A Test Match Won Very few people expected that England
would win the first Test match against Australia, and certainly no one expected a victory by the ample margin of 322 runs. Against an English team severely disorganised by injuries and unaccountable reversals of form a victory for the Australians by not less than 100 runs or five wickets was generally predicted. At the same time it Would be foolish to assume that the remaining four Test matches will be as easily won, or even that the two now necessary for the recapture of " the ashes" can be relied on. It is unlikely in the extreme that the Australian batting will collapse again as it did in the second innings ; indeed it is much more probable that, unlesi Bradman, McCabe and Chipperfield all strike spells Of ill fortune, their first innings' score will be generally. and substantially exceeded in the other matches. The English batting, even with the improve- ment shown in this match, is not yet capable of such scores as would ensure victory against an Australian side that had found its proper form. As for the bowling —though five bowlers were tried, Allen and Voce between them accounted for all but one of the Australian wickets captured in this match. Much more than is safe depends on their ability to repeat their success.
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