FIRST TEST

Southland Times, Issue 22345, 9 June 1934, Page 5

FIRST TEST

AUSTRALIANS BAT 206 FOR FIVE WICKETS BRADMAN OUT AT 29 WYATT NOT PLAYING (Per United Press Association.) (Rec. 12.55 a.m.) London, June 8. The first Test match between England and Australia commenced at the Trent Bridge ground, Nottingham, this morning, Australia winning the toss and batting. The weather was fine and warm and a light breeze was blowing. The wicket was well grassed and glossy. The outfield has been extensively roped off to accommodate more spectators, consequently fours will be easy. R E. S. Wyatt, the English captain, was unable to play owing to an injury to his thumb. Wyatt left his decision not to play until the last moment. C. F. Walters is captaining England in . his first Anglo-Australian Test. D. R. Jardine occupied a front row seat in the Press box. ' England decided to include only one, fast bowler. Australia, apparently playing safe, reduced the attack to three regular bowlers and gave Brown his first Test experience. Following are the teams:— ENGLAND. AUSTRALIA. C. F. Walters, W. M. Woodfull (Captain) (Captain) Nawab of Pataudi W. H. Ponsford K. Fames D. G. Bradman H. Sutcliffe S. J. McCabe W. R. Hammond L. Darling E. Hendren A. Chipperfield M. Leyland W. H. Oldfield L. Ames C. V. Grimmett H. Verity W. A. Brown T. B. Mitchell W. J. O'Reilly G. Geary T. Wall Twelfth man— Twelfth man— M. S. Nichols E. H. Bromley Twelve thousand gave Woodfull and Ponsford a decorous reception when they went to the wicket. Fames and Geary were the early bowlers, the former employing fair pace. The batsmen were extremely careful, Woodfull allowing many balls to go by. Ponsford, meanwhile, did most of the scoring. During one of Fames’s overs one ball went over Woodfull’s head and the next struck him on the hip. Both batsmen, however, seemed comfortable, Ponsford having already hit five fours. Hammond bowded several maidens, and Mitchell and Verity were then tried. Ponsford opened his shoulders and continued to gather runs, 13 coming from one over from Mitchell, but Woodfull was painfully slow. The first half-hour produced only 21 runs. Ponsford had a narrow escape in Hammond’s third over when Hendren at backward point let a high, difficult chance through his fingers. Fifty runs appeared in 65 minutes. Ponsford batted beautifully for the first hour, hitting seven fours out of a total of 75. Fames returned at 77. His first ball was very fast and kept fairly low. Ponsford snicked it and was nicely caught at the wicket. He batted for 90 minutes and was admirable against the spin bowlers, but less happy with the fast stuff. Woodfull was just beginning to settle down when at 26 he was caught in the gully by Verity. Brown and Bradman carried the score to 100 for two at lunch. The latter was immediately aggressive. Scores at tea adjournment: AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Woodfull c Verity b Fames 26 Ponsford c Ames b Fames 53 Brown lbw b Geary 22 Bradman c Hammond b Geary 29 McCabe not out 50 Darling b Verity 4 Chipperfield not out 16 Extras 6 Total for five wickets 206 BEFORE THE MATCH WYATT AT THE NETS. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, June 7. Wyatt batted at the nets at Edgbaston this morning against the slow bowlers. He seemed to bat comfortably and hit the ball hard and unflinchingly. After batting for ten minutes he said he was not inclined to say anything definite. Subsequently he went to Nottingham to meet the selection committee, which will decide whether he is fit to play. A later report states that the selectors announced that no statement regarding the captaincy of the English team will be made until the morning, probably on the ground. Wyatt says: “I am afraid it is useless.” The first contingent of spectators, numbering hundreds, formed a queue outside the ground at nine o’clock last night, being equipped with blankets and food. They included many women. AUSTRALIANS CONFIDENT WICKET IN GREAT ORDER. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 8.55 p.m.) London, June 8. Although thousands awaited the Australians’ arrival at Nottingham there was no sign of a hostile demonstration with which it was alleged the team would be received as a reprisal against Australian criticism of Larwood. With the exception of Oldfield, who is quite fit, but was advised to rest as much as possible, all the Australians are in good fettle and rather confident of their chances. The wicket is in splendid order. The octogenarian groundsman says that irrespective of rain the wicket will last four days. An adjoining wicket quickly crumbled in a recent match, but special care has been taken of the Test wicket, which has rarely been used