DAY OF SPIRITLESS BATTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19802, 18 May 1934, Page 9

DAY OF SPIRITLESS BATTING

PONSFORD DISMISSED FOR “ DUCK ” United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, May 16. The weather was fine after rain at the commencement of frhe match, at the picturesque Chelmsford ground. The Australians had not previously played at Chelmsford, which was beflagged in honour of the visit. The Teams. AUSTRALIA—W. M. Woodfull, W. H. Ponsford, E. Bromley, L. S. Darling, S. J. M’Cabe, B. A. Barnett, W. J. O’Reilly, H. Ebeling, W. A. Brown, C. W. Grimmett, A. C. Chipperfield. ESSEX—T. N. Pearce, A. G. Daer, K. Fames, J. O’Connor, M. S. Nichols, G. Eastman, J. A. Cutmore, D. F. Pope, R. M. Taylor, J. R. Sheffield and P. Smith. Essex at the Wickets. Pope and Cutmore scored 35 in the first hour’s play. Despite the shortness of boundaries, the batsmen were rerely able to get Grimmett and O’Reilly away. The latter trapped Cutmore leg before with a faster ball. Then Pearce, captain, against whom O’Reilly had previously appealed twice in succession, fell on a third appeal, just before lunch. The game was not resumed until 3.20. owing to the rain. The ball was greasy, but with the wicket showing signs of roguery, Grimmett and O’Reilly puzzled Pope and O’Connor, and both were eventually leg before victims. The first four wickets had then fallen to leg decisions. Nichols and Taylor, though unsafe, scored steadily. This dull partnership ended at 1.30, when McCabe, in the slips, snapped up Taylor off Ebeling, whose pace was aided by a sloping pitch. Eastman broke the monotony, driving Grimmett, and pulling O’Reilly for four and six respectively. A total of 150 appeared after 205 minutes’ play, after which the scoring became much brighter, Nichols driving well. The pair added 50 when Eastman, in attempting a big hit, skied an easy catch close to the wicket.

After 200 was recorded in 235 minutes, H. Smith became the fifth leg before victim. Nichols meanwhile was driving with much greater certainty. He hit out as the tail-enders arrived, and reached 50 in 130 minutes. O’Reilly ended a miserable innings five minutes before stumps.