CRICKET PROSPECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 81, 6 April 1933, Page 10

CRICKET PROSPECTS.

AUSTRALIANS WEAK.

WILL THEY TOUR ENGLAND?

OLD OBSERVER'S VIEWS. Captain E. W. Ballantine, the English journalist who accompanied the M.C.C. team throughout its Australian and New Zealand tour, left on his return for England by the Tainui at daybreak. He was in tho [Dominion last summer, too, with the South African cricketers. The second game between England and New Zealand was the ninety-ninth Test match he had witnessed. After several years in newspaper work in South Africa, Captain Ballantine went to Fleet Street, and his first sporting assignment after his return to his native land was ■to report the matches of Darling's 1902 Australian eleven which w on th® rubber against the Englishmen, captained by F. S. Jackson.

Leg-Theory Dispute. In the ordinary course of events Captain Ballantine would complete his "century" with the Australian Test at Lord's in 1934, but he is doubtful whether the Australians will go to England so soon after the upheaval caused by the Board of Control's body-line bowling protest. He thinks there is bound to be more heard of the whole matter when Jardine and his men reach the Old Country, and as likely as not a campaign waged for a Test holiday for live years or even more. This very shrewd judge of sport is of opinion, too, that tho Australians would welcome a respite for quite another reason —that with only another season to go it will be practically impossible for a reasonably strong Australian team to be sent to England in 1934. Cricket in Australia has never been weaker, and it would appear that the controlling authorities may take advantage of the administrative impasse to postpone the trip until 1938.

Few First-class Players. Captain Ballantine said Woodfull, Ponsford, Richardson and Kippax were past their best. There was so much trouble caused by Crawford insisting upon taking his wife away, at a cost of £480, with the previous Davis Cup side that the Board of Control would not hear of a similar proposal from Bradman. It was known that Bradman would make the proposal, perhaps in the form of an ultimatum. Nitschke, Rigg and Lee were tried against South Africa and dropped, and there were only a few Australian'players (including Wall and Oldfield) who justified selection in tho series just concluded. Grimmett, however, should go if the team were sent next year, as he was bound to get wiclfets on English pitches, as would O'Reilly. Darling flicked far too much at bowling on the off, and was not likely to be so dangerous on England's tricky wickets. Bromley promised to be the best Australian all-rounder of the future, although McCabe's eclipse after his glorious 187 not out at Sydney was surelv only temporary. Together wish Dr. H. J. Pickering, of the Tainui, Captain Ballantine talked over the many great players and matches of the past. Dr. Pickering had played Soccer for the "Casuals" against C. J. ("Pinkie") Burnup—out here with Lord Hawke's'team —and G. H. SimpsonHayward, the last of the under-arm lob bowlers, who visited New Zealand with Major Wynyard's 1907 eleven — when these players were members" of the Corinthians.

N.Z. Players Lack Practice. In answer to a query re coaching. Captain Ballantine said coaches would do a lot to improve New Zealand cricket, but the standard would not be much different until the players themselves worked l&rder, attended practices more regularly, and took a deeper interest in the game. "I was astounded to learn from the groundsman at Eden Park how very little time your cricketers put in apart from their matches," he said. When it was mentioned to Captain Ballantine that Dan Reese lad attacked the younger generation for their indifference to a great game,' and offered to attend at the nets several nights weekly to bowl, the Englishman said he was not surprised. He had spent five hours at Mr. Reese's home at. Christchurch on March 26, and he had never met a more charming or thorough man than the former New Zealand skipper.