Cricket 1899

352 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A u g . 17, 1899. ENGLAND y . AUSTRALIA. THE FIFTH MATCH. ANOTHER DRAW N GAM E. TW E N TY-N IN TH OF THE AUSTRALIAN TOUR. Played at the Oval on August 14, 15, and 16. Drawn. The chances of finishing the last match of the series seemed about as small as they could be when play began on Monday, for with perfect weather and a wicket which is notoriously good it was almost a moral cer­ tainty that, whatever else might happen, the skill attained by the Australians in playing for a draw would enable them to stave off a defeat. Under these circumstances it is, perhaps, not surprising that the number of spectators on the first day was far from being a record, although some 25,000 people watched the game. Of late the Australians had done none too well; several of the team seemed stale, while Clement Hill had been unable to play for quite a long time—a misfortune which was almost as great to the Australians as the loss of the fast bowler had been to England in the early days of the so-called “ test ” matches this year. On the other hand, English batsmen and bowlers, not to say captains, seemed to have benefited by studying the methods of the Australians, and there was very little fear of defeat if the weather held up. After the first day’s play deftat was practically out of the question, while the prospects of a victory, though remote enough, were not altogether hopeless. Some changes were made in the England eleven. Townsend and Khodes were rein­ stated, and A. O. Jones and Lockwood played for the first time. Jones has more than once shown that he canmake runs against the Aus­ tralians, and has been in good form this year, but many people were greatly surprised that he was chosen before Major Poore, who has made a lot of runs consistently against all classes of bowling, including that of the Australians on the only occasion that he had the opportunity of meeting it. Townsend had done splendid things for some time, but the choice of lihodes took everyone by surprise, for plenty of runs have been made off his bowling of late. The Australians were perforce obliged to leave out Hill, but McLeod, who has come to the front in the last few matches, was naturally preferred to Laver. Johns as usual was left out. It was a matter of the greatest importance to win the toss, so that Englishmen congratulated themselves when it was found that their side had the opportunity of batting first. Mr. MacLaren made the most radical changes in the usual order of going in. It was a dis­ tinctly bold move to put Hayward in first, for he has so often been called upon to stop a collapse when nobody else could do it that the team might possibly have been in a hole if he had been unlucky enough to get out for two or three runs—and even the safest of batsmen may reasonably make a mistake. But the change in the order worked in a magical manner. For some twenty minutes Hayward and Jackson so cautiously felt their way, that after the first over nine maidens were bowled in succession ; but when the Aus­ tralians may have begun to think that England was already playing for a draw, the two men—or rather Jackson—began to take charge of the bowling in the most decided manner. For a long time Hayward was quite satisfied with making a run here and there, and leaving the scoring to Jackson, who, as usual, played most attractive cricket, scoring at least twice as fast as his partner. Ween he had made his 50 Hayward stood at 28; he was at 69 when Hajward was at 29, and at lunch time he had made 95 out of 149, Hayward having just completed his 50. Needless to say this stand created great enthusiasm. After lunch the bowling was no more effective than it had been before, until at last, at 185, Jackson’s splendid innings came to a close ; he had made a hundred for the second time in a match between England and Australia. A record had been made for the first wicket in these matches, the previous record being 170 by Grace and Scotton in 1886 on the same ground. Jackson was batting for two hours and fifty-three minutes; he played remark­ ably good cricket, but not without chances. Eanjitsinhji came in. By this time the bowlers had lost some of their interest in the game, although they worked as hard as ever, and varied their pace and pitch with most commendable persistency. Kanjitsinhji was himself at his best. He did not score at a frantic rate, but he obtained such a complete mastery over the bowling that it must have been an intense relief to the field when he was dismissed just after passing his fifty. Just before he was out the scoring board showed 315 for only one wicket. The loss of Kanjitsinhji was followed by the downfall of Hayward, after he had made his hundred for the second time this year in these matches. He was at the wickets for four hours and a half for his score of 137, and played an innings which was guiltless of mistakes. Three wickets were now down for 318, which was a very satisfactory state of affairs. At about this period of the game the purely scientific method may be said to have been abandoned. For the rest of the innings the batsmen put their own feelings on one side and tried to do the only thing which could give England the victory. Enough had been done by the splendid cricket of the men who had fought to wear out the bowling, and what was wanted now was runs, and that quickly. Fry and MacLaren, therefore, while not playing a rash game, hit at every ball which looked as if it contained a possible boundary, and the score mounted very rapidly. The two men made their runs at about the same rate, being level at 42, and also at 48. In an hour and ten minutes they had increased the score by 110, when MacLaren suffered for his country and was caught in the long field. When stumps were drawn the score was *35 for four wickets. Despite their long outing the Australians were game to the last, but, plucky as they were, it was evident that they were becoming tired. Everybody felt certain that when the Englishmen continued their innings on Tuesday they would endeavour to make runs as quickly as possible in the dis­ tant hope of getting their opponents out twice, and it did not take long to see that this was the programme which had been decided on. For a moment one began to wonder whether orders had been given to get out as soon as possible with the idea of “ chancing it,” for Fry at once began to hit out, and was caught after being in for an hour and a-half alto­ gether for his 60 runs, while Bradley, who, for this occasion only, was promoted to seventh place, promptly ran himself out. But Lockwood soon showed that though hitting was the game, it was not intended to get out without making runs. Townsend is not in the habit of scoring very quickly, and could not adapt himself to the circumstances, but A. O. Jones and Lilley were in their element, and when the innings closed 141 runs had been put on in about an hour and three* quarters. The Australians had therefore plenty of time before them to get out twice. They entered upon their ta&k with charac­ teristic sangfroid and did not attempt to hurry. Trumble was out first for a patient 24—very finely caught and bowled by A. O. Jones—and Trumper did not stay long. Two wickets were down for 44. Noble arrived. By the steady way in which he settled down it was evident that he meant serious business. In an hour 15 runs were put on, and Noble seemed very comfortably set when he was bowled by Jones for 9, which he had put together in fifty minutes. Things now looked very bad indeed for the Australians, but Darling made an invaluable stand with Worrall, who had all this time been playing sound cricket. It was not until 120 that the fourth wicket fell, Worrall being then splen­ didly caught at third man for a most useful 55. Four wickets down. At this stage of the game there was a possible chance that England might after all win, but when Gregory joined Darling the hope gradually faded away. Steadily the score rose, and before stumps were drawn the total had been increased by a hundred, with only Darling’s wicket to show for it. Darling had played one of the finest innings of his career at a time when it was all important that he should distinguish himself. When stumps were drawn Australia, with five wickets in hand, were 356 runs behind. This pointed to a follow-on and a big score in the second innings against tired bowlers. It is quite un­ necessary to describe in any detail what hap­ pened yesterday. It would have been the great surprise of the year if the match had been concluded, for it was impossible to believe that the Australians, against tired bowlers, would be unable to play out time if the weather remained good. On Tuesday evening there was thunder in the air, but the storm passed over, and the wicket was as good as ever when play was resumed. The thing whbh everybody looked for came to pass. The Australians could not make the necessary runs to save the follow-on, although Gregory played a magnificent innings, and was well backed up by McLeod, who carried his bat. Lockwood had bowled splendidly. Darling wisely sent McLeod in first in the follow-on, and was amply justified by the result. For McLeod played an innings which was quite worthy of the great reputa­ tion he had made in Australia. Worrall, who was his partner for the first wicket, also played a good game, and when the first wicket fell the total was 116, of which Worrall claimed 75. Sixty of his runs were made by fours, and some of his hits were very fine. It was a great innings, with a little luck about the early part of it. By this time a victory for England was practically out of the question. The score rose gradually, arid all interest was gone. At one time it seemed as if the Aus­ tralians would leave off in a remarkably good position, but after McLeod was out for a very steady and most valuable innings there was a collapse, and in the end they were only 30 runs on with five wickets down. Their cricket on the whole yesterday was very attractive. Noble was again a tower of strength to his side. E n g lan d . F. S. JacksGn.b Jones 118 Baywaid, c Iredale, b McLeod ....................137 K. 8. Eanjitsinhji, c Howell, b Jones ...64 C. B. Fry, c W orrall,b Jones.............................60 A. C. MacLaren, c Trumper, b Trumble 49 C L Townsend,bJonea 38 W.M.Bradley,run out 0 Lockwood, b Trumble 24 A . O. Jonea, b Noble 31 Lilley, c Iredale, b Noble ...............37 Rhodes, not out......... 8 B 9, lb 6, w 4. nb 1 20 Total . 576