THE ENGLISH TEAM IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 389, 6 January 1898, Page 11

THE ENGLISH TEAM IN AUSTRALIA.

THE SECOND TEST MATCH. The Australians won the toss in the game which commenced on Saturday at Melbourne. And they made excellent use of their opportunity by compiling the grand score of 520. Of these McLeod was responsible for the lion’s share, and his 112 must be pronounced a fine., display of defensive cricket. Hill and Gregory, with 58 and 71 respectively, aided McLeod in laying the foundation of the big score, while Trott and Iredale, with 89 each, carried on the good work. After these batsmen had been disposed of nobody troubled the scorers to any great extent. Briggs was the most successful; bowler, his three wickets costing 96 runs. Richardson took one for 114, and Hearne one for 94; Hirst one for 89, Storer one . for 55, Mason one for 33, and Hayward one for 23. The bowling was much better than the figures would : indicate, the Australians playing with the greatest patience. Indeed, they played a slow game considering the excellence of the wicket from a batting point of view. By the time the Englishmen commenced batting the wicket had worn considerably, and on the third day there were cracks all over the pitch wide enough to stick one’s finger in. The caretaker of the Melbourne ground had warned the authorities of what would happen, and had given it as his opinion that the pitch was unfit for cricket let alone a . test match. The Englishmen did their best under the adverse circumstances, and have to thank their opponents for their leniency in the field, for by their mistakes at least a hundred runs were added to the English score. The total of the first innings only reached 315, thus leaving them 205 behind. Towards this total Rangitsinghi got 71 by graceful cricket, his placing and timing being throughout most ex- ; cellent. Storer made 51 by his own vigorous manner, and at the close of the innings Druce and Briggs put on 88 by a fine exhibition of cricket. At the time of writing Stoddart’s merry men have lost three wickets for 71 runs in the second innings, so the outlook cannot be said to look very hopeful for the representatives of the Old Country.