GREAT FEAT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21186, 5 November 1938, Page 16

GREAT FEAT

Century in Each Innings WARREN BARDSLEY’S RECORD Bardsley b. Sharp 136 Bardsley lbw b. Barnes .. .. 130 These were the scores by Bardsley in the fifth Test in 1909 which made him the first cricketer of all time to make a century in each innings of a Test. As Bardsley was disinclined to talk of his achievement, the Melbourne “Sporting Globe” took from the London Daily Telegraph particulars of his performances for the benefit of those interested. Three fine right-handed Australian batsmen were distinctly wary, but Carr ‘googled’ them out all the same. While those disasters were in the process of occurring, Bardsley, the left-hander, who is only just beginning his career as a first-class cricketer, played with an amount of coolness and confidence which was at least refreshing to those

people who have been doomed to watch the continual batting failures (oftener than not the outcome of timidity) which have provided the many weaknesses of this season’s Test match cricket. “Confidence—well-merited confidence —was the feature of Bardsley’s batting, and Trumper at qpce proceeded to show that confidence was useful to a right-hander, too. Trumper’s judicious hint, excellently given, was not lost on his successors, and from the moment the Australians began to play strongly they also played successfully. “Punctually at half-past eleven, Gregory and Bardsley began the Australian batting to the bowling of Carr and Barnes, the latter being at the pavilion end. The crowd cheered loudly when Carr was put on to bowl, and they cheered more loudly still when, with the last ball of the second over, he completely defeated Gregory, who played back at the ball which bowled him. Googlies Had No Terrors “Gregory was 'succeeded by Noble. Barnes only bowled one over, and he then gave way to Sharp. Bardsley faced the googly biwler with the utmost confidence but the fourth .ball which Carr bowled to Noble proved fatal to him. Noble, like Gregory, played back at the ball which beat him. “Armstrong came and went. The score was then 55, Bardsley had played the googlies as well as the other bowling with determination and confidence. He had never hesitated as to what to do, and his batting was then, in marked contrast to that of his partners.” Ransford made three and was bowled and then Trumper came to join Bardsley. They were together at lunch with the score at 132 for four wickets— Bardsley 63, Trumper 46. The partnership took the score to 176 when Trumper tried to pull a shortpitched ball, half hit it, and was caught by Rhodes. The Telegraph writer continuing:— “Trumper’s partnership with Bardsley had added to the score 118 runs, of which the right-hander had made 73. Trumper’s innings was eminently one played in the best interests of his side .... like Bardsley, he certainly succeeded in making the English bowling look easy to treat. “With the total at 203, Bardsley brought his score to 100. He was, it almost goes without saying, loudly and deservedly cheered when he did so. “At 2.40 Carr was brought back to the crease, but it was Sharp who got the wicket which was so badly wanted; for with first ball of his fourth over he got the left-hander out. The total was then 259 and Bardsley had been batting while all those runs had been scored. “His magnificent innings it would be hard to overpraise. Whether he scored slowly or quickly, his batting never deteriorated in quality.” Of his second knock, the Telegraph writer has to say: Runs Made With Ease “Overnight, Gregory (35) and Bardsley (33) had together scored 76 runs without being separated. On resuming the run-getting continued and, at the end of an hour’s play, 85 runs had been made and made, too, with the greatest possible ease. “With the total, 180 Gregory, in a quixotic attempt to help his partner, did a very foolish thing. Bardsley, whose score was then 96, hit a ball bowled by Rhodes into the deep field, and although it went to Hutchings of all people, Gregory persisted in trying to do what he had evidently made up his mind to do, namely, to get a second run for the stroke. The inevitable happened. The ball was beautifully

returned and Gregory, fast as he ran, was run out.

“Bardsley got his century immediately Gregory departed, with Noble at the other end. Bardsley’s batting feat will bear the closest analysis. “His second hundred runs (like his first) had been faultlessly and fearlessly made and in both innings he showed very unmistakably indeed that he was not affected by what is called ‘the greatness of the occasion.’ “On each occasion Bardsley had to face English bowling when it was fresh and on each occasion it was he who took the sting out of it. In his first innings he watched at close quarters three very experienced Test match players. Gregory, Noble and Armstrong, beaten in quick succession by a bowler who, until then, had met in a short space of time with extraordinary success against the best of batsmen. The only effect which their defeat had upon Bardsley was to make him play better still. “Bardsley’s quick - footedness is, of course, of immense value to him, and the left-hander, who is instant of decision and quick of foot, must necessarily be a dangerous player. “The young left-handed batsman did something more than make either fame for himself or cricket history. He made the winning of the rubber for the Australians a certainty,”