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RANDOM JOTTINGS.
fBv 'Veteran.')
There is a good deal of speculation as to
whether Chapman will make any material
changes to his side for the fourth test,
iTrJiinK.io in niwTi in Adelaide on ~Fehrnarv
1. On the one hand he has nve nne players
who are anxious for a game,
while on , the other hand he
has worked up a side which pos
sesses an unbeaten record. Quite naturally,
too, he is anxious to win the remaining
tests so as to bring England's score up to
a parity with- that ? of Australia, and he
will make every effort, we may be sure,
to work off the deficit of games. The side
which won the first three tests is the same,
except that after the first game Geary was
substituted for Mead. Aud it has to be
noted that the side has been so successful
that it has carried no passengers; every
man who has played has given of his best
and there have been no failures. The
chances are, therefore, that the same team
will again take the field in Adelaide,
although it is possible that Hobbs, -who
has announced his desire to give up these
contests, may retire in favour, of Tyldesr
ley or Mead. Of the others, Leyland is a
fine batsman and a useful bowler, but he is
not so good with the ball as Geary. Free
man is England's best googly bowler, but
on Australian wickets has- not shaped so
well as White. Ames as a wicketkeeper
is little inferior to Duckworth, and although
he is a better batsman, the Lancastrian's
slight superiority- with the gloves should
again ensure his selection.
Items of Interest.
The English team up to date has estab
lished a record, as it has not yet lost a
game. It has won. six matches and drawn
seven. Its highest score to date is 734
runs for seven wickets against New South
Wales, while its- lowest completed innings
is 281 against the Newcastle and Hunter
River Districts. ' ?
The total of 1,497 runs which was put up
in the recent test match in Melbourne was
far from being a record ;for these encoun
ters. .The highest aggregate score made in
a test was 1,753 in Adelaide in 1921; Aus
tralia on that occasion made 354 (Collins
162) and 582 . (Kelleway 147, Armstrong
121,- Pellew 104), while England made 447
(Rusaell 135 not out) and 310 (Hobbs 123).
In the whole course of the test, games
3,§18 wickets have fallen, including 1,952
Australian and 1,866 English. There is not
a single instance of a batsman being given
out for obstructing the field or hitting the'
ball twice.
A Great Achievement.
When Eippax and Hooker the other day
added 307. runs to the New South Wales
total against Victoria for the last wicket,
they accomplished one*' of the finest per
formances in the history of cricket. Vic
toria had scored 376, and New South Wales
had nine wickets down for 113 and seemed
certain of defeat, yet the two batsmen, not
withstanding the fact that they were facing
the bowling of a'Becket, Ironmonger and
Hendry, not merely won the game on the
first innings, but actually surpassed their
opponents' score by 44 runs. The next
highest score for the last wicket was 235
compiled by F. E. Woolley and A. Fielder
for Kent versus Worcester at Stourbridge
in 1909. The record ^then established had
lasted 19 'years,; and in all probability the
latest record will stand for even longer.
It will be recollected that Fred. Buttsworth
(100) and J. Lanigafa (64 not out) made
154;for the last wicket of W.A. versus Vic
toria at Perth in 1922, at. a time when runs
were wanted just as badly as New South
Wales needed them. ?
By the way, I can find nothing in
the records showing the highest
score made by the last man in. A. E. R.
Gilligan went in last for Cambridge Uni
versity v. Sussex at Brighton in 1919 and
hit up 101. Does anyone know of a
higher score?
Local Hundreds.
There can be no doubt as Tejrards the
improvement of the local batting since
Arthur Richardson came over to act as
coach. In the season 1926-7 seven cen
turies were scored, but in 1927-28 the
number increased to 12, including Richard
son and McRae, three each. This year
the increase has been even more pro
nounced, as 17 centuries have been scored
in pennant cricket with the1 season bare
ly half-way over. Of these Claremont has
scored 5, the Colts. West Perth and May
lands-Mt. Lawley 3 each, Subiaco 2 ' anrl
North Perth 1 Those who have made
two centuries /are Richardson, McRae,
Drew and Rowe. ? ? . *;
Who is the pennajt cricketer who has
taken part in seven matches this season
without scoring' a run? - '
. . 'Figures are Liars.'
A correspondent, 'ilid-on,' recently in
quired whether it was rpossible for one
bowler to have a ' belter average than
another iu both innings of the'same game
and yet not to be equal to the latter
on the total ,? averages. We assured
'Mid-on' that the case was so and quoted
some figures in .support' of this conten
tion, .and now 'Mid-on' has replied, ac
cepting our version, and declaring that
'figures are liars.' Without going so
far- as to-1 endorse this* emphatic _ asser
tion, we must confess that it is not
easy to demonstrate the, fallacy in words.
We give another instance, however, in
an' exaggerated form, the study of which
will enable the fallacy to be ' detected.
Thus, A took 1 for 40 and 5 for 20,
while B took 9 for 359 and 5 for IS).
Thus, although A's average in each in
nings was -the larger, in the total ave
rage his figures ? were only 10, ? as against
B's 27. As a further example of what
figures can do it is possible for A to
have a better' analysis ;than B, in every
innings, throughout the season and yet
be behind B when the. totals are madp
up. . ? '?
Disabled Players.
The recent disablement . of Gregory,
Kelleway and Pousford during the course
of the ? test games,' ' induced me to look
up the test records, *to ascertain how
often such accidents have happened- TIip
very first player named in the list of
games was that of Charles Bannermau,
who had to retire hurt after knocking up
165 runs in brilliant style. He was able;
however^ to play in the second innings.
The most serious case was that of J.
Briggs, who, collapsed at Leeds, in 1891)
and never played again.- For the most.
part, however, the accidents and illnesses'
have not been of a serious nature though
Hobbs was incapacitated by appendicitis
for the remainder of the 1921 season,
while it looks, unfortunately, as if J.
M Gregory is now out of the game for
good. Following is a list of the players
who have been incapacitated: — . .
*~ Players Place [ Year.
d. Bannerman Melbourne 1877
J. M. Blackham Lord's . 1884
A. Bannerman Adelaide ' 1884
H Moses . ' Sydney 1892
W. H. Lockwood Sydney 1895
J. Brimjs Iwds 1899
S. F. Barnes Adelaide 1902
R-. E. Foster Melbourne 1904
T. Hay ward Melbourne 1904
V. Trumpcr Nottingham 1905
O. J. Jessop Leeds ? 1909
J. W. Hearne Melbourne 1921
J. B. Hobbs Leeds 1921
J M. Gregory Brisbane 1928
C. E. Kelleway Brisbane 1928
W. H. Ponsford Sydney 19 28
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