SECOND TEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1921, Page 5

SECOND TEST.

FIRST DAY'S PLAY. AUSTRALIANS AGAIN SUPERIOR. BARDSLEY’S FINE BATTING. Sy Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright. Received June 12, 5.5 pun. i London, June 11. The weather for the second test match between Australia and England was unsettled. and overcast, with alternating sunshine. The crowd was enormous. Ryder was twelfth man. Holliehl, Mayne and Collins not playing. Haig, Tennyson and Dipper took the place of Mead, Hearne, and Fry. The Australians,, on taking the field, received a great reception. DouglaiF (England’s captain) won the toss, and put England in. Gregory opened from the nursery end and in view of his Bristol display Dipper accompanied Knight to the wickets. Both started confidently, hitting briskly to both sides. Knight was cheered on gracefully hitting Gregory to leg for three and he followed by splendid off strokes off both bowlers. The crowd applauded Dipper, who though not graceful excelled in telling shots, including the first boundary on the off side off MacDonald. Armstrong soon relieved Gregory, who was not so fast as usuals A feature of the captain’s final over was magnificent fielding by Andrews at cover. Twenty runs were made in a quarter of an hour, with Dipper scoring twice as fast as Knight. The ball dismissing Dipper was nipped quickly from the off-’ low down. Knight, as usual, was not confident facing Armstrong and fell with a wretched stroke into the first slip’s hands. Play had then been proceeding haif-an-hour and Armstrong, who was bowling a fine length, had five men forming a semicircle on the off side. At this stage play was held up owing to the arrival of the King. BATSMEN DEFENSIVE.

The crowd was disappointed because Hendren had a short life. He walked across to an off ball, which whipped behind him and shattered the wicket. This was a sensational opening and in view of the ciroum stances Woolley played very cautiously against Armstrong, watching the ball all the way. Armstrong had no slip fielder, but Gregory was stationed at fine leg. Woolley broke a long period of scoreless play by getting a single through the Australian steel legside wall, .which shot was cheered as though it was a boundary. The new partnership realised four in a quarter of an hour. Gregory replaced MacDonald at the pavilion end at twenty-nine. Later Armstrong bowled three successive maidens., Woolley hit a beautiful slip boundary at Gregory’s expense, .making the total thirtyfour for an hour’s play. Australian fielding now reached, a high standard, but tho dullness of the play was partially relieved by the respect Douglas was showing Armstrong; he was merely blocking. Woolley was more aggressive facing Gregory, whom he drove straight to the boundary. Amusement was caused when Armstrong played Andrews at silly point for Douglas and was renewed when after threequarters of an hour Douglas hit Gregory nicely to the square leg boundary—his second scoring stroke. Fifty appeared. in eighty minutes. Douglas was cutting a sorry figure, patting the ball mostly, and he scored eight in an hour. When Woolley was twenty-two a hall from Gregory whistled over the bails. Gregory was faster than at the opening of play, rising a foot above the stumps, Woolley having many narrow escapes. McDonald relieved Gregory at sixty-one, scored in a hundred minutes. The batting continued lifeless, the crowd finding relaxation and amusement in the DoUglas-Armstrong duel. Just before lunch Douglas decided to break the monotony and drove McDonald straight to the pavilion. Woolley followed by hitting him to leg for two. BRIGHTER PLAY. In the first over after lunch Woolley clipped a beauiful four through slips. Then Mailey relieved Armstrong at the nursery end and Douglas signalised approval by three off drives, the successive balls realising five. This variation from back to the wall cricket was enjoyed. Douglas brought up the century in 130 minutes, cutting Mai,ley for two. He and Woolley were more confident, and although Mailey was frequently turning the ball several inches from the off both were driving vigorously. Douglas was dismissed by a beautiful ball he attempted to drive, playing across it, and a careful innings ended a partnership which, at this stage of the game, was very valuable. Woolley brought up fifty by a glorious square cut to the ropes off Mailey, the fifty being made in 150 minutes. Evans survived an appeal for caught behind the wickets, but he knew nothing of the next ball, which shattered his stumps. McDonald was preserving his length, keeping low. After Woolley hit a somewhat flukey boundary to deep leg off Mailey he magnificently square, cut McDonald to the ropes—the best stroke of the day. He was playing excellent cricket, his driving being particularly attractive. 'Gregory replaced McDonald at 139. Tennyson was never happy; he walked out to Mailey and was easily stumped. Three wickets had fallen in an hour after lunch.

Woolley was making use of his reach against Mailey, meeting the ball a yard in front of the crease. Two , beautiful cuts through cover raised the crowd to the highest enthusiasm. Pellew, who was fielding grandly, failed to hold a ball which Haig drove to the off just above his head when Haig was two and Mailey was the howler. Haig went out in the following over. The ball that dismissed Parkin went between his legs from the off. Strudwick’s life was short but happy. .He twice pulled Mailey to leg to the rppes and then hit a soft catch to short leg, all in one over. After Durston’s appearance Woolley got four over the heads of the slips off Gregry, and with the next ball he gave a chance to Hendry at first slip. He. was then eighty-nine, but had not shaped confidently during the last lew overs of Gregory’s, but being anxious to reach the century he opened his shoulders with the last man in and lost the wicket through stepping out to one from Mailey. Woolley received a great ovation 'for a beautiful innings, haymg batted 190 minutes. England’s innings lasted 210 minutes and produced 18/. AUSTRALIA OPENS WELL. Durston opened the bowling against Australia from the nursery end, and j

Bardsley and Andrews both commenced batting brightly—Bardsley with graceful cuts and leg shots, while Andrews started by driving Douglas. Then, after delightful square cuts off Durston, who was bowling off the wicket, Andrews attempted to hit a ball which should have been ignored and was easily caught, with the innings only ten minutes old. Bardsley and Macartney immediately settled down to brilliant cricket, treating both bowlers with scant courtesy. Bardsley hit poetic boundaries through the slips, cutting and driving beautifully, while Macartney hit Douglas twice 'to the square leg boundary in one over. These and perfect cuts were loudly applauded, and fifty appeared in twenty-live minutes. Parkin relieved Douglas at fifty-six and Macartney turned him to the ropes behind the wicket and then drove him straight for four. There was no improvement in the bowling, the batsmen having no difficulty in placing the ball. Macartney’s characteristic innings closed in a manner similar to Andrews, after he had batted for twenty-five minutes. The play was not so bright after Macartney’s departure. Durston and Parkin were beginning to find the length, but Pellew made some nice shots on both sides, emulating Bardsley in punishing anything loose. Haig replaced Durston at ninety-nine. Pellew sent up the century in fifty-six minutes with a hit to the deep leg boundary. Bardsley was now forty, and Pellew, getting into his stride, cut Haig to the ropes in the same over with a beautiful hit. Then relieved Parkin. The batting contrast provided by the two teams was remarkable; whereas England labored Australia went for the bowling. Bardsley was like the rock of Gibraltar and hit crisp boundaries in all positions, while Pellew punched the ball to the ropes with delightful vigor. Woolley sent down the first maiden-of the innings to Pellew when the score was 116. lif Che next over of Woolley’s, Bardsley, with a glorious boundary behind the wjeket and a straight drive brought his fifty up for seventy minutes’ play. The crowd, enjoying the fine exhibition, applauded Bardsley, and the applause was renewed when Pellew, with a powerful drive, sent Haig past coverpoint to the ropes. BOWLING MASTERED. The fielding was fairly clean, but the bptsmen’s placing was irresistible, particularly that of Bardsley, who was playing one of his greatest innings. Pellew’s scoring rate was one per minute, and both batsmen were completely masters of the situation. Pellew followed a perfect shot to the boundary behind the wicket by playing over a ball breaking low. He gave a capital display, lasting fifty minutes. Taylor joined Bardsley and Durston replaced Woollev, whose batting effort resulted in stingless bowling. One hundred and fifty appeared in ninety-live minutes. Woolley was tried again at 161, Bardsley sending his second delivery to the boundary past a third man. Then Durston was put on again at the nursery end, but rapid changes did not affect Bardpley, who continued perfect shots all round the wicket. Taylor, apart from one smashing drive past cover to the ropes, played cautiously, getting in front of the wicket over much. Parkin relieved Woolley at 176, but he, like his found Bardsley’s defence impenetrable. The sun was becoming hotter as the afternoon advanced and the fieldsmen were working under Australian conditions. Taylor passed the English total with a beautiful drive to .the on boundary, off Parkin, ten minutes before time, after he had been batting two hours. \ Bardsley was eighty-eight. He then gave a difficult return to Parkin and the crowd applauded the let-off. Details of the play are:—

ENGLAND. First Innings Dipper, b McDonald H Knight, c Gregory, b Armstrong ... 7 Hendren, b McDonald 0 Douglas, b McDonald 34 Tennyson, st. Carter, b Mailey ...» 5 Evans, b McDonald 4 Haig, c Carter, b Gregory 3 Parkin, b Mailey •■. 9 Strudwick, c McDonald, b Mailey .. 9 Woolley, st. Carter, b Mailey .... mi #3 Durston, not out Extras Total 187 Bowling analysis: Gregory took 1 wicket for 51 runs; McDonald, 4 for 56; Armstrong, 1 for 9; Mailey, 4 for 55. Mailey took four wickets for twenty-two in twenty-six balls and bowled one bye. AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Bardsley, not out 88 Andrews, c Strudwick, b Durston .. 9 Macartney, c Strudwick, b Durston 31 Pellew, b Haig Taylor, not out v Extras 5 Total (for three wickets) 191 ENGLISH COMMENT. THE HOME TEAM OUTCLASSED. Received June 13, 12.10 a.m. London, June 12. The newspapers declare England was outclassed at Lords on a perfect wicket. Some critics regard the failure as worse than at Nottingham, where the wicket helped the bowlers. They contrast the slow and cramped English batting with the contemptuous ease with which the Australians flogged the bowling. LARGE ATTENDANCE. Received June 12', 11.46 p.m. London, June 11. A total of 22,376 paid for admission, to the test match.