AUSTRALIA WIN ASHES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20391, 23 August 1934, Page 1

AUSTRALIA WIN ASHES.

Easy Victory in Fifth Test by 562 Runs.

SPIN BOWLERS ON TOP.

Please, Mr Woodfull, Do Not Try the Hat Trick.”

(United IT«_-s=s Association.-—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received August 23, 11.30 a.m.) . LONDON, August 22. AUSTRALIA won the final and deciding Test by 562 runs, thus regaining the Ashes. England’s second innings closed for 145; none of the batsmen were confident against the spin bowlers, and the match was quickly over. The crowd rushed to the pavilion, but the magnitude of the victory made the finish an unenthusiastie affair. There were calls for Woodfull, who appeared on the balcony with other players and waved to the crowd, which then demanded that Wyatt should appear. In response to the crowd’s demands Wyatt came on to the verandah and waved his cap. The other Englishmen did not appear, whereupon the crowd satirically called for Larwood, Voge and the selectors.

The Australians entertained the English team in the dressing room, where they fraternised freely. Mr H. D. Leveson-Gower first proposed Woodfull’s health, and then that of the team. He said that it was a happy coincidence that Woodfull should have twice regained the Ashes at the Oval on his birthday. “ Many happy returns Mr Woodfull,” he said. ‘‘But please do not try the hat trick.” Woodfull said that he felt it was one of the gladdest days of his life. THE PLAY. The_ weather was bright and mild, and 15,000 spectators were present. Slight rain which had fallen during the night had not affected the wicket. Bowes, following a minor operation, insisted upon playing, and it was also suggested that Ames might be fit to bat. Gregory substituted for Ames, Woolley still wicket-keeping. The surprise when Bowes appeared on the field was increased when, after Verity . had bowled the first over. Bowes’s second ball removed Bradman's leg stump. It was a mediumpaced ball, keeping low, to which Bradman played a poor stroke. lie tried to lift the ball, but swung over the top of it. His chanceless innings had lasted 115 minutes. He hit one sixer and seven fours.

Clark bowled much faster than Bowes, and had his usual leg-trap. M’Cabe, while batting brightly, attempted to cover-drive, 'but failed to connect properly, and Walters took a good hard catch low down. M’Cabe had batted for two hours, hitting ten fours. Woodfull Aggressive.

Woodfull was more aggressive than usual, but lost his wicket early to a really good ball from Bowes, which kept low. Bowes has thus dismissed Woodfull in four out of five encounters this season. Woodfull’s score was 13. It was an unhappy birthday. Worn patches in the wicket meant that the ball sometimes rose and sometimes kept low, promising trouble in store for England. Clark returned at 235, and bowled the hottest form of leg theory. The ball was pitched short and round the leg stump were five leg-traps, which the Australians undisguisedly resent. Kippax, lifting him over the legtrap, skied him to long leg, where Walters, the sixth leg-side fieldsman, took a neat catch. Six for 236. The second ball of Bowes’s next over Oldfield cut straight into the hands of Hammond at second slip, five wickets having fallen in an hour with the addition of only 50 runs. Chipperfield’s strong off-side play in-

duced Clark to abandon all but two of his leg-side fieldsmen. Chipperfield was eventually caught at the wicket by a rising ball off the shoulder of his bat when showing impressive form. Grimmett, after hitting almost everything splendidly, was caught by Hammond at second slip. Ebeling and O'Reilly made the pace a cracker until lunch. Ebeling continued vigorously after lunch and the partnership was worth 50 in thirty minutes. Bowes ended the innings by getting Ebeling well caught at square leg. The innings lasted 260 minutes. England 707 Behind. Seven hundred and seven behind, Walters and Sutcliffe re-opened for England at 2.45. M’Cabe, in his second over, made the ball come back and shattered Walters’s wicket. Woolley was given another fine reception, but with the first ball of M'Cabe's third over he attempted a drive and skied it to Ponsford at midon. M’Cabe had taken two lor 0. Grimmett came on with 11 runs up, and O’Reilly at 17. The scoring was quiet with Sutcliffe and Hammond together. Hammond then showed true form. He collected two fours from Grimmett and straight drove O’Reilly into the pavilion for six. Oldfield missed an easy chance of stumping him when he was 24 off Grimmett. Sutcliffe was beaten by a leg break and was caught in the slips. He batted 90 minutes and hit five fours. Leyland began with two successive fours off Grimmett. Hammond Out. Hammond was out in O’Reilly’s fifth over. He drove the ball hard back to the bowler, who took a splendid lefthand catch. Hammond batted 90 minutes and hit one six and seven fours.

In the same over, Wyatt drove a no-ball for six. The hundred occupied 120 minutes. Then Leyland, whom Grimmett repeatedly worried, was caught in the covers. O’Reilly consistently attacked Wyatt’s leg stump, but Grimmett’s spin was again triumphant when Wyatt attempted an off drive, Ponsford taking an excellent running catch at mid-on. An hour remained when Verity joined Allen, who was batting pluckily in a lost cause. Verity made only one when a ball spun from the edge of his bat. M’Cabe, at second slip, accepted an easy catch. Bowes tapped the simplest catch to Bradman close to the wicket, and Allen, swinging at Grimmett, was out next over. Australia thus took the Ashes with 35 minutes to spare on the fourth day. There was a tremendous scramble for the stumps. England’s innings lasted 175 minutes.