Cricket 1908

M arch 26, 1908. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 39 slips off Macartney when he had made 7. At 45 O’Connor took the ball from Saunders, who went on at the other end. 50 went up in forty-three minutes, owing mainly to Hobbs, but when 58 had had been scored in fifty-five minutes Gunn was caught and bowled. Hardstaff was sent back at 69, and Hobbs, who reached 50 in sixty-eiglit minutes, was third out. The last named hit ten 4’s in scoring his 57 out of 88 in seventy m inutes; when 47 he offered a very difficult left-handed chance to Armstrong at cover-point off Saunders, but no real mistake could be urged against him. He was third out, at 88, and so effective did Noble and Saunders afterwards become that the last seven wickets added only 17 runs, the innings, after lasting two hours and five minutes, closing for 105. Saunders took five wickets for 28 runs, and Noble, whose swerve was much in evidence, three for 11. The Australians, leading by 109 runs on the innings, had an hour’s batting before stumps were drawn. Barnes and Crawford were entrusted with the attack and, with only a single scored, the latter bowled Trumper, whose second failure it was in the match, and who had now made only 4 runs in his last four innings in Test cricket. At 21 Noble, having batted twenty- five minutes, played-on to Crawford, who had then taken a couple of wickets for two runs. McAlister was caught at the wicket at 28, and there the success of the visitors ended, for Gregory and Hill played out time, adding 21 together without being separated. The Australians were then 158 runs on with seven wickets in hand. During the day 17,797 persons passed the turnstiles, the receipts amounting to £787 8s. (id. Felix, writing in the Australasian , observed: “ In referring to the bad wicket I must say that Australian bowlers and English bowlers are not like they used to be in bowling on bad wickets. If Alfred Shaw, Peate, Peel, or old Jim Southerton had been bowling at the Australians for that hour or so on Saturday, I venture to say that, instead of three Australian wickets being down for 49, fully seven wickets would have gone. The old bowlers would have made the batsmen feel for the ball every time instead of allowing them, as the present English bowlers did, to safely negotiate high jumping balls, mostly short- pitched, and which, if left alone, would not hit the wicket. This is not the way to get first-class bats­ men out on a sticky wicket.” It was certainly strange that during the time alluded to Rhodes was not put on, for the pitch should have suited him to perfection. By Monday morning the wicket had fully recovered and everything was in favour of run- getting. Hill and Gregory remained together until 65, whon the former was run out through a magni­ ficent piece of cricket on the part of Barnes (point) and Humphries. The left-hander batted eighty-two minutes for 25, and did not hit a single 4. Twelve runs later Gregory met with the fate of H ill; he scored 29 in half an hour, hitting three 4’s and making some good cuts. At this point half the wickets were down for 77, and England wore only 186 runs behind. Henceforth, however, the Australians battled gamely and by close of play were 467 runs on with two wickets in hand. Armstrong, who had gone in upon the fall of the fourth wicket, at 65, was largely responsible for the game slipping from England. His scoring was at times slow, but of the value of the innings there can be no doubt. Near the end of the day, when the game had been pulled round, he indulged in some big hits, the cricket during the last hour being very bright and attrac­ tive, contrasting strongly with that seen in the match between the same sides on the same enclosure earlier in the season. Armstrong and Ransford wore down the bowling and, although no risks were run, the latter played a free game. Crawford and Rhodes relieved Barnes and Fielder, but Ransford reached 50 in ninety-three minutes. At 162, however, the left-hander, who had hit a 5 and three 4’s, was caught at the wicket. Of the 85 runs added with Armstrong in one hundred and three minutes for the sixth wicket he made 54. When 26 he offered a hard chance to Crawford in the slips low down off Fielder, but made no other mistake. In justice to the Surrey player it should be said that he w;is suffering from a strain which handicapped him severely. With Macartney in another good stand was made, though Armstrong, when 44, might have been caught in the slips by Crawford off Braund. 200 went up four hours from the start, and the Victorian completed his half-century after batting one hundred and fifty-seven minutes.' When Macartney had helped to add 55 for the seventh wicket in thirty-three minutes he was caught at mid-on for 29, which contained a couple of 4’s. Carter joined Armstrong at 217, and the freedom he displayed was thoroughly appreciated by the ring. Armstrong, too, hit well, and despite the many bowling changes, the wieket-kceper completed 50 in seventy minutes. The 300 went up in three hundred and fifteen minutes, and it was not until 829, when the eighth wicket had added 112 in eighty-two minutes, that a separation was effected. Carter was then caught at slip for a hard-hit 66, which contained eleven 4’k, four of which were successive hits off Hutchings. O'Connor then partnered Armstrong, who reached thico figures in two hundred and forty-eight minutes, and the pair remained together until the close, adding 29. During the last hour 104 runs were made, Arm­ strong, who carried out his bat for 114, hitting two 6’s off consecutive balls delivered by Braund. The attendance during the day amounted to 12,088 and the receipts to £454 16s. 9d. The ninth wicket in all put on 45 and the last 11, the innings closing for 385 (made in three hundred and seventy-seven minutes), leaving England 495 to win. Armstrong made 133 out of 320 in two hundred and eighty-nine minutes, hitting two 6’s and sixteen 4’s. The first part of his innings was very slow, but during the latter part of tho third day he made some very fine hits. Saunders and O’Connor shared the attack when England entered upon their heavy task. Before a run had been made Hobbs returned a ball to the bowler, his downfall naturally being a very severe blow to the side. Gunn and Hardstaff indulged in a plucky stand, which lasted an hour and realised 61. The 50 went up in fifty-eight minutes, but a little later Hardstaff was caught off a skyer for a sound and admirable innings of 39. Hutchings failed, and both Rhodes and Crawford were sent back at 85, the last-named, who was sixth out, falling to the first ball he received. Gunn and Jones then came together and sent the 100 up in two hours from the start. Noble and Saunders relieved Macartney and O’Connor, and at 128, when the seventh wicket had added 43, Gunn played-on. He showed fine defence and much patience and hit only two 4’s in scoring 43 out of 128 in one hundred and fifty-six minutes. Jones was sent back 4 later —at 132 : he made 31 out of 53 in three-quarters of an hour, but it was not a finished display. Hum­ phries made 11 of the next 14, and Barnes and Fielder caused a little surprise by adding 40 for the last wicket. Each of the last pair was missed by Saun­ ders—Fielder off his own bowling and Barnes at mid-on. The innings, after lasting two hundred and three minutes, closed for 186, leaving Australia suc­ cessful by 308 runs and with the honours of the rubber. The batting of the Englishmen on the good wicket was most disappointing and quite unworthy of the occasion. During the four days 52,761 persons passed the turnstiles, the receipts amounting to £1,997 19s. 6d. Score and analysis :— A ustralia , First innings. M. A. Noble, b Crawford ... 48 V. Trumper, c Crawford, b Fielder .................. ... 0 C. Hill, b Barnes.................. 7 P. A. McAlister, c Jones, b Fielder .......................... 37 S. E. Gregory, c Fielder, b Crawford ..........................10 W. W. Armstrong, b Craw­ ford .................................. 32 V. Ransford, c Braund, b Fielder .......................... 51 C. G. Macartney, c Hard­ staff, b Fielder.................. 12 H. Carter, c & b Crawford 2 J. A. O’Connor, c Fielder, b Crawford .......................... 2 J. V. Saunders, notout ... 1 B 1, lb 10, nb 1.........12 Total ...214 Second innings, b Crawford......... 10 b Crawford........... 0 run out ...........25 c Humphries, b Fielder ........... 4 lbw, b Fielder ... 29 notout ......... 133 c Humphries, b Rhodes ...........54 c Gunn, b Craw­ ford ...................29 c Braund, b Fielder ...........66 c Humphries, b Barnes ...........18 c Jones, b Fielder 2 B 7, lb 2, nb 6 15 Total.......... 385 E ngland . First innings. E ngland . First innings. Hobbs, b Noble .................. 57 Gunn (G.), c & b Saunders 13 Hardstaff, c Carter, b O’Con­ nor .................................. 8 K. L. Hutchings,b Saunders 8 Braund, run o u t.................. 4 Rhodes, c McAlister, b Saunders .......................... 0 J. N. Crawford, b Saunders 1 A. O. Jones, b N oble........... 3 Barnes, c O’Connor, b Noble 3 Humphries, not o u t ........... 3 Fielder,st Carter,bSaunders 1 B 1, lb 2, nb 1 ... Total Second innings, c & b Saunders... 0 b Saunders...........43 c Carter, b Saun­ ders ...................39 b Noble ........... 3 b Macartney c Carter, b O’Con­ nor ................... c Carter, b O’Con­ nor ................... c Saunders, b O’Connor not out ........... c Carter, b Saun­ ders ................-.. b Armstrong ... Lb 4, nb 1 ... 10 ...105 Total... ...186 Fielder ... Barnes ... Braund ... Crawford Rhodes .. A ustralia . First innings. O. M. R. W. 22 3 51 4 ... 23 11 37 1 ... 12 3 42 0 ... 23-5 3 48 5 ... 5 0 21 0 ... Second innings. M. R. W. O. . 33 , 35 . 7 25 ... 24 O. M. R. W. O. M. R. W. O’Connor .. 6 1 40 1 ... ... 21 3 58 3 Armstrong . .. 1 0 4 0 ... ... 3*1 0 18 1 Macartney ... 6 1 IS 0 ... ... 6 1 15 1 Saunders .. 15-2 8 28 5 ... ... 26 2 7e 4 Noble ... ... 6 0 11 3 ... ... 12 6 14 1 O’Connor bowled two no-balls. 16 th M atc h .— v. NEW SOUTH WALES, at Sydney. (See page 23.) 17 th M atc h .— v. AUSTRALIA. (T he F ifth T est ), at Sydney. (See page 23.) Hutchings ... 2 0 24 0 Fielder bowled seven no-balls. 18 th M atch — v. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Played at Adelaide on March 2, 3, and 4. Drawn. This match, postponed from February 29th, owing to the Test match at Sydney lasting six days, could, not be concluded in the limited time available. Dolling gave a couple of chances in scoring 140, but Gunn’s 102, although a lifeless display, was free from blemish. Scores:— E ngland -F . L. Fane, 59; Hobbs, 7 and 12 ; Gunn (G.), 102 and not out 5 ; K. L. Hutchings, 9 and 13 ; Hardstaff, 43 and 63 ; Braund, 8 ; R. A. Young, 4 ; Rhodes, not out 78 and 39 ; J. N. Craw­ ford, 54 ; A. O. Jones, 18 ; Blythe, 9 : byes, &c., 13 and 2. Totals, 404 and (for four wickets) 134. S outh A ustralia .— E. R. Mayne, 74 ; C. B. Jen­ nings, 13 ; D. R. A. Gehrs, 34; J. H. Pellew, 41 ; C. E. Dolling, 140; N. H. Claxton, 45 ; L. R. Hill, 7 ; C. Hill, 33: L. W. Chamberlain, 8 ; J. A. O’Connor, not out 12J; W. A. Hewer, 9 ; byes, &c., 29. Total, 445. In the first innings of England, Hewer took five wickets for 149 runs and O’Connor three for 95. Braund’s six wickets were obtained at a cost of 149 runs. 19 th M atch - v. WEST AUSTRALIA. Played at Perth on March 13, 14, and 16. Drawn. This, the last match of the tour, was limited to three days, owing to play commencing a day later than originally arranged. Gunn and Barnes added 203 for the sixth wicket of England, but the feature of the game was the stand of 175 for the first wicket by Rowe and Howard in the second innings of the home side. Scores:— W est A ustralia . —T. H. Hogue. 33 and 10; H. Rowe, 14 and 105; Moysey, 8 and 5 ; T. Howard, 69 and 49; O. Kelly, 22 and not out 13 ; L. Gouly, 2 and not out 30; A. Christian, 19 and 3 ; Coyne, 4 ; M. Evans, 13; H. A . Evers, 19 and 13 ; W. Hogue, not out 24 and 4 ; byes, &c., 29 and 33. Totals, 256 and (for seven wickets) 265. E ngland . —F. L. Fane, 22 ; Hobbs, 40 ; Hardstaff, 4; K. L. Hutchings, 46; Gunn (G.), not out 122 ; Rhodes, 4 ; Barnes. 93 ; J. N. Crawford, 9 ; Braund, not out, 5 ; byes, &c., 17. Total (for seven wickets, innings declared closed), 362. Hayes and A. O. Jones did not bat. In the first innings of West Australia Braund took four wickets for 84 runs and Crawford four for 85. The team, including Humphries, who has made a good recovery from his operation, sailed from Fre­ mantle in the Ophir on the evening of the 16th inst. The AMERICAN CRICKETER. F o u n d e d 1877. Published by H. H. Cornish on behalf of The Associated Cricket Clubs of Philadelphia. An Illustrated Journal of Cricket, Association, Football, Tennis, Golf, and Kindred Pastimes. So 632, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa., U .S.A. prick :— 10/- per annum, post paid anywhere. Specimen copies mailed on request.