Cricket 1909

J une 3, 1909. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. T H E A U S T R A L I A N S . 7 th M a tch . —y. ENGLAND. ( the first test .) Played at Edgbaston on May 27, 28 and 29. England won by ten wickets. The 4,000 spectators who were present on the first day experienced a great disappointment, inasmuch as rain, the state of the wicket, and poor light com­ bined to restrict play to three-quarters of an hour. The weather was fine in the early morning, but just before eleven o’clock there was a very heavy down­ pour, and it was not until just before five o’clock that a start could be made. Hayward’s knee was not sound enough to justify his participation in the match, and Brearley, Relf (A. E.) and H. A. Gilbert were the other players not included in the home side. The last-named, chiefly 011 the strength of his bowling against the Australians at Oxford earlier in the w'eek, was asked to be in attendance, and, considering the state of the wicket, it was decided to include both Rhodes and Blythe. The Australians, who won the toss, left out Carkeek, Hartigan, Hopkins, Laver and McAlister. When play commenced Cotter and Bardsley opened the innings, the former probably being sent in first so as- to hit out before the wicket became difficult. With only 5 runs scored, however, he was caught at mid-off in the second over, and 2 runs later Bardsley was smartly caught at fine slip by MacLaren, who took the ball with the left hand. When Armstrong and Trumper had taken the score to 14 without further loss play was suspended through an appeal against the light by the batsmen being upheld. At a quarter past six a resumption was made, and, after 15 minutes’ play, the day’s cricket ended with two wickets down for 22. On Friday the conditions favoured the bowlers to such an extent that during tbe day twenty wickets w'ent down for 240 runs. The weather was threaten­ ing in the early morning, but rain held off, ard it was found possible to resume play at eleven o’clock, as advertised. The bowling was again entrusted to Blythe and Hirst and only 8 runs had been added when Trumper gave Hirst, at mid-off, an easy catch low down. Upon being joined by Noble Armstrong made a 4 and a 2 off successive balls from Blythe, and just when it seemed likely that a useful addition might be made to the score Armstrong, who had made 24 out of 41 in an hour by sound cricket, was bowled leg-stump by Hirst. A run later—at 47— Gregory was caught at point, at 52 Ransford was bowled by a splendid break-back from Hirst, and at 58 Noble, who batted an hour for 15, was caught by Jessop at cover. Noble had shown very sound defence, and his dismissal was a great blow to the side. A run later Carter was lbw to Hirst, but O’Coni^r made a good hit or two, including a fine off-drive to the boundary, and the total reached 74. Macartney, last out for 10, played a useful game, but was twice missed—by Hirst at mid-off off Blythe and in the long-field by Fry, who made too sure of tho ball and let it slip through his hands. Blythe and Hirst bowled unchanged through the innings and very seldom sent down anything in the way of a loose ball. Whitty and Macartney, the two left-handers, shared the bowling when England went in, and after the former had bowled a maiden to MacLaren the latter got Hobbs lbw to the first ball he sent down. Tyldesley played confidently from the start and hit Whitty for 4 almost as soon as he went in, but only 13 had been made when MacLaren, in trying to drive, edged a ball from Macartney on to his wicket. With his next ball the same bowler disarranged Fry’s middle stump and at that point had taken three wickets for Gruns. When the interval arrived three men were out for 17. After lunch Tyldesley and Jones made such a good stand that a lead for England was practically assured ere the partnership was dissolved. Tyldesley played a free game, and Jones, although quieter, was by no means idle. The fielding was very keen, and the 50 did not go up until 70 minutes from the start. In the meantime O’Connor had gone on for Whitty, and a little le.ter Armstrong displaced Macartney. In his first over Armstrong was hit to the long-field boundary by Jones, who was, however, almost directly afterwards caught at the wicket off that bow'ler. Of the 48 runs added for the fourth wicket in 80 minutes the Nottinghamshire captain was responsible for 28. Without a run added Tyldesley was bowled by O’Connor for a capital innings of 24. His dismissal brought Hirst and Jessop together. From the first ball sent down to the latter there was an appeal for lbw, which was not upheld, and the Gloucestershire captain showed his appreciation by hitting a fine 4 off Armstrong and punishing O’Connor for a couple of 2’s and a 3 in an over. Ransford in the long-field did fine work throughout, and once made a magnificent attempt to catch Jessop—a ball which the great majority of players would not have attempted to reach. It was during this partnership that Bardsley was troubled with his foot and retired, Hartigan fielding in his stead. When the sixth wicket had added 20 in 20 minutes Jessop, who had made 22 of the number, was bowded by Armstrong, who also got Hirst lbw. Lilley failed to score, and Thompson had made only 0 when he was run out through a fine throw-in by Macartney from long-leg. When Blythe had been caught at mid-off, the innings, after taking 160 minutes, closed for 121—a lead of 47. Armstrong kept an admirable length and took five wickets for 27 runs. Before stumps were drawn at 10 minutes past 6, owing to bad light, the Australians made 07 runs in their second innings for two wickets, being then 20 runs on with eight wickets in hand. The bowling was again entrusted to Hirst and Blythe, and with only 4 scored Macartney was lbw to the latter. At 10 a great disaster occurred, Noble being caught at sliort-leg by Jones off Hirst. It was a magnificent catch, taken with the left hand about a foot from the ground, and was warmly cheered. The association of Gregory and Ransford effected an improvement from the Australian point of view. At 30 Thompson went on for Blythe, and later Rhodes also was tried, but the pair added 51 to­ gether without being parted ere bad light caused stumps to be drawn. On the third morning the game was resumed at eleven o’clock, Blythe and Hirst again sharing the attack. Runs, without being forced, came steadily, Gregory playing a very confident game. The player named made two 4’s off consecutive balls from Blythe, but, in trying to make another, put up the ball on the leg side and was out to a finely-judged catch by Thompson, who ran at least 20 yards under the ball from mid-on. As it happened the fall of the wicket proved to be the turning point of the match. The partnership had put on 81 in an hour and a- quarter, and more than once during the stand the English captain must have felt somewhat uneasy concerning what would happen if Blythe and Hirst were mastered. The third wicket fell at 97, and two runs later Trumper, who had been missed the pre­ vious ball by Hirst off his own bowling, was caught by Rhodes at short-leg. Bardsley then went in, but at 103 Ransford was bowled le^-stump off his pads after batting an hour and three-quarters for 43—a most valuable innings. He played very well indeed on the leg side, but did not play so confident a game as Gregory. The next ball from Blythe disposed of Armstrong, who was caught at cover by Jessop, whilst at 106 Carter fell to a well-judged catch at square-leg by Hobbs. Cotter set himself to hit and punished Hirst for eleven in an over. One of bis strokes—to long-on—realised G, and, in trying to repeat the feat, he skied the ball to a great height in the direction of the pavilion, where Tyldesley stood waiting for it. The fieldsman gradually got further and further back until he was against the rails, and then, leaning back, he was just able to get to the ball, which he held. Nine wickets were then down for 125—Bardsley had been sent back two runs earlier—but O’Connor and Whitty, hitting freely, put on 26 for the last partnership, leaving England 105 to win. The Englishmen bowled and fielded very well, but the Australians batting was dis­ appointing, eight wickets going down on Satur­ day in a little over an hour for 54. England sent in Hobbs and Fry, who were opposed by Armstrong and Macartney. Each player had been dismissed first ball in his first innings, but neither made a “ pair.” Hobbs played confidently from the start, making a cut for 4 off Armstrong’s fourth ball, but Fry was unsettled and once almost played-on and narrowly missed being stum ped: when he had made three singles, and the total was 14, he was missed—a hard chance—by O’Connor at mid-on off Macartney. Hobbs was at his best and had evidently resolved to score fast before the effect of the roller on the wicket had disappeared : at the end of 20 minutes he had made 20 runs of the 31 scored. At 3G Whitty went on for Armstrong, and three later O’Connor displaced Macartney. At lunch the total was 43, of which Hobhs had made 33 and Fry 25. After the interval Armstrong and Whitty bowled, and 50 went up 40 minutes from the start. After batting 80 minutes, Hobbs completed his 50, the total then being 88. When 10 were wanted he made three 4’s in an over off Macartney, and, Fry obtaining the other four runs, England won by ten wickets. Hobbs made 62 of the 105 runs made in an hour and a-half, cutting well and placing finely to leg : he hit nine 4’s. When the winning hit was made the crowd rushed across the ground to the pavilion, and cheered long and loudly for MacLaren, Hobbs, Hirst, Blythe and Fry, and other players, including several of the Australians. Hobbs played an admirable game, but chief honours of course went to Blythe and Hirst. Score and analysis :— A u s tr a lia . First innings. Second innings. A. Cotter, c Hirst, b Blythe 2 c Tyldesley, b Hirst .........15 W. Bardsloy, c MacLaren.c Thompson, b b Hirst .......................... 2Blythe ................... 6 W. W. Armstrong, b Hirst 24 c Jessop, b Blythe 0 V. T. Trumper, c Hirst, b Blythe ..........................10 c Rhodes, b Hirst 1 M. A. Noble, c Jessop, b Blythe .......................... 15 S. E. Gregory, c Rhodes, b Blythe .......................... 0 V. S. Ransford, b Hirst ... 1 C.G.Macartney,c MacLaren, b Blythe .......................... 10 H. Carter, lbw, b Hirst .. 0 J.A.O!Connor,lbw,b Blythe 8 W. J. Whitty, not out ... 0 B 1, nb 1 ................... 2 Total .................. 74 c Jones, b Hirst 11 c Thompson, b Blythe ...........43 b Blythe ...........43 lbw, b Blythe ... 1 c Hobbs, b Hirst 1 c Lilley, b Hirst 13 notout.................. 0 B 7, lb 1 ... 8 Total., E ngland . Hobbs, lbw, b Macartney 0notout... , A.C. MacLaren,b Macartney 5 Tyldesley, b O’Connor ... 24 C. B. Fry, b Macartney ... 0notout... , A. O. Jones, c Carter, b Armstrong..........................28 Hirst, lbw, b Arm strong... 15 G. L. Jessop, b Armstrong 22 Rhodes, not o u t ...................15 Lilley, c Ransford, b Arm­ strong .................................. 0 Thompson, run out ... .. 6 Blythe, c Macartney, b Armstrong ................... 1 B 4, lb 1 ................... 5 B 5, lb 3 Total ..151 .. 62 ...........121 Total (0 wkt) 105 A u stralia . First innings. Second innings. O. M.R. W. O. M. R. W. Hirst ... ... 238284 .... 23’5 4 58 5 Blythe ......... 23 6 44 6 ............ 24 3 58 5 Thompson ... 4 0 15) 0 R h odes......... 1 0 8 0 Hirst bowled one no-ball. E ngland . First innings. Second innings. O. M. R. W . O. M R. W. W h itty ......... 17 5 43 0 ............ 5 1 18 0 Macartney ... 176213 ........ 11 2 35 0 Noble .. 1020 ...................................... O’Connor ... 5 2 23 1 .............. 3*2 1 17 0 Armstrong ... 15‘37275 .... 13 5 27 0 LUDGROVE v. STANMORE PARK.—riayed at Ludgrove, New Barnet, on May 29. S tanm ore P a r k . H. H. Burn, c Walker, b Anson .................. 7 G. A. 1. Dury, cWalker, b Anson .................. 0 E. Hignett,b Llewelyn 41 G. R. Mellar, bMenzies 3 I. M. A. Matheson, b Anson ...................12 M. R o u t l e d g e , b Llew elyn.................. 13 G. Morrison,bMenzies 15 C.G. Burge,bLlewelyn 0 R. Knowles, lbw, b Llewelyn................... 1 R. P . R o m e r , b Llewelyn.................. 0 C. Gairdner, not out 2 Byes ................... 4 Total 98 Second innings : Burn, not out, 5 ; Dury, not out, 12.—Total (no wkt.) 17. L u dgrove . J. F. Burbury,c Mathe­ son, b Dury ... ... 34 R. M. Lees, b Dury ... 1 G. H. F. Maude, b Hignett .................. 2 N. F. E. Anson, b Dury 6 I.G.MenzieSjbliignctt 5 J. L. D. V. Llewelyn, c Morrison, b Dury ... 0 R. H. Walker, c Mor­ rison, b Hignett ... 6 R. B. Howey, b Mellar 15 T. Philipson, b H ig­ nett .......................... 0 P. F. Remnant, not out ..........................16 G. Barry, c Morrison, b M ellar................... 1 Byes ................... 9 Total , 95 LONDON SCOTTISH v. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SCHOOL OLD BOYS.—Played at Brondesbury on May 31. U n iversity C ollege S chool O ld B oys . F. Eastman, 1) Hogg .. 60 C.H.Ellis,bG. Lienard 10 F. Rowley, b H. G. V. Homer .................. 38 E. L. Skews Cox, c E. A. Bennett, b Hogg 4 E. J. Glanfield, c. R. A. Bennett, b Hogg ... 1 J. N. P. Jones, c Read, b S. Lienard ...........44 1). H. Bailey, c Powell, b Hogg ................... 6 J. Sonnonthal, b II. G. V. H om er........... 0 L. J. Marcus, b E. A. B en nett...................12 A. J. Swanson, not out .......................... 6 P. S. Richardson, c E. A. Bennett, b S. Lienard .................. 0 B 4, lb 3, w 1, nb 1 9 Total ... ..190 L ondon S cottish . E. A. Bennett, b Swan­ son .......................... 5 C. Powell, b S*vanson 25 S. Lienard,c Eastman, b Swanson ...........29 L. Lienard,bGlanfield 54 E. A. Homer, b Skews Cox ..........................26 A. H. ReadjbGlanfield 0 H. C. Hodgson did not bat. H. G. V. Homer, c Bailey, b Rowley... 17 W. G. Henderson, not out ..........................15 E. Hogg, c Ellis, b Swanson.................. 22 R. A. Bennett, not out 1 B 20, lb 2, w 1 ... 23 Total (8 wkts) 217