THE FINAL TEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1926, Page 6

THE FINAL TEST.

ENGLAND’S GREAT OPENING. TUESDAY’S PLAY DESCRIBED. TWO NOTABLE CENTURIES. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, Aug. 17. After a heavy thunderstorm last . night the weather this morning was dull and misty, but the wicket, though soft, is surprisingly good. The attendance was 30,000. Grimmett and Macartney took up the bowling. Fifty was not reached till the third, over, when Hobbs sent Grimmett to leg for a single. The wicket required attention after every ball in the early stages. The runs were monopolised by Hobbs, Sutcliffe being less comfortable and occasionally beaten by breaks. After half an hour the light, which had been poor, improved, and the sun made an ineffectual attempt to break through the clouds. The batsmen, however, continued to make their unaccustomed funereal progress, greatly flattering the bowling with the eare they bestowed upon it. Sutcliffe was in 40 minutes before he added to his overnight score with a couple through cover off Grimmett. Macartney was mixing his deliveries well, nine overs yielding only two runs. With a single to leg off Mailey, Hobbs brought up the hundred, for 118 minutes’ play. For the seventh time the Hobbs-Sut-cliffe partnership had made 100 for the first wicket in the tests. After this Hobbs became more’ assertive, mainly at the expense of Mailey. On the contrary, Richardson pegged the Englishmen down, after an expensive first over, varying his regular break with a ball which came lip viciously. One of these Sutcliffe, when 38, turned dangerously between Collins and who -were both at short leg. One ball from Richardson sharply hit Hobbs, first on the finger, then on the shoulder, and thirdly on the chest. Another came up on the break and Hobbs was unable to get his bat out of the way, but Bardsley, at short leg, was slow and did not attempt the catch. HOBBS BREAKS THE SPELL. Richardson sent down five successive maidens to Hobbs, who broke the spell by going out and driving a ball to the boundary. He then made a hit to leg for a couple, but this was only a flash in the pan. Richardson continued to look dangerous, and was rather faster than usual, with a more effective spin. The sun appeared an hour before lunch and caused the wicket to play trickily. Shortly after lunch Hobbs, with a sharp single off Gregory, reached his century in 216 minutes. Five minutes later Gregory just removed Hobbs’ off bail, the leg bail remaining intact. The departing batsman hit 10 fours and was - characteristically brilliant and safe,, and neyer in difficulties, excepting during half a dozen overs in the morning. Richardson found a bad spot and exploited it with amazing consistency. The total was then 172, Sutcliffe being 48. Woolley opened with a couple of niee drives off Gregory. Sutcliffe continued to bat dourly, surpassing even Collins for deliberation. He took 243 minutes to pass Collins’ score. Richardson again took up the attack and quickly found the old spot. He had the field well placed on the leg side in an endeavour to get Sutcliffe, but the latter declined to be trapped, gathering up runs through the slips. Sutcliffe was comparatively bright, picking up 10 off Richardson by brainy cuts. Woolley, after the first over against Richardson, did not get that bowler again until the ball to which he succumbed on an appeal for leg before. The board showed 220 for two. A BRIGHT PARTNERSHIP. The Suteliffe-Hendren partnership was the brightest of the day. Sutcliffe lifted one from Gregory magnificently to the leg boundary, bringing his score to 99. The Yorkshireman, despite encouragement from the crowd, refused a couple of risky singles, which might have given him the century. He readied the coveted figure by again sending Gregory to the leg boundary,’ after live hours’ baiting. 1 Hendren sueeumbed to a difficult ball from . Grimmett and did not know he was out till his attention was drawn to the broken wicket. The total was now 277 for three. Just before tea Woodfull was obliged to retire from the field owing to a strained muscle in the thigh, Taylor replacing him. The throwing in was inclined to be erratic and the fielding by no means the best seen on the tour, although Andrews, Collins and Grim mett were frequently applauded for good saves, notably Andrews, who was fielding close in and saved runs every over. Chapman, when he had made JI, in attempting to send Richardson to leg, skied a ball. Gregory attempted the catch but, with the sun in his eyes, entirely misjudged the flight of the ball. Richardson drew next blood. He had been bowling with fine judgment throughout the innings, turning the ball well and varying the pace in a disconcerting manner. It was one of his faster balls which beat Chapman, when the score was 356. « Stevens, at the outset, when in for stone-walling, for which he has a considerable reputation, merely playing a straight bat to ajl bowling alike. A rousing cheer went up when, with a straight drive, he sent a short ball from Mailey to the rails. With the reappearance of Gregory, however, Stevens departed from his former game and began to play the fast bowling with power. After an hour ftt the wickets he tried to drive Grimmett, but tossed the ball in an easy catch to Mailey at deep point; 373 for five. Ten minutes from time Rhodes joined his Yorkshire colleague. In the closingstages the fieldsmen were somewhat troubled with the oblique, sun. Sutcliffe eventually fell a victim to Mailey in the last over of the day. after aiming during the last half hour at keeping his wicket intact. His was a superb effort, safe and. elianceless. He batted 128 minutes and hit 16 fours.

BONUS OFFERED FOR RUNS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Aug. 18.. A wireless report received here states that the Australian Cricket Council has cabled Collins an offer of a bonus of one shilling for each single and £1 for each six hit by the Australians in the final test.