14 May: CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY V AJ WEBBE

1 January: AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND (Second Test) (See scorecard at Cricket Archive, www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4921.html) Day 1 (report from Monday 3 January) Melbourne, Jan. 1 The second of the five test matches between Mr Stoddart’s team and All Australia began here to-day under the pleasantest conditions. Large at the start, the attendance went on increasing, till late in the afternoon there were 24,000 people on the ground. It was feared at first that owing to a small abscess in the throat Ranjitsinhji would have to stand out of the England eleven. However, after consulting a doctor, he found himself able to play, so Stoddart made way for him. The other player left out was Board. With Stoddart away Maclaren captained the side. Trott won the toss, and such a fine start was made by Australia that at the end of the day 283 runs had been scored for the loss of only three wickets. McLeod and Darling opened the innings to the bowling of Richardson and Hirst. The early batting was slow and marked by great caution. Richardson bowled four maiden overs in succession and the fielding was superb. With the total at 17, Briggs went on in place of Richardson, off whom only one run had been made. Darling scored eight in Briggs’s first over, and then, at 25, Richardson bowled at Hirst’s end. Darling did nearly all the hitting, getting 23 runs out of the first 27. As the game proceeded, the play became freer in character, Darling’s cutting being very clean and neat. At 43 the first wicket fell, Darling being caught at mid-off. So far cricket had been in progress three-quarters of an hour. Darling hit 5 fours in his 36 and gave no chance. Hill followed in, and 50 went up at the end of the first hour. At 54 Richardson was displaced by Hearne, and off the latter bowler Hill, when he had made 11, was missed at the wicket by Storer. A further change was tried at 62, Mason going on for Briggs. At lunch time the total was 70 for one wicket, McLeod being not out 19 and Hill not out 13. During the interval Ranjitsinhji visited the doctor to have a slight operation performed on his throat, and when the game was resumed Board fielded as substitute for him. The company just after lunch was estimated at 16,000. Hearne and Mason bowled for some little time, but at 89 the latter gave way to Hirst. The 100 was reached when the innings had lasted two hours all but five minutes. The batting was now more attractive than before, McLeod’s play on the on-side and Hill’s driving being excellent. Out of 105 runs McLeod’s share was 35 and Hill’s 31. At 117 Richardson bowled again for Hearne and Briggs for Hirst. McLeod continued his steady play and completed his 50 after having been at the wickets two hours and 20 minutes. Hill, more rapid in his methods, made 50 in an hour and 40 minutes. Ranjitsinhji on returning to his place in the field was loudly cheered. When the total stood at 155 Hayward was tried in place of Richardson. McLeod, with his score at 62, put up a ball from Hayward in the slips – a hard chance which Druce did not hold, one run being obtained for the hit. The batsmen were separated at 175, Hill being smartly caught at the wicket. He had made 58 in an hour and 55 minutes, his chief hits being a four and eight threes. His strokes on the leg side were as skilful as ever. Speaking generally, the fielding during this long partnership was excellent. When Hill left McLeod had made 73. With Gregory in the bowling was again mastered. At 202 Hearne relieved Hayward, who had taken one wicket for 23 runs, and at 210 Richardson bowled once more for Briggs. McLeod reached his 100 with the total at 219, Gregory having so far made 18. In getting his hundred McLeod had been batting nearly three hours and three-quarters. With the score at 237 Storer was put on in place of Hearne, Druce keeping wicket. The change quickly proved successful, as with the last ball of his first over Storer completely 1 beat McLeod and bowled him. The total at the fall of this, the third wicket, was 244. McLeod’s 112 included four fours and nine threes. He was in for four hours and five minutes, and his innings, though not marked by excellence of style, was of enormous value. Iredale joined Gregory, and Hayward, in fielding a hard hit at mid-off, injured his finger and retired, Board coming out to field for him. At 270 Hirst and Mason took up the bowling in place of Storer and Richardson, but no other wicket fell, the total at the close being 283 . The weather was pleasantly fine all day, and the wicket at the finish was in good condition. The operation by which an abscess was removed from Ranjitsinhji’s throat yesterday appears to have proved successful, and he expects to be able to play again in the match to-morrow. Day 2 (report from Tuesday 4 January) Melbourne, Jan. 3 The big match here was continued to-day and again proved an enormous attraction. When play began there were 10,000 people on the ground, and before the day’s cricket ended the company had increased to 27,000. The weather all the afternoon was pleasant and cool. Great anxiety was felt in the morning about the wicket, which looked to have cracked very much; but it played admirably, and when stumps were drawn seemed to be lasting well. Gregory fainted from weakness last night and Iredale stayed in bed the whole of yesterday. Both players suffered last week from the excessive heat. The Australians to-day carried their score of 283 for three wickets to 520, and Mr Stoddart’s team lost one wicket for 22 runs. Gregory and Iredale, the not outs, went on with Australia’s innings, the bowling being shared by Richardson and Hearne. When 300 went up the innings had been in progress nearly four hours and three-quarters. Gregory had then made 62 and Iredale 21. At 310 Briggs displaced Richardson, and with his third ball, which kept very low, he bowled Gregory, the fourth wicket falling at 311. Gregory, who was batting for two hours and a quarter, played in very neat and finished style for his 71, an innings which included three fours. When he had made 34 he gave a chance of Storer’s bowling to Hayward at mid-off. Trott came next, and began so carefully that he was at the wickets ten minutes before he scored. Richardson was put on in place of Hearne, the latter going out into the deep field. Further changes were tried a little later, Storer going on for Briggs at 336 and Hirst relieving Richardson. For half an hour Trott’s score remained at a single run. When he had reached 15 he lifted a ball from Storer which Hearne at long-on made a brilliant, but unsuccessful, effort to catch, the hit going to the boundary for four. At 369 Mason bowled for Hirst, and at 375 Richardson for Mason. When lunch time came the total was 379 for four wickets, Iredale being not out 59 and Trott not out 21. Despite its suspicious appearance the pitch was found to be playing well. After lunch the crowd had increased to 15,000. On starting afresh the score rose steadily, Trott doing most of the hitting. Four hundred went up as the result of a trifle under six hours and a half’s batting. At 404 Hirst bowled again for Richardson, who without taking a wicket had so far been punished for 106 runs. At 405 Storer gave way to Hearne. The two batsmen stayed together till the total reached 434, and then Iredale was smartly caught by Ranjitsinhji at point. The fifth wicket had added 123 runs. Iredale was batting just over two hours and three-quarters for his 89, his style of play being at once sound and attractive. His placing at leg was very skilful and his driving on both sides of the wicket hard. Among his hits were six fours and he gave no chance. Noble came in, Richardson having in the meantime gone on at Hearne’s end. Having made 17, Noble, who did not play Richardson at all well, was out to that bowler, the total with six wickets down being 453. Trumble joined Trott and a change of bowling was tried, Mason taking the ball from Hirst. Thanks to Trumble’s free play the score was carried to 478, and 2 then the new batsman was well caught at cover point. Trott up to this time had made 66. With Kelly in, Briggs, at 481, bowled in place of Richardson. When the game was resumed after the adjournment for tea the company had increased to 24,000. The wicket was now playing far better than had been expected, its condition being first- rate. Though Hearne bowled for Mason, runs came steadily and 500 went up, the innings having then lasted nearly eight hours and a half. However, at 509, Trott cut a ball hard over point’s head and was finely caught by Wainwright. Trott in a very steady way had played splendid cricket. He hit 11 fours, but his innings of 79 extended over nearly three hours and a quarter.

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