One Wicket to Fall

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 538, 15 December 1928, Page 9

One Wicket to Fall

Australian Total Now 251 PONSFORD RETIRES INJURED Geary Takes Five for 35 Runs (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) SYDNEY, To-day. WITH eight wickets down for 251, and Ponsford retired injured, Australia looks like faeing bad luck again in the second test against the Englishmen at Sydney. Yesterday, Geary got among the Australian batsmen, and took five wickets for 35 runs.

There was an attendance of 25,000 at first, which increased to 40,7000, a record for the first day of a test match. The takings were £4,200. The wicket looked perfect. Ryder won the toss and Australia batted first. Woodfull and Richardson opened the innings. Richardson was not quite as safe as the Victorian against the fast-ris-ing balls from Larwood, some of which were snicked over the heads of the men in the slips. Richardson was eventually bowled by Larwood with a ball which kept a little low. STRANGE DISMISSAL The dismissal of Kippax caused a mild sensation. He turned to play Ge&ry to leg, and the leg stump was struck. The batsman remained at the wickets, while some of the Englishmen lay down on the field. After a short time Kippax left the wicket. He stated later that he did not know he was out. At the luncheon interval the umpire said Kippax was bowled off his pad, but peculiarly it was Elder, the umpire at the batsman’s end, who gave the decision, although it was outside his jurisdiction. Hele, the proper official, had walked away from the wicket, it being the last ball of the over. Duckworth was hooted for appealing. The barracking increased when the adjournment was made for lunch. Further ill-luck followed when Ponsford, after making 5, received a blow on the hand, whicli broke a bone. He is unlikely to play for over a month. BRIGHT BATTING During the partnership of Woodfull and Hendry the batting was very bright. Larwood dropped his pace considerably. Both batsmen swung his short balls to the on boundary. Tate was always difficult, but White, Geary and Hammond were just accurate for some time, until Geary became dangerous. Woodfull tried to turn a ball from him to leg. It kept low and got the leg before wicket. He had played a fine innings for 173 minutes,

and hit four 4’s. He made many nice strokes to the on, and drove finely, Setting: over the ball well. Hendry was Geary’s third victim. He was clean-bowled. He batted for S2 minutes for 37 runs, and hit four 4’s. ISTothling - went cheaply. Oldfield gave Ryder some assistance. Ryder jumped out to a ball from Geary, missed and : was out leg before wicket. He was playing very forcefully and confidently when he took a risk with a ball which was little better than those that beat his colleagues. OLDFIELD BRILLIANT Oldfield gave a brilliant display for 40 minutes, and he was not out. With Grimmett he added 30. Then with Blackie he added 29. He made many nice strokes through the slips, and also drove to cover point nicely. A splendid throw by Tate broke the wicket, resulting in Grimmett being run out. Blackie played doggedly, giving Oldfield most of the batting. Oldfield undoubtedly sha.red with Woodfull the batting honours against good bowling and sound fielding. Virtually, nine wickets are down, since Ponsford cannot return to the crease, owing to his injury. Geary took five wickets for 35 runs, which was a noteworthy feat. By comparison with Larwood and Tate, Geary was accurate, with an occasional turn from the off. But had the players used their feet more frequently and to better purpose, he would not have been so dangerous.: Larwood, who took two wickets for 27 runs, sent down really fast balls in the early stages of the game, but he lacked sting later. Tate bowled with a good length, although he failed to get a wicket. Duckworth kept wickets brilliantly throughout the afternoon. The questionable action of the umpire Elder in adjudicating on Kippax is universally condemned, although Kippax should not have left his wicket when he did. The Board of Cricket Control and both teams sent a cablegram sympathising with King George in his illness, and expressing hope for his rapid recovery. Details of the score are as follow; AUSTRALIA First Innings. RICHARDSON, b Larwood .. .. .. 27 WOODFULL, lbw, b Geary 68 KIPPAX, b Geary 9 PONSFORD, retired hurt 5 HENDRY, b Geary 37 RYDER, lbw, b Geary .. .. .. .. . 25 NOTHLING, b Larwood 8 OLDFIELD, not out 40 GRIMMETT, run out 1 9 BLACKIE, b Geary .. .. g IRONMONGER, not out 1 0 Extras .. Eight wickets for 251 The scores at the fall of the wickets were as follow: 1/51, 2/65, 3/152; 4/153; 5/171; 6/192; 7/222; S/251. The action of the Australian selectors in omitting Bradman is criticised, as Bradman is a good batsman and the finest outfield in the 12 selected. He is young and has great prospects, while some of the others are near the close of their careers. When Ryder won the toss the crowd was delighted, for the wicket seemed to be made for run getting.

CABLE TO HOBBS BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS THE Auckland Cricket Association has sent a cable to Jack Hobbs, who celebrates his 46th birthday to-day, wishing him many happy returns.

INTENSE INTEREST DISPLAY BY A NEWSPAPER ELECTRICAL TELEVISION . SYDNEY, Friday. An indication of the great enthusiasm and keenness in the cricket test match is shown by the fact that the evening newspapers, besides issuing special editions, erected hoardings outside their offices, on which the progress scores were posted. They were looked at by thousands of people. But the march of science was again strikingly exemplified by an electrically controlled invention outside the office of one paper. This depicted an actual cricket pitch, and the movements of the ball after leaving the bowler’s hand, and also "where it travelled after being hit. Two disks represented the batsmen at either end. When they ran, so the disks would move backwards or forwards from crease to crease, and they even indicated the batsmen’s hesitancy to steal an extra run. Whenever the ball reached the boundary, the crowd of spectators was thus able fully to visualise the finer points of the game as it took place three miles away, and cheered lustily. SHEFFIELD SHIELD VICTORIA AT '1 HE WICKETS MELBOURNE, Friday. A Sheffield Shield match between Victoria and Queensland commenced to-day. Victoria won the toss, and decided to bat on a perfect wicket. Both sides are below strength, especially Victoria, owing to the Test game. Victoria in its first innings had made 203 for four wickets. Rigg 50, Baring 50, and Scaife 3S not out, were top scorers. Rain fell during the tea adjournment and continued, stumps being drawn at 5.10 p.m.