1939-09-04 — Page 18

FINAL TEST LAST DAY

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 1939.

HUTTON AND HAMMOND TAKE CHARGE OF GAME

C. B. FRY SAYS

Position At Start Of Final Day:-

ENGLAND

(1st, inns.)---352

WEST INDIES (1st. inns.)-395

(for 6)

Oval, Tuesday.

ers with the old ball and hoping for the new.

Both batsmen are going

for runs.

gets his

It is Nichols, however, who the new ball halfway through second over, and he finds it an aid in keeping Leary quiet for a few minutes.

Leary, an indiarubber man, with double joints, is entitled to let fly ad lib. This he does with success, clouting Perks time and again to the boards. Sealey is a short swinger and cutter. He should have stuck to his style; instead he tries to slog and pays the penalty of a miss-hit. But he has scored a useful 24. This makes 435 for 7.

Incorrigible, this fellow Constan- tine; he is hooking the good length ball or else skying it over third man's head; he is running short runs; he is rearranging the field; "he is taking liberties. But all the time he is manifesting a rare talent.

Johnson tries to leave a ball alone and makes a lovely fine-length cut; not at all or purpose. But we can- not get him out. He is shaping proud as a peacock, and taller than a cock ostrich.

Hutton reaches his 50 a run before 100 arrive.

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The prosperous appearance of our batting brings on Martindale instead of Johnson, but I do not think on At last, on the edge of 500, up this wicket the fast right-hander will Leary skies a miss-hit which the do much good. The ball comes along wicket-keeper chases and catches at such an easy height from the pitch.

and catches cleverly. Thus Leary has thrashed up 79 runs and given us all first-class sport.

And the West Indians lead us by 146 runs.

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Vauxhall, and Martindale, from Johnson, from the Pavilion, are the bowlers to Keeton and Hutton. Grant has two slips and two gullies for his fast bowler-properly placed.

The wicket is fast and true. Our batsmen have every chance of coun- tering the large score

our bowlers have permitted to their opponents,

NATURAL CUTTERS

Johnson is bowling his oblique Martindale tries to copy him, but cannot manage a similar unorthodoxy, swinging lefthand stuff to a nest of The tall fast bowler sees his middle near fieldsmen on the leg side; one stump uprooted by Perks.

man fine, one just behind, one just the wicket. Awkward Undismayed Leary snicks, lifts, in front of plunges and swipes with jazz-like stuff to deal with No free strokes inconsequence. He has put his side available Makes the batsman wish he

had no legs in the way.

Keeton and Hutton are not per- turbed.

are cutting Both of them Martindale with precision. Both are good natural cutters.

100 runs ahead of us.

He, Leary, has

actually off

his

the

I am tempted to say that I told you so. But I refrain, back foot driven a sixer over partly because it is no cre- boundary in the-direction of West- dit to a cricketer who under- minster. A huge hit. stands cricket, partly be- cause owing to rain we may to-day see strange reversals.

In point of fact, there is no pre- sent evidence in the first few overs that the rain has disturbed the con- ditions of play which prevailed yes- terday.

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Ja

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he,

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or

After about half an hour and runs it is time for either Clarke Clarke cannot get the pace, and Constantine to be tried. And here is Leary instead of Martindale. This is too, is cleaned bowled by Perks..

the crucial change. If Leary is on. The last man, Johnson, is tall

the spot with the ball, as he does enough for anything but he

He cannot bat with the bat, we shall have to look not look at all safe.

out. But on this wicket. Leary must as well as he bowls his

rely on his deceptions of pace rather swingers.

than on his break.

left-hand

Leary has called Johnson to ad- visory consultation. He then auda- ciously uppercuts Perks over slip's head; all on purpose. This becomes

Nichols has plugged down his con- scientious swifts, Leary has clipped him right and left, The total of 400 is recorded, Perks is trying in-swing- amusing:

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was

Here at the other end is Clarke, with his legbreaks-a relief to the batsmen Runs will come quicker, but Johnson's speed must be conserved.

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done the Leary Constantine has trick. After several excellent overs, reminding one of the old-time bow- lers who relied on other artifices than swerves and a short good length, he beat Keeton with his slower, but not his slowest ball,

Oldfield walks in with alacrity and takes a prompt boundary off his first ball. An undeniable off-drive. alert and resolute lad, this:

An

well,

Constantine is still bowling but he will soon need a spell off; he

has been on for 40 minutes and he does not spare himself. Now Wi have Clarke from Vauxhall, instead of him.

OVER THE EDGE- Grant soon decides against Martin- dale's prospects and takes the ball himself. This means on this wicket that the West Indian captain has ab- andoned any expectation of quick

wickets.

to With Hutton well set with 63 his name and Hammond now play- ing free cricket untoward develop- ments are quite improbable.

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Within another quarter of an hour the game has definitely gone over the edge into the possession of the bats- men. Clarke once has beaten Ham- mond's bat; otherwise he has had the bowling well in hand. As for Hutton, nothing, it seems, is likely to divert him from a watchful and leisurely progress to a tall score.

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Our batsmen have taken comfort- able charge of the bowling. The aid. The wicket gives the ball no faster bowlers have about done their day's work. We are settling down into the atmosphere of an inevitable draw.

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George Headley makes one of his rare entries as a bowler. He is me- díum right-hand; of the net practice variety, but not so bad at that.

He at once produces Walter Ham- mond's on drive, but he cannot excite Hutton into adventure, with a cen- tury in the offing.

Eventually, the tea total is 221. Hutton has 97 and Hammond -76.

Hutton dug out the necessary three runs in Johnson's first over after tea and then relapsed into several suc- cessive boundaries-all beautiful strokes.

Hammond, now at 86, will soon follow him into harbour. I have seen our captain more eloquent with his bat, but I have seen again ́ ́ ́ to- -day most of what makes his cricket

admirable.

Now that we have recovered from the shock of the first two innings, we are beginning to talk about the ab- surdity of not playing these Tests to a finish. Not long ago we were can- vassing the monstrosity of no time A. REAL BOWLER

limit. Such the ebb and flow of public The first afternoon bowlers are sentiment; Constantine and Johnson. The

i

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Hammond near his century; :cannot former looks to me more like a bowler get the bowling, and tries a gambling than anyone I have seen since stroke which nearly cost him his O'Reilly. Johnson has given up leg wicket-a hard chance to cover point. theory, and is bowling to. two slips The partnership has now yielded and an offside field.

The advent of Oldfield has intro- duced a certain liveliness; he is an attacking batsman who gets at the bowler before the bowler gets at him, and makes his strokes outright with- out mental reservation.

Hutton is proceeding with elegant. restraint, and an occasional, offdrive or cut

200 - runs. „A

No declaration; our pair are taking .some-more batting practice.

At last, Hammond, trying to show Leary that two can play at haymak- ing, has hit all round one of Clarke's slows-and has gone home.

There is half an hour within which Compton may show his true form. Hutton, of course, has, topped 150, and is still undismayed.

AS, CLOSE OF÷PLAY."" -ENGLAND 3864-3, Match drawn.

Hutton, not out

·165 W. R. Hammond, b Clarke 138 Compton (D.), not out

10 $14

Having promised us better things, Oldfield loses his wicket before he geffles into ... full command. He is caught at the wicket for 18, with 77 Hutton and WR, mmand “made on the board, in reaching forward to a new world-rendid In Test niich Johnson's good-length, ball outside cricket for the third

icket by the off stump://

ing 264 runs, Meanwhile Hutton is beginning to Hammond (22) has how open out into his nice strokes, and more centuries in Hammond is "tarting with his habitual Don Bradman (21), firmpose:

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