AUSTRALIAN TOUR.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16788, 4 May 1926, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN TOUR.

MATCH WITH LEICESTER. VISITORS BAT WELL. FIRST CENTURY TO GREGORY. fftetrtar.) Received May T>, 10.15 a_m. LONDON, May 3. In the cricket match Australians v. Leicester, Ihe Australians in their first innings made :!()r> runs for nine wickets. Details are : Collins c and b Geary -53 Rardsley h Rale 33 Macartney b Bale 2 Taylor c Shipman b Skelding .. 10 Ryder lbw Bale .10 Ponsford c. Geary b Skelding .... 56 Andrews h Skelding 8 Gregory not out 102 Oldfield b Skelding 0 Kverell b Skelding ' 8 Grlmmett not out 0 Extras 0 Total for nine wickets 305

DETAILS OF THE PLAY. MORE ENTERPRISE REQUIRED. (Router.) Received May 5, 11.35 a.m. LONDON. May 3. The attendance was 10,000, the wicket was fairly good and the weather was fine. Collins won the toss and opened with Bardsley lo Skelding and Geary. Rardsley knocked Ihree off Geary in the first over, this being the only scoring stroke in first five overs. Rardsley had a narrow escape in Geary's second over nibbling dangerously at an off hall. Runs came slowly. Rardsley scored the first boundary, square cutting Geary. The batsmen were taking no risks in view of wailing for the loose balls. When llic total was fifty-four Bardsley was bowled by a ball which turned prominently from leg. Macartney suffered the same fale two halls later.

A feature lo this stage, was the unexpected success of Rale, whose performance's hitherto were not inspiring.

Taylor opened shakily and when 10 essayed a drive which was well held at short leg by Shipman. Frequent changes in bowling were made.

Collins Barracked,

Collins was balling patiently but the crowd was impatient and there were many exhortations to him to hit. They cheered when he scored a gentle single and renewed the cheers vigorously when Geary held a hot return. Collins occupied the crease three hours and hit four i's. Ponsford and Andrews atemptcd to force the game but the fielding was very keen throughout. A Shaky Opening. Gregory was shaky in the first over, lie twice nibbled SkeldingV fast short volleys, and then was nearly out. The game, became brighter, Gregory imparling much needed life into it. After a series of big bils. from which only singles resulted, Ponsford when 'ri. was badly missed by Skelding at mid-on, off Lord. Gregory was similarly missed off Shipman. Next over Gregory scored three boundaries in succession off Skidding and in Ihe same over Ponsford snicked a fast ball into the hands of Geary al second slip. The parlncrship added 102 runs before il was dissolved. A Critic's Views. Kellaway in Ihe Daily Express declares: The wicket is good, giving the opportunity to al tempt something like halting. Nevertheless the halting after lunch was dull, neither Collins nor Taylor showing any enterprise. The Ponsl'ord-C.rogory partnership was easily Ihe brightest. In the closing stages there was some excitement over Gregory's effort against lime to reach a century before play stopped. He lashed out, scoring four, six and four off successive balls off Geary, and won the race by sending the last ball of the day to the leg boundary. The crowd accorded him an ovation. Gregory gave a magnificent display of forceful driving and clean hilling.