DROPPED CHANCES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 26, 1 February 1937, Page 7

DROPPED CHANCES

FATAL BLUNDER.

Barnett Missed by McCormick When .Only ' 13. HAMMOND AND VERITY LUCKY. United Press Association.—Copjrrigbt. ADELAIDE. January 31. Commenting on the fourth cricket Test match C. G. Macartney says: "At the end of the second day's play England occupies a strong position mainly due to dogged batting against accurate bowling and first-rate fielding.

' "McCormick's blunder in dropping Barnett, at 13. off his own bowling, changed the complexion of the game, and England is fortunate that. Barnett is still uncouquered.

"It was a triumph for Allen and his men to dismiss such a fine array of batsmen Australia possessed for such a moderate total. Fames was the real menace to Australia and no other bowler ou the English side compared with him.

"Allen's object in opening with Verity instead of Wyatt was to keep the latter away from the new balL It would have been too risky to open with Hammond.

"Verity acted as a good foil for Barnett. Thus the policy of openini; with a mixture of defence and aggression as represented by Verity and Barnett proved most suc-cessful.

"Hammond was not in his usual good form. He lost his wicket in playing one of those 'round-the-corner' leg-side strokes when a full-blooded pull would have been safer.

"Barnett was always, sound in defence and made some powerful drives, but he found it difficult to penetrate a wellplaced field. He could not afford to take liberties with the bowling. Leyland played more aggressively than any of the other batsmen.

"Fleetwood-Smith beat Barnett badly twice. He appeared to bowl just as well as O'Reilly without the letter's luck.