BRILLIANT BATTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 196, 20 August 1934, Page 7

BRILLIANT BATTING

DECISIVE TEST OPENS

AUSSIES SENSATIONAL RECORD PARTNERSHIP

BRADMAN AND PONSFORD DOUBLE CENTURIES

Scoring with effortless ease against many changes of England’s bowlers, Bradman and Ponsford placed Australia in a splendid position on the opening day of the decisive match of the 1934 Test series, the parenership adding 452 runs after the first wicket had fallen with the total at 21. Thus a new partnership i - ecord was established at the historic Oval, where this deciding Test is being played. Both these brilliant batsmen registered double centuries, Bradj man reaching 244 before being dismissed a few minutes ! before stumps were drawn for the day, while Ponsford, who | had not scored so rapidly, was still unbeaten with 205 to his credit.

AT THE DAWN |j ! QUEUE OF THOUSANDS. t f I . I I Received Aug, 19, 7.5 p-m. r LONDON, Aug. 18. f | The weather was hot and fine for the j [Test at the Oval and there was a crowd ( I of 22,000 and a “gate” of £2409. Many ( i waited throughout the night and there j was a queue of thousands at dawn. [ The ground is materially and aesthe- f tically inadequate for such a great oc- , casion. The wicket is green, contrast- . ing with the hard, fast, brownish dried j outfield. i Woodfull won the toss. The teams t had a quiet reception. ( Soon after the start of play an um- . pire had to signal film operators to switch off a glaring searchlight which was getting in the batsmen’s eyes. The teams are:— Australia.—Woodfull, Ponsford, Bradman, McCabe, Oldfield, O’Reilly, Grim mett, Ebeling, Brown, Chipperfield, Kip- ' pax, Darling (12th man). England.—Wyatt, Walters, Sutcliffe, ' Ames, Hammond, Leyland) Allen, Verity, Bowes, Clark, Woolley, Gregory ' (12th man). Bowes and Allen opened the bowling but the former was displaced by Clark at 20. Clark bowled fast round the wicket with three men in a “leg trap.” The first three balls were well outside the off stump but the fifth swung in beautifully, taking Brown’s off and middle stumps. Bowes then took Allen’s place and Bradman opened badly but he and Ponsford soon commenced to put on runs and with Allen and Hamomnd on they enjoyed a spell of comfortable scoring. When the total was 57 Ponsford gave a chance off Allen to Wyatt at square leg. The hundred was reached in 90 minutes. Clark returned at 3 05 and struck Ponsford painfully on the thigh but the latter continued to bat admirably. The lunch adjournment was taken with the total of 123 for one wicket. Ponsford at 68 was dropped at second slip by Woolley off Bowes, a difficult right-hand chance. Two hundred appeared in 160 minutes, the batsmen scorI ing at an impressive rate despite changes of bowling. Ponsford’s fifth Test century was compiled in 170 minutes and Bradman reached 100 in 165 minutes. Ponsford was three times hit I by Clark, who was again bowling a 1: (great swinging ball awkwardly.’ Buns 3 (continued to come freely, the batsmen I I exasperating the fieldsmen with cun- ! uingly placed singles. Ponsford at 115 ,! had his third- escape when Wyatt, at hnidoff, dropped him- off Verity. WoolLey again dropped Ponsford one run I later off Allen. i The partnership of 236 beat WoodI full’s and Macartney’s second wicket i Tost record established at Leeds in 1926. (Thus the same pair in successive Tests ! shattered the second and fourth wicket records. The 300 took 235 minutes and the tea score was one for 311. The bowlers were now looking the worse for wear. Ponsford and Bradman ’■ established their second successive Test i partnership of 300 in 255 minutes. Run-

getting now seemed ridiculously easy, Ponsford driving Bowes as though he were a slow bowler. Wyatt bowled for the first time in the current Test series at 387 coming on with Verity. Scoring four off each Ponsford raised 400 in 300 minutes. Bradman reached a magnificent, chanceless 200 ; n 280 minutes. the same over the batsman broke his own Test record partnership of 388, established at Leeds. Smacking two pathetic successive full tosses from Leyland to the boundary Bradman brought the colossal partnership to 400 in 285 minutes, after which the ruhs came at an even more devastating rate. Bradman jumped out to hit Verity for the first six of the match. Ponsford became cautious approaching his first Test double century, which he achieved in 330 minutes. Ten minutes before the close Brad man, bending in trying to hook a short ball from Bowes, failed to connect and was well caught at the wicket. He batted 310 minutes and gave a chanceless innings which included one six and thirty-two fours. The partnership realised 453. Ponsford and McCabe quietly played out time. Ponsford thus far has batted 345 minutes and has hit one five and nineteen fours. Scores:— Australia. First Innings. Ponsford, not out 205 Brown, b Clark 10 Bradman, c Ames, b Bowes .. .. 244 McCabe, not out 1 Extras 15 Total, two for 475 Bowling Analysis.

Byes 1, leg byes 8. wides 2, no balls 4. Fall of Wickets: None for 21; twn for 474. LISTENER’S DEATH CENTENNIAL PARK CURATOR. BRADMAN’S DOUBLE CENTURY. Received Aug. 19, 7.30 p.m. SYDNEY, Aug. 19. The death has occurred of Mr. E. N. Ward, G 3. curator of Sydney Botanic Gardens and Centennial Park. He waf born in Yorkshire, and was well-known in Many parts of the world. He had been ill and was listening to tho cricket broadcast, nnd announced that ho would stay up until Bradman reached a double century. Ho collapsed almost, immediately after the batsman attained the feat.

Bowes .. ... 0. .. 21 M1 R. 110 w. 1 Allen • • • • • .. 18 1 110 0 Clark 22 3 77 1 Hammond .. . 9 0 36 0 Verity .. 23 3 79 • Wyatt . • • • 4 0 21 0 Leyland .. .. .. 3 0 27 0