THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 25, 1988
We Waited Years
Years For Paynter, Really Big, & Compton
Now Australia Are In
C. B. FRY SAYS--
C. B. Fry, the well-known authority on cricket, will be writing a scrica of commentaries on the Five Test Matches between England and Australia exclusively for the "China Mail," and below we print the second day's play, in the First Test Match, at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. The third day's play will appear in a later issue of the "China Mail.”
(Exclusive To "China Mail"-By Air Mail) Nottingham, June 11.
TRENT BRIDGE anticipates a record crowd to- day. So down to the ground early, to take sights. We had sunshine for breakfast instead of rain, but the sky is clouding over with leaden blan- keting, suffused with dull light.
My
With old Marshall, the curator, who has retired, but still re- gards this lovely stretch of turf as his earthly child, I interviewed the wicket. "She", he said (it's a daughter) "will last all four days if it's fine, an hour of light rain, and she would last a week.” reply was that a pitch like that is not made in a week.
"No" said he "nor yet in a year. I've rolled and nursed her these forty years, and I keep this middle bit for Test Matches; never put another game on this bit."
Out at the nets I meet Hedley Verity, padded and smiling be- nign intentions. Says he, "We've been waiting for years for this," and points with his bat at the scoreboard showing 422-4 wic- kets.
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Very soon it is "clear the deck for cricket." Paynter and Compton re- sume to deal with Xavier Fleetwood- Smith and McCormick. A steady start with a few well-guided strokes. Then off with Xavier, and on with McCabe from the Pavilion end. I won- der why.
go
McCormick is full of meaning this morning. His meaning is a series of bumpers. He is letting himself with a gallop and a fling. He wok up at the end of yesterday, and has not let himself go to sleep again. He is on the job.
ON THE JOB
Mr. C. B. Fry, above, the well- known authority on international · cricket, continues his series of comments on the Tests between England and Australia with thề second day's play in to-day's issues of the "China Mail.”
to found a colony. He has the point of vantage secure, and should stand on it.
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The total is 495. Casual Leslie 98. He off Xavier for his
faces Ames induces an overthrow-the Don Three defensive strokes; did it, like a catapult. Up goes 499. O'Reilly. then out flashes that lovely square And Paynter tickles a single to leg cut and Dennis Compton completes his off O'Reilly and up goes 500 for five century.
MADE TEST BATSMAN
A triumph for this attractive youth. He was good yesterday; he is brilliant to-day. Easy-natured drives and cuts: generous freedom.
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men out.
Of a verity, we have waited years for this.
This
benter whe best dist
the leg-break bowler kept Clar- ence V. Grimmett out of Australia's team.
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We are back to Napper McCabe. Origin of soubriquet a resemblance to Buonaparte, discovered by Vic Rich- ardson, who was learning French at Les Invalides in Paris in 1980.
Yes, and Leslie Ames has begun to move the bowling about. So you look out. He is feathering the loveliest off-drives. He offers a caressing bat to the ball, and the ball becomes bullet.
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a
The total is now 665 for five. The average is, I reckon 111 per wicket. The Don will be feeling Jealous; he didn't reckon we could do this.
My word, I wish I were in Mel- bourne nbw to talk to those ladies. Or look at them.
O'REILLY'S GRIT
Well a velvety wicket it may be, but great cricket being played by Eng- land. The Australians are sticking it out well-this most unfamiliar trouncing. The bowlers, especially O'Reilly, have kept up all pressure possible to them. In fact, I recalled that the O'Reilly has bowled with Trojan grit, as well as 'Greek cun- ning.
has
Billy Brown, the Australian, fielded well; he snapped up the groundling balls like 2 Queensland turtle.
Leslie Ames played his usual casual stroke at Xavier, and quietly accepted a displaced stump.
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He had lapped up a casual 46 runs which as easily might have been 146. His strokes were perfect. I shall see him a centurion in this series of Test
matches as sure as a batsman is Д batsman.
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McCormick
TOP SCORE PAYNTER
arrived When Verity Quiet Leslie Ames is playing like came on and hit Verity's leg with an the great batsman he is one of our express. McCormick visibly disagreed half-dozen best. If he settles in we with the little umpire, Emmott Ro- shall see a renewal of outright punch-binson, about a bowler's right to a
fair-way. McCormick is peeved.
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Then he hits a great leg hit offing without pains. Xavier High and long the ball travels and reposes safely in the hands of deep square leg. The same as hap- pened to Hutton: relaxation of con- centration when the coveted century relieved tension. But a beautiful in- nings and a made Test Match bats- man for England.
Let enthusiasm praise, but pause. If we are to beat these Australians our young braves and our old braves, too, must inure themselves to the idea
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Paynter has carved out the top score of the match. And do you realise that if Leslie Ames- gets going you may enjoy at his easy hands the best innings of the lot? He is capable of it. And they said we had no Eng- land team!
So to round this up Paynter went the other end and hit a short boun- cer to leg for his 150th run. Cool hand, this Lancashire lad and a merry blade. And can't the little sportsman just cut! *
Thus ends our happy morning. Look at the score sheet. Meet my friend England, who has 589 runs name and four wickets in hand.
True it is that Australia, too, may But we have done it.
to
the
Ha ha; Dennis Compton is on the that the first century is only a step- had a lot of O'Reilly, of McCabe, of make as many if the weather holds.
job, too, the lad they love at Lord's. He lets Napper McCabe know he can cut;-he-tells him he can-do-the-off- drive. Promising, very. He has pass- ed Paynter's total in 15 minutes, they stand at 82 and 72. Yes: promising very. The young Middlesex crack is is in happy vein this forenoon.
good. Well, the start is
Let
us
keep on hoping.
No one could fail to like the look
of this pair; all alive-oh, and their bats make merry music.
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I noted yesterday, and again to day I note, how cleverly the Don set his field. He economises by opening out his men for the batsmen's scor- ing strokes, and coaxing them in for their defensive strokes. The little more and the little less in distance and angle make a world of difference. The Don is a real tactician.
McCormick still flinging
his fast
stuff. He walks back 16 yards and rubs the ball on his chest as if he were shining up a ruby for sale.
Steady the pen! Compton is at 08: Paynter at 92.
TOPPING CENTURY Who will win the race? Compton plays to McCabe-and a maiden.
Paynter plays to O'Reilly, who has just come on instead of McCormick. First ball a lovely square cut to the boundary-96. Fourth ball a clean leg hit. Lancashire has won thò race. A topping century to our gamecock of a loft-hand batsman, And isn't hạ on the crow? He punches O'Reilly." as though that giant were a silly, school- boy.
Now. Compton meets Xavier, re- introduced by McCabe. Fourth ball, and a neatly guided four past the slips, gives him 97.
Total 481 and 60 runs in the first 40 minutės, "Great`going.
Fingleton is fielding finely, Ho is a baseball player of note in Australia; his throwing is distinctive the base- ball "chuck nothing like it in cricket. Meanwhile Compton scores a single
ping stone to the second.
The man who is at home is the man
Now we come to Ward. We have
Xavier S. F. But not for a whole hour plus a quarter do we come
BRITISH MALT,
BRITISH HOPS,
THERE'S NO FAULT
IN
to
Paynter's great knock has been a serial delight. Such veracity.
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The resumption is with Xavier and Tiger O'Reilly (his Sydney_name) and with Verity looking on at Paynter. We await 600 up. And we expect the final touch from Paynter.
Verity is out there working his caution. divining rod with sedulous Not cautious enough, however, for Xavier's guile disturbs the bail. Three runs wanted.
OUR GALLANT 600
So in comes Sinfield, ninth on the list, who used to go in first for Glou- cestershire and make his 100. A pretty useful No. 9.
Paynter to Xavier; and a sort of a sliced drive well clear of slip sent up our gallant 600.
Paynter, meanwhile, has 170, has his double century in hand. deserves it.
(Continued on Page 20)
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