Cricket 1909

300 CR ICK ET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J u l y 29, 1909. THE AUSTRAL IANS . 2 4 th M a tch . — v. E N G LA N D . ( th e fo u r th t e s t .) at Manchester on July *26, 27 and 28. Drawn. There had been heavy rain during Sunday night, and, as the weather was very unsettled on Monday, Thompson, Woolley and Carr were the three players who stood down from the fourteen Englishmen asked to be present. Only one change was made in the constitution of the Australian side which won at Leeds, Hopkins, who has been showing improved form of late, taking the place of McAlister. Noble gained no advantage by winning the toss: the wicket, in fact, was rather better late in the day than it was before lunch. To such an extent did the bowlers triumph that during Monday 20 wickets went down for 266 runs, leaving the visitors with a lead of 28 on the innings. When Gregory and Bardsley commenced the innings the bowling was shared by Barnes and Hirst, the latter presumably being put on to make the new ball swerve. Only 13 had been made in 20 minutes when Bardsley was bowled in playing forward, whilst at 21 Ransford, after making four singles, was lbw to Barnes, who had taken both wickets for 7 runs. A useful stand was made when Noble joined Gregory. The latter made a good cut for 2 and a fine hit to leg for 4, but at the end of 50 minutes his score was only 15. At 32 Blythe went on for Hirst, and his second delivery was hit by Noble to square-leg for 4. A t the end of an hour the total was 41, and four later Gregory, who had made 21 out of 45 in 05 minutes, was bowled in trying to pull. At 4S Trumper was out to a brilliant Catch at slip by Hutchings, who fell but held the ball ; at this point Barnes had taken three wickets for 15 runs. The half-century was completed an hour and a-quarter from the start, but only 8 had been added when Noble, after batting an hour for 17 made out of 37, was bowled by Blythe. At lunch five wickets were down for 65, and with only a single added Hopkins was sent back. Armstrong was then joined by Macartney and he faced Barnes with confidence, among his hits from that bowler being 4 to square- leg, 3 to fine-leg and 3 for a straight drive. At 83 a disaster almost occurred. A ball bowled by Barnes rebounded 4 or 5 yards down the wicket off Macartney’s pads, and, as no fieldsman seemed inclined to attend to it, Ai'mstrong ran down the pitch and found himself at the same wicket with Macartney. Then Lilley ran for the ball and lobbed it wide to Barnes, who fumbled it, so that Macartney managed to get home. The blunder—it was nothing less—was not expensive, for 4 runs later Macartney was bowled by Barnes after helping to add 21 for the seventh wicket. Cotter, who followed, set himself to hit, and off the third ball he received from Blythe made a magnificent straight drive out of the ground for 6. The hundred went up in two hours and a- quarter, but at 110 Cotter was caught at long-on ; he received 13 balls whilst in and scored 17 out of 23, his free hitting being a welcome contrast to the previous steady play. Carter also played a free game and, having put on 18 with Armstrong, was bowled whilst trying to pull. Laver, too, made a useful score. He got three off the first ball he received and afterwards sent Blythe to square- leg for 4. When the innings, after lasting 170 minutes, closed for 147, Armstrong was left to carry out his bat. Of the 99 runs scored whilst he was in he was responsible for 32. He played a most valuable game and it would not be easy to speak too highly of his display. Barnes and Blythe obtained five wickets each, but the former, who bowled unchanged throughout, had the better analysis and deservedly so, although the Kent man performed very well indeed. The English fielding was always good. At one time it seemed likely that the Australians would be out for about 100, seeing that the seventh wicket fell at 87 : but the tail gave so good an account of itself that the last three wickets added 60. When Spooner and Warner opened the England innings the bowling was entrusted to Macartney and Noble. Why the latter should have gone on with Laver available was not easy to understand. The Australian fielding was every whit as keen and good as that of the Englishmen, Ransford especially being prominent. Runs were hard to get, for the bowling was steady c,nd true. With 20 scored Laver went on for Noble and 4 later Warner was bowled by Macartney : the innings had then been in progress 50 minutes. Tyldesley quickly obtained a 2 and a 3 off Macartney, who retired in favour of Cotter at 33, when play had lasted an hour. Spooner hit the new bowler for three 2’s but was then caught-and-bowled by him. Two for 39. Five later Sharp was caught at slip whilst playing forward, whilst at 50 Rhodes, who had never seemed at home, was caught at the wicket off Laver. With Hutchings in 13 were added and then Tyldesley met the fate which overtook Sharp, and with his dismissal half the side were out for 63. Hutchings, who was bowled by a no-ball from Cotter w’hen 6, was bowled at 72 in attempting a run. MacLaren and Lilley brought about an improve­ ment, the former making some good strokes, especially a 4 to the on-boundary off Cotter, who, at 91, gave place to Macartney. When the seventh wicket had yielded 27, MacLaren was lbw for 16 made out of 36 whilst in in 30 minutes. Four later Hirst and Barnes were dismissed by conse­ cutive balls from Laver, but Blythe prevented the hat-trick and remained whilst a valuable 16 were put on for the last w icket: he was, however, missed by Bardsley off Macartney at square-leg before scoring. Lilley, who obtained the highest score of the side, made 26 out of 47 in 55 minutes and carried out his bat. The innings lasted 160 minutes and realised 119. Laver’s bowling was all but irre­ sistible, as his analysis of eight for 31 would lead one to suppose. No one faced him with much confidence : certainly none obtained anything like a mastery over him. He was very accurate, and his flight was obviously puzzling. During the day the attendance reached 16,000, of whom 13,044 paid for admission. The wicket was soft when play was continued on Tuesday, and Blythe and Barnes bowled when Bardsley and Gregory opened the Australians’ second innings. Neither batsman was comfortable at the start, and Bardsley was appealed against for lbw. When 15 had been made Bames retired in favour of Hirst, who yorked Gregory with the second ball sent down. Macartney went in first wicket down, presumably with the intention of forcing the game before the effect of the roller on the wicket had disappeared. At 32 Sharp went on for Blythe, and in his first over saw Bardsley offer a wide chance to the wicket-keeper. The half- century was reached in 65 minutes, and three runs later Rhodes displaced Hirst. Macartney had by this time settled down to a confident game and made some good hits. Blythe relieved Barnes, and in his first over, after being hit for a couple of 4’s by Bardsley, got that player caught at slip by MacLaren. The left-hander made a very useful 35 and helped to put on 62 for the second wicket in 55 minutes, but he was beaten several times. Upon his retirement rain began to fall, and the game was interrupted. As it happened, no more play was possible that day, stumps being drawn at four o’clock. Over 17,000 spectators were present when the game was interfered with. Yesterday it was not until 11.45—three-quarters of an hour late—that it was possible to continue. Noble then accoompanied Macartney to the wicket, whilst Rhodes and Barnes shared the attack. In the latter’s first over Noble obtained a 4 to leg and 3 for an on-drive. Rhodes bowled only one over, Blythe then resuming at his old end. Although the w-icket was drying well under the sun and a good breeze, the bowlers found some difficulty in main­ taining a firm foothold. Macartney made a capital stroke for 4 to long-leg off Barnes, who retired in favour of Rhodes at 97. The 100 went up in 105 minutes, but a run later Noble was bowled by Blythe, after helping to add 29 by bright cricket. With Armstrong in runs continued to come readily, although the player mentioned might have been caught at long-on and Macartney at mid-on in the course of an over from Blythe. The latter, however, was bowled just afterwards by Rhodes fora splendid innings of 51, which contained seven 4’s. Trumper set himself to score quickly and the play, with runs coming at a good rate, was interesting. Barnes relieved Rhodes, who crossed over, and Armstrong was at once lbw. With five wickets in hand the tourists were 176 runs on, and with Ransford in the lead was steadily increased. At lunch five wickets were down for 186. After the interval Blythe and Hirst bowled, and off the latter Ransford, when 26, offered a catch to Lilley which was not taken. In the next over Trumper might have been caught at mid-off by Hirst, but the ball was travelling very fast and it was not altogether surprising that it was not held. The second 100 was completed at the end of 200 minutes, and just afterwards Trumper made a huge drive over the screen off Blythe for 6. At 223 Rhodes displaced Blythe and six later Barnes went on for Hirst. Trumper, at 232, would have been run out but for a poor throw-in by Warner. The mistake, however, was not expensive for the player named was caught in the long-field in Rhodes’ next over— he had put on 89 in SO minutes with Ransford for the sixth wicket and hit a 6 and two 4’s in his 48. Hopkins was caught at point at 256, and six later Cotter gave an easy chance to MacLaren at slip. Carter made 12 of the next 17 runs and, with his dismissal, the innings was closed, leaving England 308to win in two hours 40 minutes. The 279 runs were made in four hours and a-half. Ransford batted very well for his 54 and hit a 6 and three 4’s. When Spooner and Warner commenced England’s task the bowling was shared by Cotter and Laver. Spooner played free cricket from the start and of the first 30 runs made 20. Macartney soon relieved Cotter, but Laver bowled so steadily that seven consecutive overs of his were maidens. Spooner, when 25, was badly missed by Armstrong at slip, and 50 went up without loss in 65 minutes. The total was taken to 78 and then Warner was bowled by Hopkins for a patient 25. By that time a draw had, of course, become a certainty, and interest in the play naturally lessened. Spooner, however,, batted very attractively, and his fine mnings of 58 proved most popular. Tyldesley did little, and when play ceased the score was as follow s:— A ustralia . First innings. Second innings. W. Bardsley, b Barnes ... 9 c MacLaren, b Blythe ...........35 S. E. Gregory, b Blythe ... 21 b Hirst ........... 5 V. S. Ransford, lbw, b Barnes .......................... 4 not out ...........54 M. A. Noble, b Blythe ... 17 b Blythe ......... 13 V.T. Trumper, c Hutchings, c Tyldesley, b b Barnes .......................... 2 Rhodes ...........48 W. W. Armstrong, not out 32 lbw, b Rhodes ... 30 A. J. Hopkins, b Blythe ... 4 cBarnes,bRhodes 9 C. G. Macartney, b Barnes 5 b Rhodes ..........51 A. Cotter, c Tyldesley, b c MacLaren, b Blythe .......................... 17 Rhodes ............. 4 H. Carter, lbw, b Barnes .. 13 lbw, b Barnes ... 12 F. Laver, b Blythe ..........11 B 6, lb 7 .......................... 13 B 9, lb 8, nb 1 18 Total .................. 147 Total (9 wkts)*279 * Innings declared closed. E ngland . First innings. Second innings. R.H .Spooner,candb Cotter 25 b Laver ...........58 P. F. Warner, b Macartney 9 b H opkins...........25 Tyldesley, c Armstrong, b L aver..................................15 b H opkins.............11 Sharp,c Armstrong, b Laver 3 n otou t ........... 8 Rhodes, c Carter, b Laver 5 not out ........... 0 K. L. Hutchings, b Laver 9 A.C.MacLaren, lbw,b Laver 16 Lilley, not out ...................26 Hirst, c Hopkins, b Laver 1 Barnes, b L a ver................... 0 Blythe, b L a v er.................. 1 B 2, lb 3, nb 4 ... 9 B 2, lb 4...6 Total ............. 119 Total (3 wkts) 108 A ustralia . First innings. Second innings. O. M. R. W. O. M. R. W. Hirst .......... 7 0 15 0 ........... 12 3 32 1 Barnes .......... 27 9 56 5 ........... 23'3 5 66 1 Blythe ..........20‘3 5 63 5 ............ 24 5 77 2 Sharp .......... 1 0 3 0 R h odes.......... 25 0 83 5 Barnes delivered one no-ball. E ngland . First innings. Second innings. O. M. R. W. O. M. R. W. Noble .......... 8 2 11 0 ............ Macartney ... 18 6 31 1 ........... 7 2 16 0 Laver ........... 18-2 7 31 8 ............ 21 12 25 1 Cotter .......... 8 1 37 1 ............ 5 0 14 0 Armstrong .......... 10 6 16 0 Hopkins ................... 12 4 31 2 Cotter delivered four no-balls. FOLKESTONE v. OXFORD UNIVERSITY AUTHENTICS.—Played at Folkestone on July 21 and 22 and left drawn. Capt. H. S. Bush played an innings of 245, took seventeen wickets and made a catch. Score:— O x f o r d U n iv e r s it y A u th en tic ^ . First innings. Second innings. F. D. Brown, cand b Bush 67 c and b Bush ... 5 O. H. Walters, c Bush, b Boddam-Whetham........... J. B. Brooks, c Boddam- Whetham, b Bush.........27 cFlem ing,b Bush 19 P. R. Le Couteur, c Gore, b Bush .......................... 4 b Bush...................123 G. C. Latham, c Muir, b Bush ..................................24 c Muir, b Bush ...119 J. Gay, lbw, b Bush ... 5’ c Radford, b Bush 35 H. D. Lanning, b Bush W. G. M. Gay, b Cooper ... 9 Ivan E. Snell, c Radford, b Bush .................................. 0 F. N. Tuff, not out ........... 7 G. R. Venables, c Gore, b Bush .................................. 2 Byes, &c...................12 c and b Bush b Bush.................. 10 b Houghton ... 18 c Boddam-Wliet- ham, b Bush ... 34 b B u sh................. 4 notout.......... Byes, &c. 17 Total Capt. H. S. Bush, b S n e ll..........................245 Capt. Skinner, b Ven­ ables .......................... 0 A. H. Muir, c S. Gay, b Snell .................. 21 D. M. Radford, c W. Gay, b Snell .......... 1 Major Fleming, b Snell 0 G. S. Cooper, b Snell... 22 S. K. Gore, b Venables 20 ...251 F o l k e s t o n e . Total ...401 Major Isacke, b Tuff 71 G. A. Boddam-Whet- ham, b S n ell........... 2 W. J. Houghton, not out ...........................27 S.Pearson, c Venables, b Snell ................ 8 Byes, &c..............39 Total ...456