TEST MATCH ITEMS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 14, 29 December 1911, Page 3

TEST MATCH ITEMS.

The highest score made in the Eug-land-Australia series is 586 by the Australians at Sydney in_ 1894-5 contests. England scored 577 at Sydney in 1903-4. The highest score in England was 576 by England at the Oval in 1899. Three of the four lowest in the series have been made by tho Australians, via., 36 at Edgbaston in 1902, 42 at Sydney in 1887-8, and 44 at tho Oval in'lß96. England was dismissed at Sydney in 1886-7 for 45.

Tho record partnership in the series is 243 for the eighth wicket by C. Hill and 11. T. Hartigan at Adelaide in 1907-8. The record first wicket partnership is 185 by F. S. Jackson and T. Hayward at the Oval in 1899.

The following players made a century on their first appearance in test matches:—R. E. Foster (287), W. G. Grace (152), G. Gunn (119), Raujitsiuhji (154), C. Bannerman (165), R. A. Duff (104), H. Graham (107), R. T. Hartigan (116). R. A. Duff also made a century in the last test match he played in. The highest individual score of tho series is R. E. Foster’s 28/ at Sydney in 1903-4. Others to make over 200 were S. E. Gregory (201) and W. L. Murdoch (211). The only instance of a batsman scoring two individual centuries in a test match is Warren Bardsley’s 136 and 130 at the Oval in 1909.

For England forty-three centuries have been scored, and forty-one for Australia.

Jackson and Maclarcn for England have each scored five centuries in test matches, while Trumper has been similarly successful for Australia. No other Englishman has made four centuries in the series, but both Clem Hill and Sid Gregory have done so for Australia.

The hat trick has six times been accomplished in the series, three times by each country. Tho successful Englishmen were Bates, Briggs, and J . T. Hearne, while Trumble (twice) and 'ipoffortli secured three English wickets with consecutive balls.

There have been 86 matches played, and of these England won 35, Australia 34, and 17 have been drawn. England won nine more than Australia of the matches played in England, while Australia has a lead of eight on her own grounds. Tho first test matches were played in Australia in 1876-7, while the first in England were not played until 1880.

The largest aggregate attendance at a test match was at Melbourne in March, 1895, when 95,000 people watched the play. The gate takings were £4003 14s. This amount was, however, exceeded at Sydney in 1903, when 87,000 people attended, the gate realising £4274 10s. The record aggregate of runs in a test match in the Engl and-Australia series is 1514 at Sydney in 1894-5 season.