Report

1st day

Stan McCabe on the attack during his brilliant 187 not out © The Cricketer

Although Bradman had revealed dazzling form in an inter-state match, his six innings against English bowling had been 3, 10, 36, 13, 18 and 23. It was obvious that, against the fast leg-side attack, he lacked his normal confidence. Bradman seemed jaded mentally - a condition to which a contributing factor was the stress of efforts to have his press contract sanctioned by the Board of Control. The result was that two doctors, who examined him on the eve of the Test, pronounced him not in a fit condition to play, although organically sound. Neither of the slow right-hand bowlers, Brown nor Mitchell, was included in the English XI, and the other four omitted were Tate, Duckworth, Bowes and Paynter. Magnificent bowling by Larwood, who dominated the attack, put England on top early. Several Australian batsmen wore chest-pads as well as thigh-pads, and there was an outcry about leg tactics, although Worrall, the former international, who is probably the soundest critic in Australia, wrote: "Larwood opened with an orthodox field and although later this was changed and he bowled outside the leg stump, it was legitimate fast bowling as far as he was concerned. Voce's half-pitched slingers on the body-line provided about the poorest attempt at what should be Test bowling it is possible to conceive. Even Larwood bowled ten on the leg to one on the wicket, and Voce did not bowl half a dozen balls on the wicket in 24 overs." Woodfull won the toss and although Ponsford made a determined stand until after lunch, Australia's first four wickets fell for 87. Attempting an on stroke against one of Larwood's straight balls, Ponsford moved too far across and left his leg stump open. In the next two hours, Richardson and McCabe carried on to 216. As the sting of the attack lessened, McCabe began to score freely with strong on strokes, cuts behind point, and good drives. Richardson was rather unluckily out at 216, for he hit a ball beautifully to square leg where Hammond brought off a fine catch. Oldfield never settled down, but Grimmett managed to stay, and when stumps were drawn the total was 290 for six, McCabe not out 127 and Grimmett not out 17.

2nd day
When the game was resumed the English bowlers quickly met with success, but with Wall as his partner, McCabe by "death or glory " methods scored with delightful freedom and hit up 60 in less than an hour before the innings closed. Wall's share of the last wicket stand of 55 was only 4. McCabe batted four hours and hit 25 boundaries. The best batting he had shown on a good wicket was produced by Sutcliffe in an excellent opening partnership of 112 with Wyatt, who was confident with all the bowlers but Grimmett. When 43 Sutcliffe had a very narrow escape as he played a ball from O'Reilly onto his stumps without disturbing the bails, but at the drawing of stumps he was 116 not out, Hammond 87 not out, and the total 252 for one. Hammond was in his best form, his footwork against Grimmett being perfect and his driving most powerful. He reached his 50 in 57 minutes.

3rd day
The wicket was still good when Sutcliffe and Hammond continued their partnership, which was not broken until 300 had been reached.Their stand of 188 for England's second wicket surpassed the previous record of 152 by W. Gunn and Shrewsbury in 1893 at Lord's. There were 15 boundary strokes in Hammond's 112, and 13 in Sutcliffe's 194, which occupied 7 hours and was the Yorkshireman's individual record against Australia. The way for a colossal total was paved when the board showed 423 for 2, but Wall summoned up a great effort and when stumps were drawn the score was 479 for 6, Pataudi not out 80.

Tate made his first appearance for the tourists and did excellent work by disposing of Bill, Bradman, Kippax and McCabe for 53. Allen bowled at a great pace and was most effective against the later batsmen; in fact, Fingleton and McCabe were the only two to offer any real resistance. McCabe monopolised the scoring while he was in and at one period hit Verity four times in succession to the boundary. Showing a very strong defence, Fingleton was in for four hours and 36 minutes. He is very quick on his feet and a great off-side player. At the close of the first day's cricket MCC had scored 6 for 0.

Saturday's play went entirely in favour of MCC, who made 339 for 4. Wyatt, who if never quite at home to O'Reilly, batted more freely than usual and helped Sutcliffe to put up 140 for the first wicket. Hammond failed, but Pataudi assisted Sutcliffe in a stand of 133. At the close of play Sutcliffe had made 157 not out, his only chance being a very difficult one at 48.

Sutcliffe's great innings came to a close when he attempted to turn Hird, a young googly howler, who tossed the ball well up, to leg; but Ames, after batting very solidly for his first 50, hit out well and made his last 40 in 52 minutes, adding 100 for the eighth wicket with Voce an MCC record v NSW. Ames was dropped at square leg by McCabe when 34. Facing a deficit of 257 NSW began their second innings badly by losing three wickets for 68 before stumps were drawn.

Winning the toss, Wyatt decided to take first innings and MCC appeared to be well placed when they had reached 182 before the third wicket fell. Then, apart from a lively 27 by F. R. Brown, who hit five boundaries off two overs from Ironmonger, Oxenham, flighting the ball and changing pace cleverly, got right on top of the later batsmen, getting two wickets with successive balls, and at the close of play MCC had only totalled 238 for 8. If not at his best Sutcliffe scored an invaluable 87, but the slowness of his play was not to the liking of the crowd.

There was more slow scoring on the second day when the Australian XI replied to the MCC total with 216 for 9.

The third day's play was remarkable for the MCC collapse before the bowling of Lisle Nagel, who returned an outstanding analysis. The tall Victorian - he is about 6ft 6in - obtained most of his wickets with beautiful break backs, but it was not easy to see why he got so much work on the ball as the wicket was perfectly dry. He bowled into a strong wind which helped him considerably but without detracting from Nagel's performance it must be stated that the MCC batting was really poor.

Victoria had to take the field without Ponsford, who was unfit. The home side contained no fewer than five left-handers, and their presence appeared to upset the MCC fielding, which was marred by some wild returns. Victoria lost two wickets for 14, but the young left-handers, O'Brien and Darling, added 90 runs for the third wicket by good cricket, and Oakley carried his bat for a very sound 83, always looking for runs whenever possible. At the close of the first day's play MCC had scored 41 for the loss of Allen and Pataudi.

The next day was nearly all Hammond, who, after taking great care to play himself in, scored his second 50 in an hour, and his third in 28 minutes, many of his runs coming from powerful strokes through the covers. He was severe on Fleetwood-Smith, who also came in for punishment from Wyatt. When 32, Hammond might possibly have been caught by Alexander at mid-off off Fleetwood-Smith, and at the close of play his score stood at 169 out of 362 for 7.

Despite heavy rain overnight, the wicket was not difficult when Hammond continued his innings, and the Gloucestershire player reached his 200 just before lunch, play having been held up during the morning by a heavy shower. Jardine declared at the end of Hammond's innings, which contained twenty-three fours and one six - a magnificent piece of batting.

Sutcliffe and Leyland gave MCC a splendid start by putting up 223 for the first wicket - a record partnership for English teams against South Australia, and when stumps were drawn the score stood at 341 for five. Leyland, who might have been caught and bowled at 93, reached his hundred out of a total of 166, and when he was caught at point had hit 14 fours, mostly beautiful stroke through the covers. Sutcliffe hit out freely when he had reached three figures, and altogether claimed two sixes and thirteen fours. He gave no chance.

On the second day an admirably placed field kept Jardine from scoring quickly, but the MCC captain scored a magnificent century, the only blemish being a chance in the slips when 105. Larwood hit with terrific force, his innings which included two 6's and ten 4's only lasting 42 minutes. Wyatt, after a shaky start, made some powerful hooks. He and Jardine established a record for the seventh wicket for an English team v. South Australia by adding 135. Jardine and Larwood also established a record by adding 106 for the eighth wicket, the previous best for a visiting English team against this State being 102 by J. T. Hearne and W. Storer in 1897-98. Grimmett gave the impression that he was taking things easily, and did not wish to put too severe a strain on his damaged ankle.

Richardson and Nitschke gave South Australia a splendid start, the latter falling to Verity after he had twice hit the Yorkshireman to square leg for 6. Richardson was very severe on Bowes, his leg strokes being extremely powerful. He was not so successful against the slow bowlers. The remaining Australian batsmen did little against some very steady bowling by Brown and Verity, and, following on, they never appeared likely to save an innings defeat. In his second innings, Catchlove, a last-minute selection, batted very stolidly for four hours for his 65. Verity was the outstanding MCC bowler, and it was noticeable that he bowled a little shorter than in England. Bowes howled medium-pace most of the time and Larwood only sent down a few overs as he was suffering from a damaged toe. The English fielding on the whole was very disappointing.

This match was a great financial success, and there were 20,000 present on the last day when the gate realised £1,591.

The MCC made 359 for 3 on the opening day. Herbert Sutcliffe and the Nawab of Pataudi making 283 for the second wicket--a record for the ground. Pataudi might have been run out when 71; otherwise he gave no chance and hit one six and twelve 4's. Sutcliffe batted splendidly for nearly four hours, his chief hits being one six and 16 fours. Jardine made most of his runs on the leg side, while Hammond in his first match played very steadily and helped his captain in a fifth-wicket stand of 78.

At the close of the second day's play the Combined XI had scored 59 for no wicket. Heavy rain overnight made the wicket difficult on the last day, and Verity made the most of the conditions, McCabe alone playing with much confidence. Verity varied his pace and had five off fieldsmen and two leg fielders close to the batsman. Australian batsmen are not used to playing on had wickets, and most of them made the mistake of playing at too many balls.

The MCC batted the whole of the first day, scoring 334 for 8. The Nawab of Pataudi played with care at the start of his innings, but after reaching his hundred he hit with great brilliancy, and was altogether batting about four and a half hours. He timed the ball precisely, and impressed with neat foot work.

Ron Halcombe was the best of the Australian bowlers, his length being excellent, while he made the ball come quickly off the pitch. Rain unfortunately prevented any play on the Saturday, and the chief feature of the third day's cricket was some good hitting by Maurice Leyland, who hit nine fours and a six with strong cover and leg strokes. The English fielding was poor, Leyland being the exception.

A Shahid Afridi-inspired Pakistan took a 2-1 series lead in festive Faisalabad, restricting South Africa to 197 and getting home by six wickets in front of a partisan holiday crowd. A much-improved fielding and bowling unit dominated on a pitch that wasn't quite the batting deck it appeared when Graeme Smith decided to bat, and Mohammad Yousuf's exceptionally watchful presence while chasing a moderate total helped seal the deal in the 49th over.

Afridi, who earlier took an excellent catch to go with three wickets in two tight spells, didn't quite play the innings of the match but he did get Pakistan's chase off to a rousing start, thumping 32 from 18 deliveries. Dropped by Jacques Kallis at second slip after hitting ten in two balls, Afridi blazed away with boundaries drilled through cover and nudged off the pads, before blasting a second six down the ground off Shaun Pollock. Pollock had the last word as Smith flung himself to his right and intercepted a biff at mid-off to get Afridi before he inflicted further damage.

Zimbabwe Select put up a spirited fight after lunch to check Sri Lanka A's progress on the first day of their four-day match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The hosts bowled superbly in the afternoon to restrict Sri Lanka to 245 for 8 at the close.

Sri Lanka looked on course for a huge score when openers Mahela Udawatte and Tharanga Paranavitana took them to 78 for 0 at lunch. They extended the opening stand to 98 before Paranavitana edged Prosper Utseya to the keeper. Udawatte was dropped twice, first on 19 and then on 89, and punished the errors before he offered Timycen Maruma a return catch.

Maruma was the outstanding bowler, finishing with 3 for 48. He was not initially supposed to play but was drafted in as a late replacement for Sean Williams who withdraw with a severe headache a few minutes before the start.

Former Queensland allrounder Brendan Nash turned in a fine performance with both bat and ball to help Jamaica coast to a six-wicket victory over Barbados in their final Zone A league match of the KFC Cup. Both teams had already qualified for the semi-finals but Jamaica topped the table as a result of this victory.

Nash bowled a miserly spell of 10-2-11-1 and Jerome Taylor took three wickets as Barbados were restricted to 170. Even that modest total was reached because of a 34-run stand for the tenth wicket. After a brisk start, the scoring-rate fell as the batsmen struggled on a pitch which was not conducive to strokeplay with Kirk Edwards facing 70 balls to make 17.