England's Day Bedser And Bailey Play Havoc With Australian Team; All Out For 194

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 December 1950, Page 5

England's Day Bedser And Bailey Play Havoc With Australian Team; All Out For 194

MELBOURNE, December 22 (Reed. 11.59 p.m.).—lt was England’s day on the Melbourne ground on the first day of the second test. On a perfect wicket, Australia was dismissed for 194. Bedser again showed his class and Bailey was full of fire, while Brown and Close both did well, the only disappointment being Wright, who lacked control. In the early stages, Bedser was a constant danger, showing remarkable control and sustained hostility-

The Australian batting never! has been so uncertain, and so full 1 of chancy strokes. Harvey, for example, seemed to have a eharm-1 ?d life, snicking several danger-, ously, and escaping the penalty.! At four for 93 Australia was in a bad position, but Has?ett and Loxton added a valuable 84, showing the best form of the innings. Both were out at 177. Hassett again was most artistic and rarely troubled. It was a surprise, therefore, when he was clean bowled. Loxton also drove well Misty showers before the game made the atmosphere heavy and conducive to swing, but batting failures indicate that Australias’ victory in the tests is not certain. England suffered a severe blow when Compton’s knee was found to be | too bad for him to play. This hasi given Parkhouse his chance. The; selectors omitted Warr, leaving Close in the side. The fielding was keen, nothing being given away. Several nice catches,! especially by Bedser, roused the! crowd. The attendance was 35,697. and the takings £3958. Brown’s decision to withhold the! composition of the English team until the last moment delayed the start 10 minutes. The only topic of conversation early was the disappoint-' ment that Compton’s knee prevented him from playing. The worst blow. the unlucky Englishmen have suffered since their arrival in Perth 2i months ago. An estimated 25,000 saw Brown and Hassett toss in the centre. England again was unlucky for Hassett, winning the toss, took first urf of the perfect wicket. It was 12.10 p.m. when Bailey sent down the first ball ( to Archer, who opened by driving i the first ball past mid-on for 3. A light drizzle fell before play, but the weather cleared quickly, further rain seeming unlikely. Sawdust ivas called for by Bedser after a good maiden over, but in the second Morris snicked a ball to Hutton at first slip and was Well caught for 2 , with the score at 6. SUCCESS FOR BEDSER Bedser changed to the other end after lunch with immediate success, Harvey tickling the first ball to the wicketkeeper. Harvey frequently was worried but always was looking for the ball to hit. He Watted 68 minutes for six 4’s. Miller began briskly but Archer still worried him. He was frequently struck on the body, one severe knock : sending him to the ground. Archer ; was heckled for playing back and . patting hfllf volleys, but was cheered ; when he swung a bouncer from . Bailey for 3. Generally England had done a grand job to this stage with luck against them.

Harvey was badly beaten off Bedser’s third over. The batting generally was subdued, 11 runs coming in the first half-hour. Later Bailey got a good one past Harvey. The heavy atmosphere apparently is making the ball swing a lot. Indicative of this was Harvey shaping to play and on-side stroke, the bajtl finishing past point. Bailey worried Archer, who snicked two in one over, the second just avoiding the second slip and going for the first 4. The next over Harvey attempted to drive the ball and sliced behind point for a 4. The bowlers were distinctly un-' lucky.

After .50 minutes, Wright replaced Bailey. At 1.28, Harvey entered the 20” s with a lovely straight drive off Wright—the best yet in the innings. Then followed in the same over a back cut and then he delicately steered the next through slips for 4’s. Lunch saw the batsmen still worried, England’s pre-lunch attack being virile, except for 15 off Wrights' over.

Archers long, tenuous innings ended when Bedser at second slip dived across and held a beautiful right hand catch. Bailey, delighted, raced up and hugged Bedser. Archer stayed there 131 minutes for one 4. Brown replaced Bedser at 2 for 26 at 89, Miller snicked him dangerously through slips for two. Two balls later,, Miller played one with his legs and was given out lbw.

I ENGLAND’S STOCKS RISE | England's stocks were rising. When I Bedser bowled again, he had two slips, two silly legs, one fine leg, and another fine leg on the fence. He I took one silly-leg away when LoxI ton was batting. The laborious 100 (came up in 163 minutes. Wright be--1 gan with a half pitcher, which Hassett effortlessly swung for 4. It was the first boundary of the nearly two hours. Hassett was shaping well, but mistimed Wright in the next over, the ball flying uppishly through slips for 3. Close had his first bowl after tea, and sent down a good first over, making the ball nip off smartly. Loxton, frequently defending desperately, broke a quiet spell by swinging Close for 4, and he back cut the next bail to reach 20. This brought up the 50 I partnership in 59 minutes—easily the , fastest scoring of the match. ALERT FIELDING. I Loxton began to unwind fierce drives, but alert fielding cut down the | runs. Dewes, in the outfield, frequently was applauded for his fact, accurate returns to Evans. ' Wright seemed to have trouble gain. ,ing direction and control. His figures j were unflattering at none lor 63. Hasl rett swung a short one to long-on for for a 4 twice in one over, reaching 52 in 97 minutes. Close returned to the other end. Loxton, snicking the first hall to the wicketkeeper, made 32 in 85 minutes. ENGLAND TRITMPH England enjoyed her greatest I triumph when Bailey beat and bowled Hassett, whose artistic 52 took 110 minutes (four 4’s). Two wickets had then fallen for no runs. Lindwall and Tallon had to meet the new ball before tney had scored more than three ! runs between them. Lindwall, with fine cover drives, hit one 4 and a three. Australia's 228 in Brisbane looked reasonable when Lindwall was out lbw to Bailey, and the seventh wicket fell at 192. lan Johnson went with the addition of one run, and Bill Johnston followed him back to the pavilion after the next ball. Iverson, saving the hat-trick, was clean bowled in Bailey's next over, and the innings ended at 194 right on stumps. Scores:— AUSTRALIA First Innings.

Archer, c Bedser, b Bailey 26 Morris, c Hutton ,h Bedser 2 Harvey, c Evans, b Bedser 42 Miller, lbw, b Brown 18 Hassett, b Bailey 52 Loxton, c Evans, b Close . 32 Lindwall, lbw, b Bailey 8 Tallon, not out 7 I. Johhson, c Parkhc|se, b Bedser 0 W. Johnston, c Hutton, b Bedser 0 Iverson, h Bailev 1 Sundries (byes 4, leg 2) 6 Total 194 Fall of wickets.—One for 6, 2 for 67 3 for 89, 4 for 93, 5 for 177. 6 177, 7 for 192, 8 for 193, 9 for 193. tor Bowling. O. M. R. W. Bailey . 17.1 5 40 4 Bedser . 19 3 37 4 Wright - ..... 8 0 63 0 Brown 9 0 28 1 Close 6 1 20 1