Cricket 1909

A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J une 3, 1909. H. GRADIDGE “ URINE” For cleaning and whitening Buckskin and Canvas Boots and Shoes, Cricket Pads, &c. Tacked in spun zinc container,with sponge. Of all dealers, or post free 6 d . WILL NOT RUB OFF OR CAKE. STANLEYFEAST&C 0 . / S Rs l Gvicfcet: A W EEK LY RECORD OF THE GAME. 168, UPPER THAMES STREET, LONDON, E.G. THURSDAY, JUNE 3 r d , 1909. ® 0 s s t p . The abstract and brief chronicle of the time. — Hamlet. T he first Test match of 1909 has passed into history and has revealed two weak­ nesses on the part of the Australians— the inability of their bowlers to take full advantage of a wicket affected by the weather, and their lack of a batsman of the McDonnell type to force the run- getting on a slow pitch. That their batsmen have still a great deal to learn when called upon to play under certain conditions is evident from the fact that on Friday the side lost eight wickets for 52 runs in an hour and a-half and on the following day eight for 54 in a little over an hour. A l t h o u g h they were dismissed in their first innings for 74, and were 47 runs behind when the game was half over, they did so well in the early part of the third morning that at one time they were actually 50 runs on with eight wickets in hand. At that point they had little the worst ofthe gam e: in fact afull afternoon’s cricket and a good finish seemed in prospect. But a well-judged catch by Thompson running from mid-on, which got rid of Gregory, marked the com ­ mencement of a dramatic change in the fortunes of the game. The score had been taken to 99 with only two men out, but, despite some successful hitting at the close by O'Connor and Whitty, the innings closed for 151. The Englishmen certainly bowled and fielded admirably, but the collapse, which was complete, was due very largely indeed to weak batting. E v e n then England were left with 105 to win. It was generally thought that the runs would be made for the loss of three or four, perhaps even five, wickets, but nobody could have been prepared for what took place. It is now a matter of history that Hobbs and Fry, each of whom had been dismissed first ball in the first innings, made the runs between them without being separated, winning the game for England by ten wickets. H o b b s played confidently from the start, and carried out his bat for 62 when the match was won. It was a delightful display, free from fault, and worthy o f the man and the occasion. Fry was uncomfortable at the commencement of his innings, but improved later, and by the time the end came had thoroughly settled down to a fine game. It was a great performance on the part o f the pair, but each would be the first to admit that the victory was chiefly due to the splendid bowling of Blythe and Hirst. On n o p r e v io u s o c c a s io n h a d a T e st m a tc h b e en w o n b y e ith e r sid e b y m e a n s o f a n u n fin is h e d th re e -fig u re p a rtn e rsh ip . T h e re h a v e n o w b e e n fifte e n sta n d s o f 100 o r m o r e fo r th e first w ic k e t in m a tch e s b e tw e e n E n g la n d a n d A u s tr a lia , o f w h ic h n u m b e r as m a n y as e le v e n a re cre d ite d to re p re s e n ta tiv e s o f th is c o u n tr y . I n th e series o f 82 g a m e s th e re h a v e b e en 93 th re e -fig u re p a rtn e rsh ip s, E n g la n d b e in g r e s p o n s ib le fo r 53 o f th e n u m b e r a n d A u stra lia fo r 40. T h e fo llo w in g ta b le w ill s h o w a t a g la n c e th e lo n g e st s ta n d m a d e b y e a c h c o u n tr y fo r ea ch w ic k e t :— (a) F or E ngland . Wkt. 1st. 185, Hayward (137) and F. S. Jack­ son (118), at the Oval ........... 1S99 2nd. 152, Shrewsbury (81) and Gunn, W. (77), at Lord’s .................... 1893 3rd. 210, Brown (140) and Ward (93), at M elbourne.................................. 1804-5 4th. 161, Shrewsbury (164) and Barnes, W. (58), at Lord’s .......................... 1886 5th. 192, R. E. Foster (287) and Braund (102), at Sydney.......................... 1903-4 6th. 158, Tyldesley (112*) and R. H. Spooner (79), at the Oval ... 1905 7th. 124, Braund (85) and Lilley (84), at Sydney.......................................... 1901-2 Sth. 90, W. W. Read (94) and Briggs (53), at the O val................................... 1886 9tli. 151, W. W. Read (117) and Seotton (90), at the Oval ................... 1884 10th. 130, R. E. Foster (287) and Rhodes (39*), at Sydney.......................... 1903-4 (5) F oe A ustralia . 1st. 135, V. T. Trumper (104) and R. A. Duff (54), at Manchester........... 1902 2nd. 174, J. J. Lyons (134) and A. C. Ban- nerman (91), at Sydney........... 1891-2 3rd. 207, W. L. Murdoch (211)and H. J. H. Scott (102), at the Oval ........... 1884 4th. 221, G. H. S. Trott (143) and S. E. Gregory (103), at Lord’s ........... 1S96 5th. 142, J. Darling (74) and S. E. Gregory (70), at Melboui'ne ................... 1894-5 6th. 142, H. Graham (107)and S.E. Gregory (57), at Lord’s .......................... 1893 7th. 165, C. Hill (188) and H. Trumble (46), at Melbourne .......................... 1897-8 8th. 243, C. Hill (160) and R. J. Hartigan (116), at Adelaide ................... 1907-8 9th. 154, S. E. Gregory (201) and J. M’C. Blackham (74), at Sydney ... 1S94-5 10th. 120, R. A. Duff (104) and W. W. Arm­ strong (45*), at Melbourne ... 1901-2 * Signifies not out. I t w ill b e n o t ic e d th a t E n g la n d ca n c la im th e r e c o r d p a rtn e rs h ip fo r th e first, th ird , fifth , six th , a n d ten th w ick e ts , a n d A u s tra lia fo r th e oth e r fiv e . I n th is r e s p e c t th e h o n o u r s are d iv id e d . T h e catch by means of which A. O. Jones dismissed Noble on Friday evening must rank as one of the best ever made by that brilliant fieldsman. H e was stationed at forward sliort-leg and took the ball low down with the left-hand from a stroke which had no little powder behind it. The catch was one of the chief features of the game, and was one worthy to rank with G. F. Grace’s at the Oval in 1880, with E. M. Grace’s at Twickenham two years later, and with Ulyett’s at Lord’s in 1884. M a c L a r e n captained his side very skil­ fully, and deserves hearty congratulations upon the result of his efforts. He has now led England ten times against Australia in this country, and it cannot be said that fortune has been kind to him. Of the ten games mentioned Australia has won three, England only two, and five have been drawn. A n d S O N S , Manufacturers of all R e q u i s i t e s fo r C r i c k e t , L a w n T e n n i s , R a c q u e t s , H o c k e y , F o o t b a l l , and all British Sports. PATENTEES AND SOLE MAKERS )F THE Used by all the Leading Players. Made In Hen's, Small Men’s, or CoUege, 6, 5, 4, dk8 ■lzes. P r i c e L i s t * F r e e o n A p p l i c a t i o n . Of all First-Class Outfitters and Dealers. R eblading a S p eciality. Factory; Artillery Place, WOOLWICH.