tour. He returns to England shortly, and possibly may never again be able to play cricket. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS CENSURED. LONDON, December 17. Fry, interviewed by Sporting Life, said that Foster and Douglas were good county captains, but a captain who is a bowler cannot use himself properly. It is a that Jessop is absent. Jessop declined to go because only £7O was allowed for expenses, as the previous Australian trip cost him £l5O out of pocket. Fry said he personally considered that the financial arrangement affairs with Australia were unsatisfactory. A man who is earning his living cannot afford to go.