VERITY’S VICTORY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 150, 27 June 1934, Page 7

VERITY’S VICTORY

SECOND CRICKET TEST AUSTRALIA COLLAPSES TREMENDOUS ENTHUSIASM SPIN BOWLER’S IDEAL PITCH (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, June 25. The second cricket Test ended dramatically at Lord’s to-day, England inflicting a heavy defeat upon Australia by an innings and 38 runs. The wiu was as surprising as it was sensational. From the outset of the day’s play the Australians were in trouble on a rain-affected wicket made more difficult by the sun’s influence during the progress of play. England, mainly per medium of Verity, took full advantage of the weather-impaired wicket, and so remarkable a change came over the game that by 5.50 p.m. the match was over. Police rushed the ground to escort the Englishmen to the pavilion, around which ten thousand people surged rejoicing over the first English victory against Australia at Lord’s since 1896. Scenes of tremendous enthusiasm were witnessed as Verity appeared on the balcony, Verity had recorded an exceptional performance in having taken fifteen wickets in the match. In the first innings he took seven wickets for 61 runs off 36 overs, 15 of which were maidens, and, with the wicket more difficult for the batsmen, he went one better in the second innings by taking eight wickets for 43 runs off 22.3 overs, eight of which were maidens. Having made 192 runs for the loss of two wickets in reply to England’s score of 440, Australia held so good a position at tire end of the second day’s play that the critics generally anticipated a draw. Some rain during the week-end, however, changed the outlook, and it became evident as the third day’s play progressed that the Australians would be hard put to it to save a follow-on. The wicket at once was shown to be of assistance to the bowlers. It was difficult enough for the batsmen without sunshine, but when the sun broke through the clouds it was more tricky. Verity, clearly profiting by the conditions, had the batsmen fighting hard, but one by one the wickets fell. As the Australians approached nearer the mark necessary to save the follow-on the excitement became great. The ninth wicket fell with only seven runs needed, but, though Chipperfield was holding out. the last man was unequal to the task. In the follow-on Australia had an unenviable struggle, with Verity bowling better than ever on a wicket now worse than earlier in the day owin>g to the hot sun. Woodfull played a fine fighting innings, and contributed 43 to a total of lIS made by Australia in the second innings. Thus. Australia, setting out with 192 for two wickvls, had crashed badly in adding only 92 runs for eight wickets in the first innings, and in losing all ten wickets for 118 runs in the

second innings. Fighting for Runs. After Australia had lost four wickets for 26 in a disastrous 45 minutes, Chipperfield and Oldfield carried on merrily despite the difficult, wicket. Oldfield made several fine shots and powerfully cut Verity and Leyland. He was scoring faster than Chipperfield, who was painfully struck in the stomach off Hammond. Play was held up for five minutes. The score reached 250 in 275 minutes, and the plucky partnership held out hope of saving a follow-on* The partnership was worth 40 in fifty minutes, when Oldfield, playing forward, was caught, in the gully, Sut cliffe jumping high to hold the ball with one hand: 258—7—33. Grimmett, played a. ball on in the last over before lunch, at which the score was 273 for eight wickets, leaving Australia with 18 runs to make to save a follow-on. The wicket was not exactly sticky, but the damp surface favoured the bowlers. Chipperfield and O’Reilly struggled to save the follow-on, and 7 runs were still wanted when O’Reilly was bowled: 284 —9—4. Wall missed one ball and was completely beaten by the nextThe innings lasted 320 minutes. Chipperfield batted for one hundred and ten minutes and gave a solid, plucky display. Verity’s figures to-day in the first innings were 22 overs, 9 maidens, 37 runs, 6 wickets. Brown and Wood full reopened for Australia at 2.45 p.m- Only 10 runs had been scored when off the last ball of Bowes ’ third over Brown was caught at long-leg. Woodfull, shaping confidently against the bowlers, frequently got. Fames and Bowes away to leg. Verity and Hammond then were introduced and McCabe appeared to have mastered Verity when he drove a halfvolley hard, and to the amazement of the crowd Hendren, at silly mid-off, threw up the ball after having made a brilliant low catch: 432 —19. Bradman somewhat uncertainly played, out the rest, of the over. Later lie stepped out to hit V eriry. The pace from the pitch deceived Bradman, who skied a hall straight up, Ames taking the simplest of catches: 57 —3—13. Verity continued to bowl finely until the tea adjournment, when Australia were still 82 runs behind.

Procession to Pavilion. Woodfull continued confidently after the interval, but Darling was uneasy. Woodfull, however, was the first to go, a ball spinning off the bat straight to the hands of Hammond in the gully. The captaiu. kept an end up for one hundred and twenty minutes, and was sound and watchful: 94 —4—43. Without any addition to the score Darling was bowled by a ball which kept low. Bromley made 1. Then, jumping out to drive, he failed properly to connect and was brilliantly caught: 95-—6—l-Oldfield was out in the same over, and Grimmett was out first ball. Three wickets had fallen without any additio n to the score, and Verity , had taken four for 5 since tea. The wicket was now worse than before lunch. O’Reilly prevented Verity’s “hat trick.” Chipperfield was playing a good fighting innings when one from Verity turned sharply from leg and Chipperfield snicked it tn the slips.—ll2—9—l4. O’Reilly and Wall stubbornly hung on fo>r a few overs. Then Verity, get-

ting Wall caught at silly point, appropriately ended the innings at 5.50 p.m. Details:— England First innings 440 Australia First Innings Woodfull, b Bowes 22 Brown, c Ames, b Bowes 1 05 Bradman, c and b Verity 36 McCabe, c Hammond, b Verity .. 34 Darling, c Sutcliffe, b Verity .... V Chipperfield, not out 37 Bromley, c Geary, b Verity .... 4 Oldfield, c Sutcliffe, b Vciity .... 23 Grimmett, b Bowes 9 O’Reilly, b Verify 4 Wall. 1.b.w., b Verity ........ 0 Extras .. 10 Total 284 Fall of Wickets.—One for 68, two for .141, three for 203, four for 204, five for 205, six for 218, seven ter 258, eiffht for 273, nine for 284, ten for 284.

Brown, e Walters, b Bowes .... - Woodfull, c Hammond, b Verity . 43 McCabe, c Hendron, b Verity .. 1! Bradman, c Ames, b Verity .... 13 Darling, b Hammond If Chipperfield, c Geary, b Verity .. 14 Bromley, c and b Verity 1 Oldfield, 1.b.w., b Verity ...... 0 Grimmett, e Hammond, b V enty . f O’Reilly, not out 8 Wall, c Hendren, b Verity .... 1 Extras 7 Total 118 Ball of Wickets—One for 10, two for 43, three for 57. four for 94, five for 94. six for 95, seven for 1)5, eight for 95, nine for 112, ten for 118.

Bowling Analysis 0. M. R. w Barnes .... 12 3 43 o Bowes .... 31 5 98 ■ 1 Geary .. .. 22 4 56 () Verity .... 36 15 61 7 Hammond .. 4 1 (i () Leyland ... 4 1 JO 0

Bowling Analysis W. 0. M. It B°wcs .. . . 1-4 4 24 1 Fames .. . , 4 6 0 Verity .. • . 22.3 8 43 8 Hammond . . 13 0 38 1