SECOND TEST MATCH

Southland Times, Issue 19249, 13 June 1921, Page 5

SECOND TEST MATCH

ENGLAND OUT FOR 187 AUSTRALIA THREE FOR 191 AN IMPENETRABLE DEFENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.— (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 11. (Received June 12, 5.5 p.m.) The weather for the second test match was unsettled and overcast, with alternating sunshine. The crowd was enormous. Douglas won the toss. Ryder was twelfth man, Oldfield, Mayne and Collins not playing, and Haig, Tennyson and Dipper taking the place of Mead, Hearne and Fry’. The Australians on taking the field had a great, reception. Gregory opened from the nursery end. In view of his Bristol display Dipper accompanied Knight to the wickets. Both started confidently, hitting briskly to both sides. Knight was cheered on gracefully hitting Gregory to leg for three, followed by splendid off strokes off both bowlere. The crowd applauded Dipper, who though not very graceful, executed telling shots, including the first boundary on the offside off McDonald. Armstrong soon relieved Gregory, who was not so fast as usual. A feature of the captain’s final over was the magnificent fielding by Andrews at cover. Twenty runs were made in a quarter of an hour, with Dipper scoring twice as fast as Knight. The ball dismissing him nipped quickly from the off low down. Knight, as usual, was not confident facing Armstrong. He fell with a wretched stroke into the first slip’s hands. Play had then been proceeding for half an hour.

Armstrong, who was bowling a fine length, had five men forming a semi-crcle on the leg ride. At this stage play was held up owing to the arrival of the King. The crowd was disappointed because Hendren had a short life. He walked across to an off ball which whipped behind him and shattered his wickets. This was a sensational opening in view of the circumstancee. Woolley played very cautiously against Armstrong, watching the ball all the way. Armstrong had no slip fielder. Gregory was stationed at tine leg. Woolley broke a long period of scoreless play by getting a single through the Australians’ steel leg ride wall, which was cheered as though it was a boundary. The new partnership realised four in a quarter of an hour. Gregory replaced McDonald at the pavilion end at 29. Later Armstrong bowled three succesive maidens. Woolley hit a beautiful slip to boundary at Gregory’s expense, making the total 34 for an hour’s play. The Australian fielding reached a high standard. The dullness of the play was partially relieved by the respect Douglas was showing for Armstrong. He was merely blocking. Woolley was more aggressive facing Gregoiy, whom he drove to the boundary. Amusement was caused when Armstrong placed Andrews at silly point for Douglas, and it was renewed when Douglas returned the next ball along the pitch to the bowler. Douglas was obviously knotted. Woolley, w’ho was getting most of Gregory’s bowling, presented a marked contrast, making some graceful shots behind and in front of the wicket.

After three-quarters of an hour Douglas hit Gregory nicely to square leg boundary, his second scoring stroke. Fifty appeared in eighty minutes. Douglas was cutting a sorry figure, patting the ball mostly. He scored eight in an hour. When Woolley was 22 a ball from Gregory whistled over his bails. Gregory was faster than at the opening of play, rising a foot above the stumps, Woolley having many narrow McDonald relieved Gregory at 61, scored in a hundred minutes. The batting continued lifeless, the crowd finding relaxation and amusement in the Douglas-Armstrong duel.

Just before lunch Douglas decided to break the monotony and drove McDonald straight to the pavilion. Woolley followed, and clipped a beautiful four through the slips. Then Mailey relived Armstrong at the nursery end. Duglas signalised his approval by three off drives of successive balls, realising five. This variation from back wall cricket was enjoyed. Douglas brought up the century in 140 minutes, cutting Mailey for two. He and Woolley were more confident, although Mailey was frequently turning the ball several inches from the off. Both were driving vigorously. Douglas was diemissed by a beautiful ball. He attempted to drive, playing across. It was a careful innings and ended a partnership which at this stage of the game was very useful. Woolley brought up fifty by a gtorioui square cut to the ropes off Mailey, made in 150 minutes. Evans survived an appeal for caught behind the wickets, but he knew nothing about the next ball, which shattered his stumps. McDonald was preserving a length and keeping low. After Woolley hit a somewhat fluky boundary to deep leg off Mailey, he magnificently square cut McDonald to the ropes, the best stroke of the day. He was playing excellent cricket, his driving being particularly attractive. Gregory replaced McDonald’at 139.

Tennyson was never happy. He walked out to Mailey and was easily stumped. Three wickets had fallen in an hour.

After lunch Woolley was making use of his reach against Mailey, meeting the ball a yard in front of the crease. Two beautiful cuts through the covers raised the crowd to the highest enthusiasm. Pellew, who was fielding grandly, failed to hold a ball which Haig drove to off just above his head when Haig was two. Mailey was the bowler. Haig went out in the following over to the ball that dismissed Parkin. It went between his legs from the off. Strudwick’s life was short but happy. He twice pulled Mailey to leg to the ropce, and then hit a soft catch to short leg all in one over.

After Dureton’s appearance Woolley got a four over the heads of the slips off Gregory. At the next ball he gave a chance to Hendry at first slip. He was then 89, but he had not shaped confidently during the last few overs of Gregory’s, but, being, anxious to reach the century, he opened his shoulders with the last man in and lost his wicket through stepping out to one from Mailey. He received a great ovation for his beautiful innings. Woolley batted for 190 minutes and England’s innings lasted 210 minutes. Durston opened the bowling against Australia from the nursery end. Bardsley and Andrews both commenced batting brightly, Bardsley with graceful cut and leg shot®, while Andrews started by driving Douglas. Then, after delightful square cuts off Dureton, who was bowling off the wicket, he attempted to hit a ball which should have been ignored, and was easily caught with the innings only ten minutes old. Bardsley and Macartney immediately settled down to brilliant cricket, treating both bowlers with scant courtesy. Bardsley hit poetic boundaries through the slips, cutting and driving beautifully. Macartney hit Douglas twice to square leg boundary in one over. These and perfect cuts were loudly applauded. Fifty appeared in 25 minutes. Parkin relieved Douglas at 56. Macartney turned him to the ropes behind the wicket, and then drove him straight for four. There was no improvement in the bowling, the batsmen having no difficulty in playing the ball. Macartney’s characteristic innings closed in a manner similar to Andrews’s after he batted for 25.

Play was not so bright after Macartney’s departure, Durston and Parkin beginning to find a length. Still, Pellew made some nice shots on both aides, emulating Bardsley in punishing anything loose. Haig replaced Durston at 99. Pellew sent up the century in 56 minutes with a hit to deep leg boundary. Bardsley was now forty, and Pellew, getting into Ids stride, cut Haig to the ropes in the same over with a beautiful hit. Then Woolley relieved Parkin. The batting contrast provided by the two teams was remarkable. Whereas England laboured, Australia went for the bowling. Bardsley was like the Rock of Gibraltar, with hit crisp boundaries in all positions, while Pellew punched the ball to the ro;>ee with (Continued on P«><re 6.)