ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 84, 22 November 1911, Page 5

ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

VICTORIAN tIA.ME DRAWING TO A CLOSE. LOCAL MEN PULLING UP. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (.United. Press Association.) Melbourne, November 21. /lire nuucji was continued m perfect waacner and on an excellent wicket.

mnnstrong and Kyle opened the ij on nag. iiiten drove Armstrong to the boundary, but in trying to repeat ilio strode played the ball on to the wicket. Mean, wiio succeeded, quickly lost iiuodes leg betore, alter oatluig stolidly lor throe hours, and mi ting two tourers. lioarue was .next, out ne was extra cautious, ana succuinoea to leaver, wjio relieved Kyle. id cadi snowed freedom, but was bowled neck and crop with a beauty. Poster and Louglas were not a long-lived partnership. Aimstrong dismissing n ester second bad, compmtoly nonplussing the batsman. Armstrong captured tnree wickets today lor 2d, and leaver at one stage two lor ml. Woolley soaped uncomiortaoly, and the end came quickly, macrow taking both wickets, iremonger playing on.

lac tunings lasted 277 minutes. England's display was again disappointing. Ine collapse was attrioutcd to tne deceptive pace of the wicket, widen was perfect. it lias been arranged that 11 the match was not over to-nigiit to play to-morrow from II a.in. to 2.b0 p.m. Warner, who sailed by the mail boat for Sydney to-day, left instructions to force tiie game in tiie hope of winning, but tiie batsmen observed defensive tactics.

Seitz and Kortlaug opposed Foster and Douglas. due latter in ins t/Uird over clean bowled Seitz. Hansford began with a four oil Foster, out a period of dullness followed until Ivprclang hit Foster hard to Hobos, and attempted a hopeless run. He was unable to recover before Hobbs tnrew dow n his wicket.

Smith followed and saw Hansford send Douglas to the boundary twice in succession from a snick * and a drive. Hath wore batting brightly, Hansford scoring well on tne leg and Smith cutting and driving. Fifty occupied fifty-six minutes. Hansford was caught at slip from a mishit. He had batted for sixtyrive minutes. Armstrong joined Smith, who thrice drove Hearue to the off uppisiily, scoring eight off ono over. Armstrong with a lovely leg hit to the boundary off Hearne, loilowed by Smith with a brilliant square cue for four brought the century in ninety-live minutes. . : ■ i On resuming Armstrong was dismissed off the hftlr ball, winch ho played on. Matthews saw Smith ' reach bO, which occupied sixty-nine minutes. When qo,. Smith gave a hard cnance of being 'caught and bowled to iremonger, and four runs later hti was missea in' the slips oy, Rhodes off Hiccih'.iiHe then drove’Hitch for; a fourer, passing his first innings’ score. Ho qbs at mid-off returned mb bail smartly*anil fdll On. l his avui.He /Was slightly ihjured- '{in'd* retired temporarily.

Snutii was cheered for a magnificent straight drive and snicking Hitch for two tourers in succession. Une hundred and fifty was registered in 132 minutes. Matthews and Smith compiled fifty in 28 minutes, the fastest scoring during the match. Smith foolishly attempted a run when Matthews called, and a smart return by Hhodes from cover"pohif isaw Smithrun out. Ho had batted brilliantly for Do minutes, and hit ten tourers.

Brojvvn began busily hind pulled Douglas for four, leaving 10U to win. two balls latpr he.pay'.cd the ball on. Brown was v iff 28- minutes, and with graceful, beautiful timing, scored* louf 'foltrefs. Laver and Kyie were in when 200 was registered in 180 minutes, when Kyle foolishly ran himself out by going for an impossible third run off Laver’s stroke. Smith was disappointed at an unsuccessful appeal for stumping Carkoek off tlie ; . last ball of the day Scores:—

England. First Innings—3lß. Second Innings. Hobbs, c Matthews, b Armstrong 83 Kinneir, Ib.w,, b Laver ... 12 Smith, b Kylo ... ... 1 Rnodes, 1.b.w., I) Armstrong ... 63 Hitch, b Armstrong ... ... 13 Mead, b Laver ... ... 22 Hearne, c and b Laver ... U Foster, b Armstrong ... ... 0 Douglas, not out ... ... 5 Woolley, b Macrow ... ... 15 Iremonger, b Macrow ... ... 0 Extras 12 Total 234 Bowling Analysis.—Laver, three for 23; Macrow, two for 30; Matthews, none for 25; Kylo, one for 69; Brown, none for 19; Armstrong, four for 56. The wickets fell as follows:—One for 41, two for 164, three for 169, four for 184, five for 199, six for 201, seven for 213, eight for 213, nine for 231. Victoria. First Innings—274. Second Innings. Seitz, b Douglas ... ... 3 Kortlang, run out ... ... 7 Hansford, c Foster, b Iremonger 34 Smith, run ‘out ... ... 84 Armstrong, b Iremonger ... 9 Matthews, b Douglas ... ... 24 Brown, b Foster ... ... 26 Laver, not out ... ... 11 Kyle, run out ... ... 6 Carkeek, not out ... ... U Extras ... ... ... 6 Total for eight wickets ... 210 The Victorians require 68 runs to avert defeat. THE NEXT AUSTRALIAN TEAM. LIST OF FIXTURES PREPARED. (Received 22, 10.5 a.in.) London, November 21. The provisional list of fixtures for the next Australian team contains thirty-six matches, beginning wim Notts on May 6th. The test matches are fixed as follows;—With South Africa, at Manchester, on May 27; at Lords, on July 15; at Nottingham, on August sth. With England: Lords, on June 24th; Manchester, on July 29th ; the Oval, on August 19th. The matches with all the chief counties, the universities, Scotland, South Wales, and the M C.C. arc included in the list. The tour of the Australasian footballers has been extended into February.