CRICKET OUTLOOK

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 198, 23 August 1928, Page 7

CRICKET OUTLOOK

A HOBBS SPECIAL. Hammond Not A Great Bowler On Hard Wickets. MCDONALD'S SUCCESS. (United Service.) * (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, August 22. Jack Hobbs, in a special article, says that despite the sensational performances against Surrey and Worcestershire, W. R. Hammond, of Gloucestershire, should not be regarded seriously as a great bowler in Australia. He would be an ordinary change bowler. "I anticipate his best feats will be batting and catching," said Hobbs. "He will probably make a lot of runs. There i 3 no question that he is a remarkable catcher and seems to take the balls almost off the bat. He must have an eye like a hawk. His ten catches at Cheltenham yesterday week was an extraordinary feat at second slip or 'in the gully.' His bowling, however, was less sensational, for there was a dusty wicket. "Lancashire seem certain to win the county championship by a good batting eleven, which has made some fine scores, but I think the deciding factor in their success is McDonald's bowling. Without his performances I doubt whether Lancashire would be heading the list. McDonald is at present third on the list of county averages with 165 wickets, and an average of 18.58. Larwood and Freeman are above him.