M’CABE NOT OUT 74.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20329, 12 June 1934, Page 1

M’CABE NOT OUT 74.

Australia Batting, Have Three Down for 159.

THEIR CHANCE OF WINNING

( United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.— Copyright.)

(Received June 12, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 11. ENGLAND were all out for 268 shortly after the luncheon adjournment in the first Test to-dav, and Australia’s

second innings score at stumps was 159 for three. M’Cabe, who | is not out 74, batted brightly and l hit the only six so far. Woodi full and Bradman again failed to | make a stand, and Ponsford also i went cheaply. Hendren and Geary put on ! 75 runs for England in the first : innings. The Australian Press Association comments: “If bold tactics are pursued to-morrow Australia should be one up in the Tests. The probability is that Grimmett and O’Reilly, on the wearing wicket, will dismiss England for a smaller total than in the first innings.”

Jack Hobbs, writing in the “Star,” says: “Australia are now safe from defeat. If they like to push on quickly they will have a very line chance of winning.” D. R. Jardine says: “It has been a lucky match for Australia. Things have run right for them with both bat and ball.” , All the critics pay a tribute to the fine fighting stand by Hendren and Geary, and describe the day’s play as the most exciting, with fortunes fluctuating.

In hot and brilliant weather 20,000 people, in a queue of half a mile, waited to pass through the turnstiles. The wicket was faster than previously. The game was held up for a few minutes when thousands of hot spectators rushed to the boundary ropes for a better view. The police were heckled when they endeavoured to force them to stand back.

Hendren took two twos off Wall’s first over. Wall dismissed the Nawab of Pataudi in his second over, he being nicely caught at second slip by M’Cabe. Pataudi played a tedious and uncomfortable innings of eighty minutes. Ames was batting for twenty minutes before scoring. The Australians’ fielding to-day was much improved. Brown, Bradman and Darling made several excellent saves and snappy returns. O’Reilly kept both batsmen in check. Hendren was looking for runs but was unable to connect with Grimmett.

Ames lost his wicket at his first attempt at a big hit, giving Wall a catch at square leg. Hendren had a close shave when he cocked a ball towards Darling. Telegraph Boy Interrupts Play. With the wicket becoming more difficult Hendren was most uncomfortable, often dangerously chopping Grimmett. Geary defended stubbornly and occasionally took liberties and helped himself to fours. As a result the score began to mount more rapidly and put the onlookers in better heart. Chipperfield was given a few overs, but he was inaccurate. Hendren took two fours off him in quick succession. The partnership raised 50 in thirty minutes, which was a severe setback to Australia.

A telegraph messenger rushed on to the ground with a telegram for Chipperfield, and the game was held up. Wood-' full ordered the boy off. Chipperfield thrust the message into his pocket unread.

Hendren and Geary were now settled down, and 203 runs appeared in 285 minutes. Fours were all too frequent for the Australians. Grimmett and O’Reilly returned at 226 after M’Cabe’s and Wall’s brief use of a new ball, but Hendren and Geary continued their stubborn defence until the luncheon adjournment. Geary was shaping better than some of the recognised batsmen. He cut and drove Grimmett for fours in the same over.

Australia appeared to be failing to drive home their initial advantage. The crowd after lunch exceeded Saturday’s ground record of 30,100, and the gates were closed. The 250 took 350 minutes, runs coming freely. Geary reached 50 in ninety minutes. The partnership was worth 101 in 125 minutes. When O’Reilly was again called on he bowled Hendren first ball, taking the middle and off stumps with a ball turning from the off. Hendren batted 220 minutes, and gave a chanceless, powerful, on-side, admirable display after a poor start. He hit nine fours. The total then was seven for 266. No runs were added when Geary jumped out to drive Grimmett and Oldfield made a fine job of stumping him. Geary in 115 minutes hit ten fours. He showed some noble hitting in a good, fighting knock. He was chanceless, though fortunate in the early stages. O’Reilly in the next over bowded Verity neck and crop. The three wickets fell in three overs without any addition to the score. The last pair added two and then Grimmett easily bowled Fames, making four wickets in four overs. The innings lasted only forty-five minutes after lunch and 385 minutes altogether. Grimmett and O’Reilly bowled splendidly throughout Australia’s fielding was of a high class. Australia Bat. Ponsford and Woodfull re-opened at 3.20 w r ith Australia 106 ahead. Woodfull glanced Farnes’s third ball for two, but the fifth swung in, completely deceiving Woodfull, whose leg stump was uprooted. One for 2. Brown, who followed, was fortunate in snicking the last ball to the fence.

Fames was making the ball lift, and was keeping the batsmen on the defensive. Ponsford had a narrow escape from chopping Hammond into the wicket before the same bowler, pitching one in a worn spot, bowled Ponsford round his legs. Two wickets were down for 32.

Bradman began quietly, and then drove and hooked Hammond for successive fours. Brown was more attractive than on Friday, though Verity almost bowled him. Bradman played several fluky strokes, but the pair were together at the afternoon tea adjournment, at which time the total was two for 61.

Hammond and Fames re-opened, and the third ball of the latter’s third over was a very fast one of good length. It rose sharply. Bradman failed to play it in time, and the ball snicked off the shoulder of the bat and was neatly caught at the wicket. After forty min utes’ play the total was three for 69. M’Cabe began brightly, thpugh worn spots on the wicket clearly worried both batsmen. M’Cabe swung Mitchell for two consecutive fours and also drove Geary to the fence, but Brown quietened and was unable to get Geary and Mitchell away, thanks large!} l - to the excellent fielding. The hundred occupied 115 minutes. Brown at 33 should have been stumped off Mitchell, Ames fumbling. There were frequent bowding changes, but M’Cabe continued finely, passing Brown’s score, though M’Cabe had had seventy-five minutes less batting. M’Cabe hit the first six of the match—a fierce pull from Mitchell. He also collected two fours in the same over and reached 50 in even time. Brown was tedious. M’Cabe, with a delightful variety of strokes, played the best innings of the match so far. He batted for eighty-five minutes and gave a brilliant display. He hit a six and thirteen fours. The innings so far has lasted 165 minutes. Fames has taken two wickets for 41. Scores: ENGLAND. First Innings. Walters, lbw b Grimmett 17 Sutcliffe, c Chipperfield b Grimmett 62 Hammond, c lyi’Cabe b O’Reilly .. 25 Nawab of Pataudi, c M’Cabe b Wall 12 Leyland, c and b Grimmett 6 Hendren, b O’Reilly 79 Ames, c Wall, b O’Reilly 7 Geary, st Oldfield, b Grimmett .. 53 Verity, b O’Reilly 0 Fames, b Grimmett 1 Mitchell, not out 1 Extras 5 Total 268

102, three for 106, four for 114, five for 145, six for 165, seven for 266, eight for 266, nine for 266, ten for 265. AUSTRALIA First Innings Woodfull, c Verity b Fames .... 26 Ponsford, c Ames b Fames 53 Brown, lbw b Geary 22 Bradman, c Hammond b Geary .. 29 M’Cabe, c Leyland b Fames .... 65 Darling, b Verity 4 Chipperfield, c Ames b Fames . . 99 Oldfield, b Mitchell 20 Grimmett. b Geary 39 O’Reilly, b Fames 7 Wall, not out 0 Extras .. .1 10

Fall of wickets.—One for 77, two for 88, three for 125, four for 146, five for 153, six for 234, seven for 281, eight for 339, nine for 374, ten for 374. Second Innings. Woodfull, b Fames 2 Ponsford, b Hammond 5 Brown, not out 37 Bradman, c Ames b Fames 25 M’Cabe, not out 74 Extras 16 Total for three wickets .. 159 Fall of wickets—One for 2, two for 32, three for 69.

Bowling Analysis. O. M. R W. Wall 33 7 82 1 M’Cabe 7 2 7 0 Grimmett 58.3 24 81 5 O’Reilly 37 16 75 4 Chipperfield .. 3 0 18 0 Fall of wickets — One for 45, two for

Total .... Bowling O. Analysis. M. R. W Fames ... . 40.2 10 102 5 Geary . 43 8 101 3 Hammond . 13 4 29 0 Verity . 34 9 65 1 Mitchell ... . 21 4 62 1 Levland • . 1 0 5 0