SECOND TEST.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 28 June 1926, Page 2

SECOND TEST.

AUSTRALIA BATS FIRST. Par Preqi Asaoeiation—Copyright. LONDON, June 26. The second test, England v. Australia, opened at Lords in brilliant sunshine. The attendance reached 25,000, including the King. _ The wicket was perfect. Following are the teams: Australia. H. L. Collins (captain), N.S.W. W. R. Bardsley (N.S.W.) J. E. Ryder (Victoria). T. J. E. Andrews (N.S.W.) J. M. Taylor (N.S.W.) W. A. Oldfield (N.S.W.) J. M. Gregory (N.S.W.) C. G. Macartney (N.S.W.) A. Richardson (South’ Australia). A. A. Mailey (N.S.W.) W. M. Woodfuil (Victoria). England. A. W. Carr (Notts.), captain. A. P. F. Chapman (Kent). J. B. Hobbs (Surrey). H. Strudwick (Surrey). F. E. Woolley (Kent). E. Hendren (Middlesex). H. Larwood (Yorkshire). R. Kilner (Yorkshire). M. W. Tate (Sussex). C. F. Root (Worcestershire). H. Sutcliffe (Yorkshire).

P. Holmes (Yorkshire) 12th man. Collins won the toss and decided to bat. fate and Root were the opening bowlers. The sdbre starred with a bye from Tate’s first over. Root immediately commenced with the leg theory to Collins, who resolutely declined them. Root’s first delivery in his second over, had Collins completely ‘beaten. The bail came from the off and was similar to those which did the damage at Birmingham. The score was then eleven. Tate’s third over was a maiden, but it included a ball which Bardsley was very -lucky to keep out of his wicket. Bardsley misjudged the stroke and clipped the bail hard on his pad, saving his wicket. I hus warned, he settled down to his favourite stroke, a glance to the leg, which he employed to good effect, ft fell to Macartney’s lot to have to play Root, whereas Bardsley left him severely dope. He wa§ trapped by a ball which <jame back instead of going away. Macartney went forward whenever possible and played the ball off the pitch. When ' seven, he had a lucky escape of going out leg before

to Root, who played up to Macartney’s habit of getting in front of the wicket. Carr made a double change in the bowling, putting on Kilner and Larwood. Macartney against these

bowlers gave signs of over anxiety, and his strokes were characterised by occasional uncertainty, although his •scoring shots were crisp and attractive. Larwood’s length after a couple of overs became variable, and Bardsley knocked some nice boundaries off him. Larwood’s fourth over to Macartney was full of incident. The first ball produced an unsuccessful appeal for leg before, the second was wide to the off side and was chopped—a strange stroke and most unlike Macartney. The third was superbly sent to the boundary at square leg. The fourth went to the boundary through the slips. The fifth went for three to leg. Macartney followed up by driving Kilner to the on boundary. The hour produced sixty-six. Tate shortly after replaced Larwood. Macartney was then set. . He played Tate stylishly, and hit a single in the slips dangerously near Chapman, who got his fingers to the ball. When thirty-seven Macartney was given the benefit of the doubt in a strong appeal for leg before.

The English fielding throughout was clean and keen. Carr and Hendren were most prominent. Larwood, in his second attempt with the ball, found his feet and got Macartney well caught by Sutcliffe at second slip, off a rising ball, which he should have left alone. He hit four fours. The board showed: Two wickets for 84.

Woodfull followed the example of his predecessor and left Root’s leg balls severely alone. After lunch, for the first time in history, English amateurs and professionals came out at entrance of the Pavilion. Bardsley, when 52, cut Larwood hard and low into the hands of CaiT, who failed to hold it. After obtaining a number of singles, Woodfiill over-reached a ball and was well taken at the wicket londown. Bardsley continued his polished exhibition, cutting anti hitting to leg. 1 ate bowled with good judgment, but except at one period Was not dangerous, and seemed to give the batsmen little real anxiety. Andrews was never comfortable and gave two chances before Kilner accepted a hot return.

A buzz of excitement came from the crowd as Gregory took his position, but before-he got going Larwood had him completely beaten. Bardsley, after

a slow spell, began to score by boundaries. He made a brilliant leg glance just deflecting the ball from the wicket. He reached the century with a fine drive past cover. He took 195 minutes. This was Bardsley’s third test century—all scored in England. After bowling twenty-three overs, Tate secured his first wicket, Taylor putting his bat to a ball which kicked badly and was easily taken in the slips. The total was then six wickets for 208.

Richardson's position in the batting order, in view* of his recent displays, caused some comment. He was soon off the mark and gave a splendid exhibition of driving. Bardsley, when 112, was badly misled by Strudwick off Tate, the keeper fumbling an easy catch.

After tea Bardsley was aggressive, straight driving Larwood’s express balls. Richardson followed suit, and Carr changed the bowling every four or five overs, using mainly Tate, Root. Kilner and Larwood. Richardson was .taken by a nail which beat him all the way. He batted eighty minutes. His score included six fours. The seventh wicket had added 74 runs Bardsley continued to bat freely, adding a large proportion of the score in front of the wicket. Ryder opened shakily and then opened out. He drove Tate splendidly-, but just on time, he was snapped at the wicket by Strudwick.

Bardsley gave a superb display. His ’score is a record in England v. Australia test cricket at Lords. So far he has hit thirteen fours. Following are the scores : • AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Collins, b Root j

Bardsley, not out 173 Macartney e Sutcliffe b Larwood 39 Woodfull, c Strudwick, b Root 13 Andrews, c Kilner, b Root .... 10 Gregory, b Larwood 7

Taylor, c £arr, b Tate .... 9 Richardson, b Kilner 35 Ryder, c Strudwick, b Tate . . 28 Extras 2 3 Total for eight wickets .. 338 COMMENT ON THE PLAY. LONDON, June 27. C. E. Kelleway, writing in .“The Sunday Express,” states: “It has been mainly Bardsley’s day. The great left-hander played all the bowling in the same easy way, and was never iff doubt throughout. 1

England fielded well, following the magnificent example of Carr, wto

injured his hand stopping a cut from Bardsley. Of the bowlers, Ruot was easily, the best. The others worked hard and bowled accurately, but Root obviously gave the b.itsmen more to think about than all the others. As the game stands, Australia has come out very well, and reached a total which at one t'me seemed unobtainable.”

A. C. MacLaren, writes in “The News of the World”:—“The Australians, after tea, failed to push home their advantage. If the later batsmen had hit out and got out, and ena.bled England to bat a tew minutes at the’ end of the day, it would been better from the Australian viewpoint, than overcautious batting, which has made a draw almost inevitable. When we lose the toss on a good wicket, it is something that an opponent’s tactics saves us from defeat.”

The “Sketch” says: “The flint day of the test was not exactly a feast of sparkling cricket, and not garnished with Worcestershire sauce, for Root, except for his early triumph in tricking Collins, was not the Root of the Birmingham rout. Nevertheless, that first and only closing of the leg theory ’trap was humorously pathetic. Thrice in Root’s first over, Collins lifted his bat and let the log swingers pass, with something bordering on sublime disdain, but Collins had .not learned the lesson at Birmingham, and almost contemptuously let the next ball alone. It whipped in and the leg stick was skittled, while the bat was still cocked in the air. Andrews never got bis eye in and was a victim of Kilner’s guile in pitching up off breaks. Macartney even, was not venturesome—proof that the bowling was consistent and needed watching. He was not the old superb Macartney, or else he would not have felt out for Larwood s outswinger, and given Sutcliffe a spectacular chance. Woodfull seemed muscle bound, and Taylor was weighted down by a run of county calamities. Gregory was strangely mute and inglorious, and Richardson streaky and uncertain. Ryder aroused the crowd’s ire by pottering for twenty minutes for two, beloi-e he got going. Bardsley was the unconquered hero of the day'*'