Second Edition THE FIFTH TEST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 51, 24 February 1912, Page 6

Second Edition THE FIFTH TEST.

ENGLAND KNOCKS UP 20-1 POP SIX WJLOKMS. GOOD BOWLING AND FIELDING. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyrigi t.) tu invert Press Association.) Sydney, FoOruary 23. Although tne asnes are won anti loist, mere is great interest in me him test, owing to cue bitter controversy concerning the personnel 01 tne team tor England. x'ne weather was tine but tnreatening, and tne wicket good. Douglas won tne toss and had no hesitation in batting, -tlooos and iiiiodes opened to atac-

Laren .anti Jiacaruiey. xtnodes started by driving Macartney to tne boundary. Hobbs scored a single olf MacLaren's second over. Rnodes Had a narrow escape, tipping a fast one, but Carter was just unable to reacn it. Macartney drew hrst bleed byhowling liiiodes oil his pads with tne hrst ball of his third over.

Gunn followed, and when MacLaren had bowled six overs for 15 runs, Hordern relieved iiim, and his third bail Hobbs lifted dangerously orer ’fr urn per’s head to square leg. nifty ■went up after 57 minutes’ play. Beloro aauiug to tne score, ’Hoobs skied Ha/.lut, wno was bowling vice Macartney in me slips, but out of danger, however, and tne ball went to tne boundary. The same over, Gunn lifted a ball dangerously’ to leg. MacLaren reached it with tire tips of his lingers, but was unable to Hold it. Next over, Hobbs hit out at a googlie from Hordern, and Hansford at wide long-on effected mi easy’ catch. 2—32 69. Hoarne joined Gunn and they’ were together at luncheon. After the interval Armstrong and MacLaren attacked. Play was extremely slow, 18 minutes being occupied in scoring nine runs. Then Hearne, who had scored four, turned and hit Armstrong hard to leg, where Macartney at short leg snapped a brilliant catch.

AVith. Foster in the rate of scoring did not improve, 100 occupying 120 minutes. Gunn’s fifty took 118 minutes. At 114, Foster, who had scored 15, stepped out to Hazlitt, missed and was smartly stumped by Carter. Douglas was next. Gunn at 50 gave Macartney a difficult chance, at short leg, off Armstrong, which he dropped. Douglas at 4 also tipped Hordern to Gregory at short leg, who caught the ball as it touched the ground. Gunn was 23 minutes on 50 before adding a single. He added another single in ten minutes, and was then stumped through stepping out to Hordern. He hit three fours.

Douglas and Woolley were together at tea time, when the score was five wickets for 132. After tea play was still slow, the batsmen displaying extreme caution. The bowling was good, Armstrong especially keeping a good length. When he was relieved by Minnett, lie had bowled 22 overs, 8 maidens, 29 runs, one wicket.

Hordern was also bowling a good length and spinning well. When Donglas had scored 18 in 71 minutes by uninteresting batting he tried to straight drive Hordern. The ball twisted on the bat, and Hansford at deep raid-on took the catch. The partnership produced 37.

After A r ine came in, AA r oolley brightened up and brought up his 50 in 70 minutes. A r iuc was 20 minutes putting on one. The second century came up in 252 minutes. < The Australians’ fielding was keen and good, with the exception of Hordern, who made several bad misses. At 5.45 the ligt failed, and U.c match was adjourned with the scores as follows: ENGLAND.—First Innings. Rhodes, b Macartney (8 Hobbs, c Ransford, o Hordern 32 Hearne, c Macartney, b Armstrong 4 Gunn, st. Carter, b Hordern ... 52 Foster, st. Carter, b Hazlitt ... 15 Doimlas, c Ransford, b Hordern 18 AAfoolley, not out ... ... ... 62 A r ine, not out 8 Extras 5

Total for six wickets 2(JI LATEST SCORES. (Received 24, 2.25 p.m.) Sydney, February 24. The weather is dull. There was rain during the night but the wicket was not seriously affected. The score now stands: —Six for 230—Woolley, not out, '77; Vine, not out, 10. (Received 24, 2.40 p.m.) Six for 259—Woolley 92, Vino 21. (Received 24, 3.20 p.m.) At the lunch adjournment the scoro was 6 for 292—Woolley 111, Vine 35. YESTERDAY’S PLAY. (Received 24, 10.0 a.m.) Sydney, February 24. It is still threatening for the cricket. The “Herald” says yesterday’s batting can only be described as slow, but as that is characteristic of the team’s methods and those methods materially helped them to win the rubber little can be said against it except that it will never do cricket the credit due to it as a sport. The “Telegraph” says the play was far too serious. There was no excuse

for that kind of cricket. The bowling was undoubtedly good but the Eng- , lishmen’s play made it look bettor than it was. LAVER THE STUMBLING BLOCK. Sydney, February 211. At the conclusion of a long interview 'between Mr. McElhone and Mr. McGowen (Premier) over the cricket trouble, Mr. McGowen stated that the Board of Control were fully determined not to accept the nomination of Laver as the player’s manager. They were not unwilling to accept Laver as a player even at this late hour.

It is believed the Board will accept the surrender of the six players it tiiey’ do not persist in desiring Laver as manager. PLAYERS JIE PLACED. Sydney, February 22 Macartney and Webster have been selected to replace Hansford and Cur-; ter in the team for England. BAD WEATHER. Sydney, February 23. A wet wicket is promised for tomorrow. Heavy’ showers have fallen,; and more are threatening - . INTENSE CON THOVEHSY. (Received 24, 9.35 a.m.) Sydney, February 24.

There is tremendous interest in the cricket controversy. Tho general opinion is that it is not yet too late to effect a settlement. Old players, interviewed, support the action of the rebellious six, Johns, ox-Vic-torian wicket-keeper, and Lyons, the South Australian hitter agreeing that the players should have more say in tho control of the game. AUCKLAND v. WELLINGTON. Wellington, February 23. The wicket was good, the weather fine, and the attendance fairly large, for the match between Auckland and Wellington, which commenced on tho Basin Reserve to-day. The whole afternoon was occupied with Wellington’s first innings, which is not yet completed. Auckland were rather weak in bowling, the first partnership lasting almost two hours and yielding 127 runs. Scoring was slow at tne start, but brightened up later. The following are the scores:— WELLINGTON.—First innings. Blaniires, Ibw., b Somerville ... JG Gibbcs, e Ellis, b Thompson ... 8.1 Baker, b Thompson ... ... 2 Mahoney, b Sneddon ... ... 25 Midlane, c Remus, b Sneddon ... 31 Blaeklock, b Thompson ... ... 1 Dickson, st. Ellis, b Sneddon ... 8 Robinson, not out ... ... ... 0 .Grimraett, c and I) Thompson ... 1 Extras ... ... '... ... 13 Total, for eight wickets ... 203 Bowling Analysis.—Thompson, four for 64; Sneddon, three for 34; Somerville one for 24; Jones, Mason, Wallace and Taylor also bowled.

OTAGO v. SOUTHLAND. Dunedin, February 23. The cricket match, Otago v.’ Southland, commenced to-day in wretched weather. The wicket was saturated, and play was impossible till 3 o’clock, and heavy showers fell intermittently afterwards. Less than one hour’s play was indulged in, and there were extra heavy showers shortly before 4 o'clock, necessitating the drawing of stumps for the day.

Otago won the toss and decided to bat. After twenty minutes’ play. 25 runs having been scored, play had to be adjourned for a quarter of an hour. On resumption, Watson was ejean boVlcd by Poole for 13. Condnfre and Hopkins played out time, tinformer scoring 11 and the-latter 3, tiro total being 31 tor one wicket.