Date-stamped : 06 Jul95 - 06:29
AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND, Fourth Test, 1921 (3 days)

Old Trafford, Manchester, Sat, Mon, Tues, (23), 25, 26 July 1921

MATCH DRAWN

The fourth Test brought with it a welcome change in the  fortunes
of  the English team. They did not have the luck to win the game,
but at least they had the satisfaction of getting all the best of
a  draw.  This after the dismal experiences at Nottingham, Lord`s
and Leeds was no small consolation. The match had to be restrict-
ed to two days, a persistent drizzle making cricket impossible on
the Saturday. The teams waited a long time in  the  hope  of  im-
provement, and it was not until after half-past five that the de-
cision "No play to-day" was arrived at. The crowd not unnaturally
grew  rather  impatient,  and  at one time tehre seemed danger of
serious trouble, hundreds of people  flocking  onto  the  playing
area.  However, a strong force of police dealt tactfully with the
situation, and complete order was soon  restored.  The  selection
commitee  had  fifteen men in readiness, and in the England team,
as finally decided on, there were various changes from the previ-
ous   elevens, P.G.H.  Fender,  Mead, Russell, Hallows and Parker
coming in for the first time. The rain probably gained Parker his
place  to the exclusion of Durston. Tennyson had the good fortune
to win the toss, and on a wicket that was far too soft  and  slow
to  be  at  all difficult, England`s batting at last asserted it-
self. Under the conditions that prevailed  Gregory  and  McDonald
had  no  terrors, and when Monday`s play came to an end the score
stood at 362 with only four men out.

An unfortunate and rather lamentable incident occurred during the
afternoon. At ten minutes to six, with the total at 341, Tennyson
came out on to the field and declared the innings closed,   being
quite  forgetful of the fact that under Law 55, as amended by the
M.C.C. in 1914, he had no power to do so. The first  day   having
been a blank, the fixture became a two-day match and the declara-
tion could not be made later than an hour and forty  minutes  be-
fore  time, so Tennyson was just an hour too late. It was strange
that noone in the pavilion remembered the  existing  law   suffi-
ciently well to save him from such a blunder. Armstrong signalled
his men to remain on the field, but eventually they  as  well  as
the umpires followed Tyldesley and Fender to the pavilion. A lit-
tle argument soon put the matter right, play continuing after  an
interval  of  little more than twenty minutes. The general confu-
sion led to another breach of the laws, for on a fresh start  be-
ing  made  Armstrong, who had bowled the last over, sent down the
next (Note: This is the only such incident in  a  Test  match  to
1995). In the time that remained Tyldesley and Fender quietly ad-
ded 21 runs without being separated.

Englnd got off the mark very  well  in  the  morning,  Brown  and
Russell  sending  up  65  for  the fist wicket, and there were no
failures. Russell had the extreme satisfaction of getting a  hun-
dred   and  played  for  the  mots  part exceedingly well. He was
favoured by fortune, however, being missed in the slips  when  he
had  made  six,  and again when 85, Armstrong in both cases being
the offending fieldsman. Apart from these chances  Russell`s  in-
nings,  which  extended  over four hours, left no room for fault-
finding. It was stated that 81 of his 101 runs were scored on the
on-side. Woolley played beautifully, but Mead, with his side in a
very strong position, carried caution to an extreme. By  far  the
most attractive batting on the side was that of Tyldesley, who up
to the time of the mistaken declaration gave a dazzling display.

Heavy rain fell during Monday night, but  there  was  nothing  to
prevent  play  being continued at eleven o`clock, and, of course,
Tennyson at once declared.

The chance of England being able to force a win was  remote,  and
as  it  happened  the  wicket, in weather that was cloudy after a
brief spell of sunshine, never became really treacherous.   Quite
early in the afternoon a draw was seen to be inevitable. In ward-
ing off the danger of defeat the Australians were mainly indebted
to  Collins, who played with masterly skill and inexhaustible pa-
tience. For his innings of 40 he was batting for four  hours  and
fifty   minutes.  The Australians  were 187 runs behind, but with
little more than half an hour left for play  when  their  innings
ended  no purpose would have been served by enforcing the follow-
on, so England played out time.

Source :: 1922 Wisden
<END> Contributed by cp  (cp@cricinfo.com)