The brilliant stand made by the Australian captain and Bannman caused intense excitement, and the attendance on the final day of the match was enormous. Hundreds of people who anticipated a tame finish, and a one-sided affair, changed their opinions upon reading the score in the morning papers. Contrary to expectation, the third day’s play promised to be the most interesting of all.
When Murch and Bannman commenced again, every stroke was followed with interest. Runs came freely, and Bannman was not disposed of until he had made seventy. Then Edgar Foster joined his captain, and the reception he received on going to the wicket proved his father’s prowess in the field was not forgotten. Foster, in days gone by, was a name to conjure1 by, and people remembered Robert Foster’s feats2 with the bat.
Muriel Wylde felt anxious, and whispered to Doris Foster:
‘I do hope Edgar will make a score.’
‘He will try to do so, because he knows it will give you pleasure,’ said Doris.
Murch spoke3 to Edgar when he went in to bat, and gave him a hint or two as to the bowling4. Edgar played the last ball of the over, and then Murch scored a couple in the next over.
The bowling was splendid. Both Shaw and Morley were doing their level best. Edgar found Alf Shaw could deceive a batsman, and put in a swift ball when least expected. He scored a single off the last ball, and then faced Morley. Edgar was partial to swift bowling, as Morley soon discovered, and the over proved productive.
‘I’m getting well set,’ thought Edgar. ‘I believe I’m in for a good score.’
The runs came freely, and it was not until he had made a hundred and sixty runs that Murch was caught.
He had done splendidly, and his return to the pavilion was a triumph. Royle joined Edgar and played steadily5.
Grace took the ball and faced Edgar. The English captain knew Edgar was a free hitter, and placed his men far out. Then he tried to tempt6 him to send a catch. Edgar narrowly escaped being caught at the second ball of the over, and this made him careful. The last ball, however, was one he could not resist hitting. He drove it straight as a dart7, and it landed over the boundary. It was a tremendous hit, and caused an outburst of cheering.
The next exciting moment came when E. M. Grace made a magnificent catch at long-on from a very high hit by Royle. He caught the ball with one hand, having had to run for it, and, much to Royle’s surprise, held it.
Donnell came next, and then there was some big hitting. Both batsmen knocked the bowling about terribly. When Edgar had scored fifty there was a hearty8 cheer, and he appeared likely to make as big a score as his captain. The Australians were playing a splendid uphill game, and keeping up their reputation as ‘men who never know when they are beaten.’
At the fall of the seventh wicket the two hundred and fifty-two runs had been wiped off, and they were over fifty to the good.
The game now became most exciting, as the Englishmen knew if they did not quickly dispose of the Australians the game would end in a draw. Each man worked hard, and the fielding and bowling was splendid.
Still Edgar Foster kept on increasing his score, and passed his century, to the great delight of his father and his friends.
Connor was now in, and his hits were marvellous. The giant—he was about six feet four—lifted the balls all over the ground, and safely out of the reach of the fielders.
When the last wicket fell Edgar Foster was a hundred and fifty, not out, and the score was five hundred and two runs, or two hundred and fifty ahead of the Englishmen.
Such a grand uphill game it was generally acknowledged had never been played before. Edgar Foster was overwhelmed with congratulations, and Muriel Wylde showed her delight on her face.
‘It was splendid, Edgar,’ she said. ‘I believe you would have made two hundred or more.’
‘I felt like it,’ said Edgar. ‘I knew you were watching me, and that put me on my mettle9.’
It seemed well nigh a hopeless task for the Englishmen to get two hundred and fifty runs in the short time at their disposal. However, they lost no time in making a start to try to do so.
Strange to say, they did not bat in anything like the form shown in their first innings. Three wickets fell for under fifty runs, W. G. Grace being unluckily run out.
The Australians fielded with wonderful skill. Hardly a ball got past them, and many boundary hits were saved.
Seven wickets fell for a hundred runs, and now it was the turn of the Australians to endeavour to get their opponents out before the call of time.
The Englishmen had reckoned with certainty upon a draw, but they now had to fight hard to avert10 defeat, and even a draw would not be in their favour.
‘It is a most extraordinary game,’ said Robert Foster. ‘The glorious uncertainty11 of cricket again. You never can tell how it will go until a match is over, no matter how favourable12 it may look for a particular side.’
He had joined the ladies, and they were all watching the game with interest, taking keen note of every good stroke and every brilliant piece of fielding.
Will Brown looked at his watch.
‘They have only half-an-hour left,’ he said. ‘I should not wonder if they were got out in that time.’
The thousands of spectators also wondered how the game would end.
Ten minutes before time Morley joined Shaw at the wickets. They were not good bats—anything but that, and the crowd knew it. Morley hit out recklessly and made a couple of fours, and Shaw played steadily. The Australians did all in their power to separate them, but, as luck would have it, they failed to do so. The game ended in a draw, which practically amounted to a victory for the Australians, as the English eleven required over seventy runs to win.
The result of this match was the subject of conversation for some days, and the grand struggle made by the Australians was commented upon on all sides.
At Elm Lodge13 the event was duly celebrated14, and, as Robert Foster promised, the party made a night of it.
When the tour of the Australians was finished they left for home, but Edgar Foster did not return with them. At ............