AFRICA BATTING

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1935, Page 7

AFRICA BATTING

297 FOR SIX WICKETS FIFTH AND FINAL TEST MITCHELL’S FINE CENTURY THE PLAY VERY CAUTIOUS WYATT CAUSES SURPRISE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 7 p.m. London, Aug. 17. The South African cricketers to-day made 297 runs for six wickets in the first innings of the fifth test against England and are in a strong position. Only one of the four tests already played reached a decision and that was won by South Africa. The weather was fine and the wicket perfect. England won the toss and put in the South Africans. Wyatt’s decision that the South Africans should bat is being much discussed. It is believed to be due to a desire to exploit the battery of fast bowlers while the August dew was on the turf. The newspapers generally approve Wyatt’s decision. Twenty thousand were present after lunch. Read, making his debut, opened and shared the bowling with Nichols. Both were innocuous. The batsmen were confident, although at 30 Read bowled Mitchell with a no-ball. Wyatt repeatedly changed the bowlers and tried Clay, Hammond, Bowes and finally Robins. The South Africans sent up 100 in 115 minutes. Both batsmen played chancelessly. Robins started impressively after lunch, taking two wickets for one run in his second over and breaking the opening partnership. The South Africans became cautious. Wyatt cleverly took a How catch from Nourse with his left hand. Read bowled with fine pace but with uneven length. Mitchell reached his century in 210 minutes. He was fast compared with Viljoen, whom the crowd mildly barracked. The constant changes of bowlers was vindicated when Read was brought on again after tea, resulting in the dismissal of Mitchell, who plqyed a model defensive innings. Hitting with precision and judgment he batted 205 minutes, his score including 11 fours. Cameron despite a confident start was easily caught in slips. The South Africans redoubled their caution, Wade batting for 25 minutes without scoring before he was caught. Viljoen continued slowly but faultlessly, completing 50 in 140 minutes. The Africans forced the pace somewhat in the closing stages as the light weakened. The scores are:— SOUTH AFRICA. First Innings. Siedle, c Ames, b Robihs 35 Rowan, 1.b.w., b Robins .. D Mitchell, c Ames, b Read 128 Nourse, c Wyatt, b Bowes 32 Viljoen, not out 60 Cameron, c Mitchell, b Read 8 Wade, c Hammond, b Bowes 0 Dalton, not out 21 Extras 13 Total (for six wickets) 297 The Observer says the South Africans are certain to carry the cricket rubber home for the first time in history and none will begrudge them their triumph. The Despatch alone attacks Wyatt, declaring he made the biggest blunder in cricket history. “It was a fitting end to a series of mistakes that have made English cricket a laughing stock,” adds the paper. “It is unlikely that Wyatt acted on his own initiative; probably he was overruled by the mandarins of Lords as they forced Carr to .put in the Australians at Leeds in 1926.” The Sunday Times says Read has not the length or direction to make a Larwood. AFRICA’S SECOND LOSS EASY WIN FOR ESSEX SEVEN WICKETS IN HAND London, Aug. 16. The South Africans suffered their second defeat of the tour when Essex won by seven wickets. Essex made 302 and 172 for three wickets, and the South Africans made 250 and 223. ! For Essex Nichols made 70. Details are:— ESSEX. First Innings 302 Second Innings. Sheffield, b Bell 13 Cuttnore, not out 59 Nichols, b Mitchell 70 Evans, b Langton 8 O’Connor, not out 13 Extras 9 Total (for three wickets) 172 Grand total 474 Bowling: Bell took one for 10; Langton, one for 23; Mitchell, one for 30 (analysis incomplete). SOUTH AFRICA. First Innings 250 Second Innings ... 223 Grand total 473