CRICKET.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 1 May 1926, Page 9

CRICKET.

AUSTRALIANS IN ENGLAND. MATCH AGAINST MINOR COUNTIES. By Cable—Press Association —Copyright. '•xslralian and N.Z. Cablo Associat I .'-'*’- LOXDON. April 29. The attendance at the cricket match, Australia v. Minor Counties, totalled 0009, and play was .finally abandoned at 0.15 011 account of lain. Australia Bats. Australia, made 179 runs. Collins batted an hour. He was distinctly unhappy, and apparently out ol practice. Bardsley. when partnered by Wnodfull, scored rapidly. Tiro wicket, was drying, and the bowlers were getting a kick out ol tin* ball. The .batsmen were most respect I ill. Bardsley .scored frequently past point, but in the .second over after tea lie stepped out to drive, but missed the ball, which rebounded from his pads to the wicket. lie had flayed .soundly for two hours—a elmlic-dess innings. AYoodtull tamely hit a ball to silly leg, and Colman, running in splendidly, held it. Byder bad me narrow escape. Colman took the ball low down, nndd Ryder started to walk oil, but Colman signed to Join to return, intimating that the ball bad touched the ground first. Ryder then indulged in straight driving', and also cuts, excellent and indiscriminately. He sent Meyer and Falcon to the boundary, the latter twice in succe/uon. Griininett opened vith a couple of leg glides, followed by a very poor daisy cutter, from which lie gained live. lie was trapped by a slower ball, which lie sent into midoff’s hands. Ryder largely monopolised the play, giving an excellent all-round exhibition.

The bowling throughout was good, and well mixed, anil the belling sound. The innings lasted 200 minutes. The leeling is Jreol.v expressed that it is early to form an opinion of the Australians. Mistiming and mi.sjiidgment were too frequent. Counties Good Opening. The Counties opened well. Buchanan played Gregory calmly, and twice hit him to boundary. He went out to a very unlucky snick olt a bumping ball. Ling and Column vorc confident and gained their runs mostly off Gregory, who was erratic. Ling aroused enthusiasm by driving Griminett out of the ground, follow" ing with a leg boundary. Facing Macartney the batsmen were content to keep their wickets intact. Both played sound, all-round clianceless innings. , The Minor Counties had lost lour wickets for 115 when rain commenced to fall.

Following are the scores: . AUSTRALIA. First 1 linings. ■ Collins, c’'Edwards, b I letherton 13 Bardsley, c Franklin, b Falcon 12 Macartney, ibw., b Hnzelton ... IS Taylor, o Falcon, b Hnzelton . 4 Wnodfull, e Coleman, b Falcon ... 19 Ponsford, b Falcon ' 12 Richardson, Ibw., b Falcon 0 Gregory, c Meyer, b Falcon ... ■- . ; 5 Ryder, not out ...' 43 Oldfield, c Moyer, b Falcon 0 Grimmett, c Edwards, b Falcon... 15 Extras 8

Total 179 ! Bowling—Falcon 7 for M2, Meyer 0 lor .34, Ha/.elton 2 for 33, j-loLhertm, 1 for 12, Edwards 0 for .‘lO. MINOR COUNTIES. First Innings. Tereti.s, c Bardsley, b Gregory ... .0 Buchanan, c Oldfield, b Gregory I.'l Coleman, lbw., b Richardson ... 44 Ling, e Ryder, b Richardson 36 Falcon, not out 'J 7 Crawley, not out 0 Extras 5 'Total for 4 wickets ... ",1.7 Bowling—Gregory 2 for 24, Alacartiiey 0 lor 7, Grimniott 0 for Richardson 2 for 20, Collins 0 for 14, Ryder 0 for 0. COM.AIENT ON VISITORS’ PLAY. SOME INTERESTING CRITICISM. J’V Cable—Prtss Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z Cable Association. (Received April 30, 5.3 p.m.) LONDON, April 20. The scores in the Minor Counties match will not be included in the averages for the tour.

C. E.-Kelleway, writing in the “Daily Express,” emphasises that the match provided practice-for the Australians, and scarcely gives any guide to future performances. The feeling of holiday'spirit was abroad, and everybody thoroughly enjoyed himself, not particularly troubling about high scoring. Alnny line strokes would have reached the boundary on a drier ground. The Australians’ score of 170 was easily erjual to 2GO under better conditions. Falcon has obviously given the English selectors something to think about. Though IVlacartney frequently troubled the batsmen, Grimmett was easily played on the slow wicket, as evidenced hv the fact that throe sixes were knocked off him. Colonel Trevor, writing in the “Daily Telegraph,” says tiiat Falcon’s success after lunch was due to good length and change of pace. With the exception of Ryder, none of the Australians could deal with Falcon. The batting was disappointing when the fullest allowance is made for the start on a dead wicket. .Macartney troubled the Counties batsmen at lirsl. and they treated him with great respect. II would he unwise lo draw confident deductions regarding the Australians. Neither batting nor howling was more than moderate, hut the fielding was lirst rate. D. F. AVnrner writing in the “Morning Post,” slates that Bardsley and Ryder were I lie best Australians. The former was as sound and rc-

sourceful as ever. Ryder, after an uncertain start, hit - with .power and certainty, and impressed him considerably. AVoodfull obviously possesses strong defence and can hit a loose hall. Falcon cleverly accommodated liis pace to the, state of the wicket. He was in splendid physical condition, and bowled with great determination. The wicket was too low to suit Grimmett, but ho can spin the hail and his deliveries make pace off the ground. “I imagine lie will be a difficult bowler to drive,” adds AVarncr “as lie does not give the ball much air. Richardson made the ball turn from the off, hut there are many bowlers like him in Britain. I venture to think the Australian bowling is not going to lie very formidable, though 1 may have to eat my words.”

C. P. Littieworth, writing in the “Daily Chronicle,” says: The opening lmtsmen, Coilins, Bardsley, Alaeartney and Taylor, wore sorely troubled in doing their strokes because tin; ball came oil’ the turf at so slow a pan;; nevertheless, they lacked enterprise, particularly Bardsley, whose whole innings was not characteristic, bceaus; i 1 "h ' ll" 11 v ei --v ' n score Ironi balls on the leg side, which Used lo be his forte. Ryder sliowo 1 great command with many strokes, and the true spirit of adventure. Richardson had a greater variation of Vinrtli. (light: and spin than the other bowlers.