M.C.C. Eleven, Thanks To Tail-End Batsmen, Lead Australia By Three Runs In Ist. Innings

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 December 1950, Page 6

M.C.C. Eleven, Thanks To TailEnd Batsmen, Lead Australia By Three Runs In Ist. Innings

Brown And Evans Mainstays In A Great Second Day Fight

MELBOURNE, Saturday (Reed. 8 p.m.).—A gallant fight for runs by the lower ranked batsmen after a shocking collapse of the early supposed run-getters gave England a thrilling three run head on the second day of the test against Australia.

Among the first six who opposed a not very hostile at- j tack on a perfect wicket, Wash- j brook’s 21 alone was worthy of a ■ test batsman, even at that stage. Brown and Bailey seemed just as | uncertain as those who had gone ; before them. But gradually the I bowling weakened and Brown and Bailey gained much needed confidence until, eventually they more than doubled England s score. Brown was the dominant partner. This was indicated by the fact that j Bailey took more than an hour to reach double figures. When Brown eventually went out he received an | ovation worthy of that accorded to j Bradma'n. Then when Evans took • over, he put more sting into the| Lion’s tail, allowing Bedser few chances to meet the bowlers. He - cleverly played for strike, pushing his | own score along with well timed | drives and glances. His was a grand effort, primarily responsible England leading on the first inni'ngs. While Australia’s small score was due entirely to grand bowling, the same cannot be said about England. The bowling was by no means devastating, but the batting was deplorable. Most of the newcomers went out to extremely poor attempts to play mediocre bowling. The efforts of the later batsmen showed them up in an extremely bad light. Australia, in the second innings, after scoring 14 runs off Bailey’s opening over, finished the day with 25 runs on the board. Simpson faced Lftidwall in the : opening over and was applauded: when he took two from a midon : placement in the first over. Unexpect-; edly Miller, the other bowler, showed * plenty of pace, but Washbrook began i with a gully single. Two overthrows helped Washbrook to add four off | Lindwall’s next over during which the ,; batsman was beaten several times.> Then Simpson snicked a swinger | ■ from Miller and was neatly caught at • first slip by lan Johnson. EXPERIMENT FAILS Once again the experiment with openers failed. Dewes settled down solidly, getting well behind the ball and soon off the mark. Delightful weather was attracting crowds which were still flocking in. Washbrook swung mightily at the first bouncer from Miller but missed. Then he seized an over pitched ball from Lindwall and in a neat straight drive got , three. The first half hour produced . 22 runs.

ACROBATIC CATCH

After four overs Miller was replaced by Bill Johnston. The change was immediately successful, Miller} taking an acrobatic catch at second slip and dismissing Dewes. Dewes had stayed a valuable half hour, helping to break down the virulence of the early attack for Hutton, who received a flattering reception. Hut- i ton began with a smart single and lost his partner, who was hit on the pads by an almost full toss and was out lbw. Washbrook had stayed 52 minutes for a confident 21. Seven fieldsmen ringed Parkhouse • as he faced Lindwall but he steered the ball to leg for a single. Iverson, the mystery bowler, replaced Lindwall after six overs, Hutton hitting the fourth ball beautifully through the covers for four. With Parkhouse uneasy against Iverson and lan Johnson who had just come on, England had a hard fight ahead. Hutton played a ball. from Iverson on to his pads and thence to the wicketkeeper and was out by a simple catch when 12. Hut-! ton looked dismayed. Close came and | went. He made a shocking attempt} to pull a ball and England were five down for 54. Parkhouse scored nine in 45 minutes and then Snicked Miller to Hassett at third slip for a good catch. It was Miller’s second over after lunch. Bailey hadn’t a clue against Iverson, making pathetic attempts to play him. Brown was little better, but used his feet quickly to slam an overpitched ball from Iverson to the long off fence. BATSMEN MORE COMFIDENT lan Johnson joined Iverson in the attack, but the batsmen hung on, shaping more confidently. At six wickets down for 84, the position was still desperate. Brown became top scorer when he swung lan Johnson to square leg where Iverson just touched but couldn’t hold the ball. The crowd roared when Brown swung lan Johnson over the long on fence Loxtion, striving desperately to reach it, and pierced the field with a lovely cover drive in the same over. Bailey swept the same bowler for

: two, bringing 100 up in 141 minutes. Thirteen came off Johnson’s over, so I Loxton replaced him for the next over. Still England stuck, and Bailey reached double figures in an hour. Lindwall replaced Iverson, Brown straight driving him for a two and a four, all run, to bring up a 50 partnership in an hour. Just after the i score had been doubled Lindwall I knocked back Bailey’s stumps. It took Bailey 71 minuts to make 12, but it was a valuable stand. Brown broke j the quiet spell with four behind point, . reaching 50 in 96 minutes just before tea. i After tea 150 came up in 209 minutes, but Iverson was back again. He j hit Brown on the pads and several ' half hearted appeals went astray. > Iverson had his revenge, however. Brown weakly pulled one behind 1 square leg to lan Johnson. Brown's [ was a gallant 62 hi 123 minutes, the crowd giving his a magnificent reception. He had one six and four I fours in that effort. Evans had his anxieties, but settled I down in his usual perky fashion, | proving very stubborn. One cover j drive came so fast that Harvey was I hit on a foot and it stung. Evans hit the first ball from Lindwall beautifully for a four. Then came the new ball and Evans treated Miller the same way. The crowd I hooted When Miller bowled a bouncer to Evans, who was cheered the same over for a glorious back cut for four. The new ball did not worry him and he ran cleverly i for strike. The crowd rose to cheer I him when, after hitting the new I bowlers out of the firing line, he made | the scores equal by swingingg Iver'son to the leg fence. He tried a similar stroke and was caught by lan Johnson for 49 which took 84 minlutes and included four fours. ! Wright and Bedser fought for i England’s lead with the crowd cheering every stroke. A single off Bill | Johnston by Bedser gave them that honour. Then when England was three ahead, Wright went out l.b.w. . ■ Only 25 minutes remained when Archer and Morris collected 14 runs * off Bailey’s opening over and a couple ' of fours off Bedser, At stumps Australia had scored 25 without loss.