CRICKET.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 29 December 1926, Page 3

CRICKET.

THE GAME IN AUSTRALIA. (Per Press Association—Copyright.’ ADELAIDE, Dec. 28. Queensland, in th® first innings made 251 (Bensted not out 20). Bowling— Halcombe 2 for 37; Williams 3 for 66, Schneider 2 for 10. South Australia, in the second innings, has hxst six wickets for 432 (A. Hiehardson 232, Schneider ,'54. Gunn 63, Rymill 33, Alexander not out A shower before the start did not damage the wicket. The weather was fine for the remainder of the day. The opening pair. Richardson and Schneider, got going from tbe jump and rattled up the score at the rate of over one per minute. Within un hour Queensland tried five bowlers. At the luncheon adjournment, the pair were still together with a score of 133. When Schneider went, Gunn filled the gap and he and .Richardson continued aggressive. I’ichardson was particularly forceful. He made two sixes and two fours in one over.. N ■imero'.is changes of bowling had no effect on the rapid scoring. Richardson reached 200 in 205 minutes, after a let off at 88 and he survived an appo.ll for a catch at 211. At the tea adjournment, the score stood at 1 for 329. Eventually Richardson was finely caught by Gil] off a. long drive. He baited 222 minutes. His display was one of his finest performances. It included four sixes and 22 fours. ■ Gunn and Rymill made the bowing look poor. The fielding was good. MELBOURNE, December 28. I ictoria in the first innings made 1107 (Ponsford 352, Hendry 100, Ryder 295, Hartkopf 61, Liddicutt 36, Ellis 63, Blackie 27 not out). The match will go down in history as the breaker of a whole series of records, and especially as establishing a world’s record score, which previously stood at 1094 made by Melbourne University against Essendon in 1887. This was, however, only a minor match. The not> outs, Ponsford (334) and Hendry (86) resumed the innings in fine cool w&ther, on a wicket which, despite heavy wear, was good. After playing himself in, Hendry got busy and quickly brought up his century, making the partnership a second ivickct record for Victoria in Sheffield Shield matches. The next ball to Hendry ended a fine innings, being smartly taken tn slips by Morgan off Mailey.

I’onsford, who was now 340, welcomed Ryder’s advent, by notching the 600th ruu of the innings, which had then lasted 350 minutes. Ponsford, batting steadily, reached his 350 in 359 minutes. He brought his wonderful effort to an end two runs later, in trying to drive Morgan to the off. The batsman pulled the ball into the wicket. His score included twenty-four fours. Though he failed by 13 runs to reach Clem Hill’s record, Ponsford is the only "Australian to get twice into the third century in first class cricket.

Ryder, joined by Hartkopf, continued to make the pace merry, and the seventh century was reached in 423 minutes, and the smashing of two more Victorian recoi'ds followed. The pair made history by putting up the third partnership of 100 in one innings, and Ryder, by scoring a century, was responsible for the first occasion on which Victoria- scored four centuries in an innings.

, Frequent changes of bowling failed to check the rate of scoring, and the eighth century was, posted in 479 minutes. Ryder with a mighty swipe drove Andrews out of ground, bringing his tally to 150, the last fifty-five taking thirty-two minutes. He was badly missed at 135,. by Ratcliffe off Mailey. The next record in matches between New South Wales and Victoria, to be passed was 815, to the credit of New Smith Wales, and the partnership was ended by McQuirk taking a hot chance given by Hartkopf off Mailey. The partnership added 177 runs. Ryder and Liddicut, taking every advantage ef the tired bowling and fielding, carried the total to 900 in 517 minutes, the last fifty runs coming in 16 minutes, and the last hundred in 38 minutes. Their effort added eighty-one in thirtyfive minutes. After Liddicut played McQuirk on, Ellis helped to bring the

score to 918, the highest ever previously made in a Shield match in 1900 by New South Wales against South Australia. One thousand appeared on the board for 517 minutes batting, Ryder’s contribution being 263, including three sixes. He continued to score with splendid force and rapidity,ably backed by Ellis, till caught by Kippax off Andrews. The spectators were keyed up to the great pitch of excitement, and as record after record was broken, the feat was greeted with tremendous cheering, and the batsmen were accorded an ovation at the close of play. Mailey took 4 wickets for 362, Andrews 2 for 148, Morgan 1 for 137, McQuirk 1 for 130, McManee 0 for 124. Three other bowlers were tried, without result, excepting badly spoiling their averages. MELBOURNE, Dec. 28. Ponsford’s score is the highest recorded in the Sheffield games between New South Wales and Victoria, and also the highest individual score for Victoria in the Sheffield series. The total in the partnership with Woodfull is also a first wicket Sheffield record. Although the bowling was below tbe usual New South Wales standard, Ponsford’s- display was masterly. He gave no actual chance, scarcely making MELBOURNE, Dec. 28. • Crockett, the wel l . known Victorian umpire, returned from a visit to England. He declared that the suggestion to decrease the size of the cricket ball was all bunkum. It seemed quite certain to be reduced, but the alteration proposed would be scarcely noticeable. Obviously the object was to assist the bowlers and shorten matches, but he doubted whether it would do this.