THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 1, 1988.
C. B. Fry's Test Commentary
(Continued from Page 18)
McCormick is bowling from the no screen "end; and Walter has lifted a no-ball for a high six
He has made more runs in two overs than in his first half hour.
Fleetwood is still at the screen end. He has two men in the deep now What a little sunshine does do. The world of Headingley is another world. That mist this morning was altogether outside the book of rules.
Now, let us, if you please, sit down to at least an hour of Gloucestershire excellence.
Sir Stanley Jackson, Arthur Sellers and Pal Oldfield all praised the Aus tralian bowling of this morning. They all say that nothing but severe ly swung drives could have scored runs at all quickly.
The great "Jacker" said that he would have taken in his heavy bat and risked the high carry. Well, he made plenty of centuries here. One in the last Test match in which we played here together.
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*
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All the experts agree with me that the cricket before lunch was unique in their experience for an easy wicket and difficult batting. Some hoodoo seemed to reign over the game.
And again I curse that imbecile run-out I blame neither batsmen and both.
*
*
*
Now we see two fine batsmen play- ing good bowling well, the bat seems to drive and to sound sincere. The score is creeping up, there is life in the wicket as if Springtime had flowed into it.
Fleetwood is making the ball twist, but the wicket is too slow for him. McCormick is fast but cannot cause the ball to lift.
I was
growing much fonder of Charles Barnett but he at once snicked a forced cut off McCormick into the safe hands of Ben Barnett.
་
This is troublesome, he had just begun to shape like his true self. But when will Charles Barnett learn never to drop his right shoulder when he cuts? Such a fine player; with this one fault.
*
it to
The annual Oxford versus Cambridge aquatic sports took place on June 25 at the Wembley Pool, when the inter-Varsity swimming and Water-Polo events were decided. Our photograph shows the Or ford team-apparently on a pedestal reflecting on the forthcoming fixture, while practising at "Parson's Pleasure," their swimming pool at Oxford. Copyright, Fox).
moment he is hitting to leg. Wright is merry bat speculative,
Oh pretty! Hedley has lofted no-ball nowhere and has nearly himself out,
run
The Don caught the little catch and threw down the wicket like a gangster,
| shooting a G-man. Quick as a flash
out of his hip pocket, make
Wright is employing the long handle. He has nearly knocked O'Reilly over nearly killed Fingleton at silly mid-on and has hooked three boundaries. This upset, Hedley, who flings an on-drive and a late cut; both boundaries.
Not to be outdone Wright smashes Fleetwood round to the on boundary and sends up the 200. Not enough; but something,
# Tuns
I think these lads must have heard me mention the word hutch. I will never again call either of them rabbit. They have put on 40 and we are going strong... has had to put two men in the deep.
It could not last.
O'Reilly
Wright drives
low and true-the best stroke he made
into the hands of deep mid-off. plucky knock greeted with loud plause.
A
:
ap*
ball
Kenneth Farnes hit the next but one high and far to long on; quite a fine drive, but out.
1.
Now comes Bill Bowes.. -Now for a Yorkshire roar such as has not been heard since the last races at Doncas- ter.
Bill takes carefull guard. He glides the ball and tries a short run. He is sent back and nearly ricks his left knee, Steady Bill.
Then Hedley lets fly; he lets fly to leg with his eye on the ball and lands a fine four.
I can
smell
The sky is overcast. rain.
Just an hour to go. I would rather see Bill Bowes bowling now. He obliges. He lets O'Reilly bowl him next ball.
responsible task, but has not allowed match. He bowls a decent first over, The great O'Reilly has to-day alded : cramp his style. Come what but it is Fleetwood who draws blood. a very fine bowling performance to his his side. What if he had made one and half felt for it; he mistook the give him top marks for his effort. may, this is a truly fine innings for Our Paynter half hit at a twister long list of such performances. little mistake?
break and was very smartly stumped. {* Our score of 223 might have been After trays and, glasSES and in His 28 stands as meritorious, but he far worse it is not much to boast of. O'Reilly's, very next over, Walter was never on top of the bowlers as he We shall have to bowl well if we are missed his easy off-drive and saw his has taught us to expect of him. to give ourselves a chance of winning. whatever to miss that ball; he had off-stump knocked back. No
Now then. Exactly 40 minutes this evening and what happens in this dealt with dozens such.
40 minutes matters.
That makes us 88 for three of our A Great Innings
six batsmen of large capacity.
Never was a century or two more
all
reason
one. And the hutch is now ajar.
Our total of 171 is not n proper
What is more, next over from O'Reilly and Compton's middle stump is nakaw, Six for 171. Tea.
And our hutch is definitely open.
He had scored 76 out of a total of What do you know about Price? Sir needed from champion Walter Ham-142 and out of 108 while he was there Home Gordon (complete with red mond. Already the advantage of winning the toss is neutralised. And the circumstances, a great innings. runs for an average of 17 runs. He by wise and elegant cricket. In all carnation) tells me he has made 6866 i of course, the Cornstalks are
For all the difficulty the bowling pre- has stumped 252 mon and caught 488 tiptop on their toes.
sented to him he might have remain-catches. That was Price at the start ed at the wicket till nightfall.
of this season. ́ I hope he will make I can scarcely even now b
believe he 17 to-day. is really out. He was so sure of himself and of his strokes.
Pitfalls Prepared
Redistribution of the field for Edward Paynter; and we hope he will avoid all the careful pitfalls pre pared for him. He seems to see the ball well and to be timing his strokes.
So we are now watching Denis Compton take guard, the last of our professed batsmen.
Kenneth Farnes has started, fine and fiorce with three slips and two gullles, Undoubtedly Farnes – this evening is our Kenneth,
Bill Bowes measures his run up. from, the screen end; doffs his big He takes a full over to warm up then sweater, places his field and lopes up. we shall see what he is made of. Not at all. Fingleton caught in the gully and not out. We were all taken in. Yorkshire keenness.
Well, four good, overs and no result Tea-time talk. The Australians Both batsmen are keeping away from have done a big day's work in the field. the off ball and trying to drag the They have been on top of all our straight ball round to leg.
out any batsmen except Hammond: The The roller has smoothed wicket has not helped their bowlers, kinks in the wicket. Defensive play
la not difficult. O'Reilly has been the All day it has been a batsman's wicket. The moderate scoring is due to the slow outfield and the errors of batsmen and to O'Reilly's persistent skill.
Farnes has nearly bowled both men with balls that cleared the bails by few inches:
The next move against him is to Much relieved, Don Bradman hitches of whom none but O'Reilly had looked let loose O'Reilly. This industrious his team together and calls up his dangerous. Irishman is galumphing up and roll-heavy artillery, McCormick from the success; the others have kept him
ing out all his tricks and traceries. Leg-breaks, off-breaks, drag and top spins.
Walter plants a pattern hook off Fleetwood; bat swung bolt upright with a wristy finish.
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unscreened end.
Again, why in a Test Match a big white screen one end and a hetero- genous mass of hats, coats and faces the other? Could a bowler's arm be better camouflaged?
# #
Two superb off-drives by Walter off
I am not liking our Dennis over- the O'Reilly's dragged slows and much at the start of his effort; he is Walter marks his first half-century rather uncertain. He will settle down Grand cricket Bar Ill-luck Australia if he can punch a couple of fours. is in for trouble from our champion; he is in proper form. But let us not rejoice too soon and who will stay with him?
The Don has placed his field astutely; the natural strokes are blocked; the likely spots for mistimed strokes are occupied.
For Paynter the infield is set close; a silly point and a silly mid-on, and, indeed, a silly slip. When the little left-hander goes driving there will be а воге shin.
.
The next move is Waite for O'Reilly and a tremendous drive off the back foot by Walter.
Our Walter is ready with his bat now, as though to say,
"I'll hunt this little fox."
The Don le persevering with Fleet wood, but Fleetwood is beginning to bo expensive. This partnership. has brought 40 runs →→→→ lot of them have. come from Fleetwod
So, too, polates O'R«{{1}
from the
To-day t
me of that dh
an inter
suggestion
of
had
He likes to get his first strong stroke over: then he collects himself.
Master Paynter is beginning to find has found his habitual zest and gusto, his way between the sentries. He
Our total for time and wickets down is inadequate. We want a big effort by somebody.
I wonder what Sir Pelham.“ ing to the Princess Royal in expl tion of the moderate harvest fruit of his labours. Not cornucopia. S
One of the troubles of our Batamen has been that they have all been pecting McCormick to bump; McCormick has not bumped.
McCormick started the season wit
strides in his run up; he now uses about 18.
Fleetwood roturned Instond O'Reilly. He has been quite good to: day has Fleetwood, on an uncongenial wicket
Paynter Stumped
the other end next over wo McCabe for the first time
going by keeping the runs down.
Price did not make 17. He made 0. And then he hit the ground and the ball and was caught at slip off O'Reilly.
Our fortunes are now in the custody. It looks rather as if the Australian of Verity and Wright with 172. runs pair, avoiding all risks, will play out scored and seven men out. Not a time. Both seem free of discomforts and well behind the line of the ball cornucopia.
Hedley Verity can bat if he does not with their bats, Brown just now is study the architecture of Leeds at the full of runs,
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