Australia start day two of the first Test in Melbourne in a reasonable position at 6/166. Charlie Bannerman has got 126 of those runs and will be looking to add to England’s woes.
We join our commentators, Veronica Blake (VB) from England and Mo Stache (Mo) from New South Wales.
Review all the riveting action from day one here.
VB: Welcome all to day two of the first Test. It’s quite chilly and overcast today. A crowd of 3,000 or so are in the ground. It should be an exciting day and we are expecting the Governor of Victoria to attend.
Good morning, Mo, Are there any ill-effects from the overnight showers?
Mo: Other than the fact that I got wet sleeping on the park bench it should be fine. Of course, this is an uncovered pitch and there look to be a few mushrooms poking through just short of a good length.
VB: Play has started late again but what’s 15 minutes between friends. England is coming out to healthy applause but listen to that roar as Bannerman and Blackham come out for the Combined XI.
The convicts, I mean colonials, are in fine voice. Southerton bowling to Bannerman and that’s gone for byes. Three runs to Australia.
AUS 6/169
Mo: Emmet bowls on the off-side and it is crashed through the covers by Bannerman for four. Shot of the match so far.
AUS 6/183
VB: Lillywhite has put in a mid-off and a mid-on to reduce Bannerman’s scoring options. Southerton continues and Bannerman is dropped! Hill at mid-on got his fingers on it. England may rue that chance.
AUS 6/191
Mo: Southerton to Blackham and that’s BOWLED him. He tried to flick it to leg and it’s come off his pad onto the stumps and England have made a vital breakthrough.
If the New South Wales keeper had been playing he would never have played that shot. Tom Garrett will be the new man.
Blackham b Southerton 17
AUS 7/197
VB: Garrett and Blackham are pushing the scoring rate along here. It’s like watching father and son with the 49-year-old Southerton bowling to the 18-year-old Garrett who picks up a single.
AUS 7/210
Mo: Ulyett comes on to break the partnership and he is really bending his back. A number of short balls go flying past the bat. A bit over the top from your countryman, Veronica?
AUS 7/222
VB: Suck it up sunshine, this is Test cricket. The crowd is totally absorbed in the action. Shaw comes in and he’s caught – no dropped – by Selby! Lucky escape for Garrett but that is lunch on day two.
I feel England is letting the game slip with these missed catches. A splendid session for the home team as they have moved the score along to 232 for the loss of only one wicket. Join us in half an hour for the resumption
AUS 7/232 (Bannerman 159*, Garrett 14*)
LUNCH DAY 2
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Mo: So lunch ran over time again by ten minutes but hey, who’s counting? Ulyett continues and is smashed for FOUR by Bannerman!
AUS 7/236
VB: Ulyett steams in – and a short ball cracks Bannerman on the hand and he has gone down! Quick Mo, get down there and see what’s going on!
Mo: That ball hit him on the middle finger of his right hand. It’s split the finger right to the bone. There is blood everywhere – wooh I’m not feeling too well and he is coming off.
Huge cheers as Bannerman retires and a few howls of derision from the fans aimed at George Ulyett, the dirty sneak.
This contest is becoming more intense by the minute! Kendall is next man in.
Bannerman ret. hurt 165
AUS 7/240
VB: Shaw to Kendall and he’s CAUGHT! He tried to cut it and was caught in the slips. Australia are eight down but effectively nine down. Hodges will be the last man in.
Kendall c Southerton b Shaw 3
AUS 8/245
Mo: Shaw to Hodges and he’s BOWLED! Hodges out for a duck and, with Bannerman injured, Australia’s innings comes to a close.
Hodges b Shaw 0
AUS 9/245
VB: So Australia have set up the match with a good score of 245. The innings belonged to Bannerman who retired hurt on 165 with Garrett the next best on 18.
For England, Shaw was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/51, ably supported by Southerton with 3/61. Join Mo and myself for England’s reply.
AUS 245
END OF AUSTRALIA’S FIRST INNINGS
| AUSTRALIA – 1st Innings | ||
| Bannerman | retired hurt | 165 |
| Thompson | b Hill | 1 |
| Horan | c Hill b Shaw | 12 |
| D Gregory (capt) | run out | 1 |
| Cooper | b Southerton | 15 |
| Midwinter | c Ulyett b Southerton | 5 |
| E Gregory | c Greenwood b Lillywhite | 0 |
| Blackham (wk) | b Southerton | 17 |
| Garret | not out | 18 |
| Kendall | c Southerton b Shaw | 3 |
| Hodges | b Shaw | 0 |
| Extras | 8 | |
| TOTAL (for 9 wickets) | 245 | |
| BOWLING | O | M | R | W |
| Shaw | 55.3 | 34 | 51 | 3 |
| Hill | 23 | 10 | 42 | 1 |
| Ulyett | 25 | 12 | 36 | 0 |
| Southerton | 37 | 17 | 61 | 3 |
| Armitage | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Lillywhite | 14 | 5 | 19 | 1 |
| Emmett | 12 | 7 | 13 | 0 |
Mo: A polite round of applause for the England openers, Jupp and Selby. The first ball by an Australian in Test cricket will be sent down by Hodges. Jupp steals a run and a throw at the stumps – misses! England get an overthrow.
The England innings is underway.
ENG 0/2
VB: The last ball of Hodges over and Jupp strikes it down the ground for two. But what has happened here? The Australians have gathered around and appealed to the umpire.
Mo: Jupp has trodden on his wicket while playing the shot. He should be given out but the umpires are conferring. I can’t believe this, they are both saying that they didn’t see it!
Jupp has a slight grin on his face and one or two words are being exchanged with the Australians. This looks to be the first sledge in Test cricket history and tempers are starting to boil over.
Not out! The umpires have declared they haven’t seen anything. Out of the 7,000 people here they are the only two who didn’t see it.
Oh my, what a farce. Aren’t the crowd just giving it to umpire Terry in particular? Talk about favouring the mother country.
ENG 0/4
VB: England have moved the score along in 1’s and 2’s and are sitting nicely on 0/23. Hodges bowls to Selby and he’s CAUGHT! Caught at point by BB Cooper and Hodges is Australia’s first ever wicket-taker. Charlwood comes out to bat.
Selby c Cooper b Hodges 7
ENG 1/23
Mo: Charlwood facing Hodges and he cracks it square of the wicket and almost takes out umpire Terry. Didn’t the crowd love that? Four to Charlwood.
ENG 1/27
VB: Garrett to Jupp. This one is caught by Gregory and Jupp is walking. No! It’s a bump ball and Jupp was playing up to the crowd. Jupp’s antics are testing the colonials’ patience. Brilliant stuff.
ENG 1/42
Mo: England have moved the score along nicely to 1/79. Billy Midwinter comes on and Charlwood is… OUT! Caught behind by the wicketkeeper Blackham.
He’s no Murdoch but Blackham’s starting to grow on me. Ulyett joins Selby at the wicket.
Charlwood c Blackham b Midwinter 36
ENG 2/79
The Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1878, photographed by Charles Nettleton. PD-Australia as a photograph taken before 1 January 1955.
VB: Thompson comes on and Ulyett skies it. Kendall comes around to take a dolly of a catch and…spills it! Absolutely hopeless by Kendall. Mo, can you get some reaction from the crowd?
ENG 2/83
Mo: Yes Veronica, I’m here with a well-dressed lady in the grandstand. She has asked me this question; “Why, if the catch would have put the Englishman out, did the fieldsman let it drop?”
That’s a great question. Back to you, Veronica.
VB: Ulyett clubs one from Midwinter and it lands in the bar. Four runs and I do believe that has knocked Mo’s beer out of his hand. Best get back to the commentary tent, Mo.
ENG 2/98
Mo: Ulyett is trapped in front by Thompson. And the umpire’s given him OUT! Ulyett does not like it and is shaking his head. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Greenwood the new man in.
Ulyett lbw b Thompson 10
ENG 3/98
VB: And finally the sun comes out. Mo, do you think It’s a bit odd that the pitch is facing east/west?
Mo: No doubt it’s a Victorian thing. How about this – how many Victorians does it take to change a light bulb?
VB: What’s a light bulb?
Mo: Hmm. Midwinter to bowl from the Eastern end and… what’s happening here? Jupp is appealing against the light. Well, I’ve never heard the like – he’s complaining that it’s too bright. What a joke.
He’s squinting, taking forever, what a showman.
VB: I find it disgraceful that play should continue under such conditions. Look at this! Gregory has changed bowlers and put on Kendall. What sneaky play by the uncouth colonials.
Mo: And now Jupp has called for his hat! Anything to slow down the play. There’s time for only one more over. Midwinter to Greenwood…GONE! Caught by Ned Gregory at short-slip.
Greenwood c E Gregory b Midwinter 1
ENG 4/109
VB: And that’s the end of the day’s play. A slightly unsavoury end and I feel England were cheated there. The game is very well balanced, a fine knock by Jupp sees England trailing by 136 runs with six wickets in hand. Join us tomorrow at 12. It’s farewell from me.
Mo: And farewell from Mo.
STUMPS DAY 2: ENG 4/109 (Jupp 54*)
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