CRICKET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 170, 2 May 1935, Page 3

CRICKET.

LARWOOD'S BOWLING FAIR. HOW SUTCLIFFE FOUND IT. LONtDON, May 1. Making what he describes as his first public expression of opinion on the subject, Herbert Sutcliffe, in his book, "For England and Yorkshire," published to-day,. says:—. "On the several occasions on which I faced Harold Larwood's fast leg theory attack I found it perfectly fair in every way. Larwood never compelled me to duck or back away." Sutcliffe adds that nothing would ever have been heard of fast leg theory if perfect wickets had not been produced to make good-length fast bowling innocuous.

Sutcliffe expresses the opinion that the new Ibw rule will definitely end fast leg theory bowling, out he asks whether this alteration does not swing the pendulum too far, giving bowlers an unfair advantage.

The M.C.C. Committee decided, by a very large majority,. that throughout the season 1930* a trial be given in the first and second class county competitions to an amended -lbw law reading as follows:—"The striker is not lbw if with any part of his person (except his hand) which is between wicket and wicket he intercept a ball which, in the opinion of the umpire at the bowler's wicket, shall have been pitched in a straight line from the bowler's wicket to striker's wicket or shall have been pitched on the off-side of the striker's wicket and would have hit it."

RECORDS TO CREDIT OF HOBBS. 61,221 RUNS TO DATE. Following are some of the most important records standing to the name of Hobbs:— * Total runs to end of the 1934 season, 61,221. In 1930 Hobbs beat W. Cr. Grace's record aggregate of 54,896. Total runs v. Australia in Test matches, 3636. Hobbs played in 41 Test matches against Australia. Hundreds in first-class cricket, 197. (Hendren with 150 hundreds is his nearest rival). Hundreds in Test matches, 15 (12 v. Australia—a record), 2j y. South Africa 1 v. West Indies. Hobbs and Rhodes first-wicket record partnership in England v. Australia Test matches, 323 at Melbourne in 1911-12. Hobbs and Sutcliffe first-wicket record partnership in Test matches between England and South Africa, 268 at Lord's in 1924. (The innings of 211 made by Hobbs at Lord's in 1924 is the record highest score in England v. South Africa Tests). Hobbs has taken pact in 168 partnerships of three figures for the first wicket. , , His 428 with Sandham v. Oxford University' at the Oval in 1926 is the highest fifrst-wieket partnership tor Surrey. , Hobbs has to his credit the unparalleled feat of haying made two separate hundreds in a match on six occasions. His highest aggregate in a season was 3024 runs in 1925. His 16 hundreds during the season of 1924 is a record * for ' first-class cricket. ~'.,, Hobbs claims the highest score evei made at Lord's—3l6 not out against Middlesex in 1926 (the highest innings of his career).