ENGLAND MUST FIGHT FOR DRAW

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25061, 18 December 1946, Page 7

ENGLAND MUST FIGHT FOR DRAW

W. J. O’REILLY)

(BY

(Rec. 12.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 17. Nothing can save England, it seems, from experiencing another defeat. The Bradman-Barnes partnership put the issue clearly beyond doubt. England must concentrate on trying to draw the match. She has two days on which to bat against the spin bowling which dismissed them so cheaply in the first innings. The wicket can be relied upon, to favour Tribe, McCool, and Johnson again. If England is to save the game her batsmen will need to shape up to these bowlers better than they have done on any previous' occasion. The odds are heavily against them. The remaining interest in the game is the mmmer irt which our bowlers can force home the advantages which Australia has achieved by tenacious batsmanship. Bradman is in a position to close his innings immediately. There is little point in batting on. England hgs to make up a leeway of more than 300 runs oh a wicket which should orogressively favour our spin bowlers Leisurely Batting

Bradman proceeded ,on his leisurely way to his second successive hundred of the series. At times he ran smartly between the wickets to take sharp singles, well run braces, and even an occasonal three. In fact, his century arrived with a quickly run three to wide of mid on. It seemed that the torn muscle which assumed the importance of a national crisis on Saturday morning had extraordinary recuperative powers. After his amazing effort yesterday there should be no further worries as to Bradman’s ability to play his part in each of the three remaining tests, both as batsman and fieldsman. He played every shot in the game, completely mastered the attack and ripped off his eighth double century in tests against England.

Sixteen off One Over Having passed the 200 mark he set about the job of annihilating what remained of a very gallant array of extremely tired bowlers. He set about Compton, scoring 16 from one over. With Bradnjan in such a mood it is impossible to bowl to him. One ball was hooked from well outside his off stump round towards fine leg for four. The end of the carnage came when Bradman was out leg-before-wicket at 234 to Yardley. I wish Wright had got his wicket—he earned it if anyone did.

I can remember Bradman scoring another 234—it was the first time I ever saw him, and I was on the receiving end at Bowral in 1925. Barnes began with a mighty hook for four off Wright, and in his few early overs gave promise of approaching fireworks which never reached fruition. He packed up carefully behind the line of flight of each ball, seldom letting one pass. His score mounted steadily—very steadily—at a similar pace to Bradman’s, but there were few shots that will be easy to remember. The ease with which he countered England’s attack must have. weighed heavily on the consciences of those English batsmen who had frittered away their opportunities on Friday. Washbrook must have wondered whai possessed him to hit across the line of flight, whilst Compton’s suicidal attempt at a cover drive can hardly fee associated with this garne of cricket as demonstrated by Barnes. Hutton himself must acknowledge that Barnes has outclassed his 364 runs effort in points of concentration and lack of speed. Towards the end of his innings he opened out and scored very freely with powerful drives on both sides of the wicket.

The Barnes-Bradman partnership not only broke several test match records, but also eliminated any lingering hopes of an English victory. Those young players making their first appearance in a test match series must

have blinked their inexperienced eyei as they watched the painstakingly relentless manner in which the two batsmen concentrated on remaining at the wicket at all costs and allowing the score to mount as best it couldTest matches are always played for “keeps.” They have developed over the years into a war of attrition in which only the fittest can hope to survive and gain the lists of cricket immortals. That perhaps explains the reason why men who have occasionally defied the precepts by actually at, tacking the bowling with zest have left behind them a few hallowed memories but no cricket records. Gruelling Task The English bowlers stood up te their gruelling with commendable courage. After lunch their task looked completely hopeless. Wright actually had beaten Bradman three times before the first adjournment. On one occasion the ball must have almost tickled the off stump. Wright has bowled here with shock-ing-luck. I think he has morally taken at legist five wickets. When Hammond allowed him two short fieldsmen he bowled with added hostility and gave both Barnes and Bradmah some unsettled moments. Compton bowled surprisingly well, spinning the ball at times rather sharply from the leg. He could quite easily have carried more responsibility than he was asked to do. Edrich bowled no faster than medium pace and consequently did not present any difficulties at all, whilst Bedser toiled away grimly with an air of complete hopelessness. Spelling of Bowlers Hammond’s doubtful policy of spelling his bowlers on the outfield almost had disastrous results. Wright, trying to cut off a four with his foot trod on the ball and wrenched his knee. He wisely decided to carry on. It would have been the last straw for England if their best bowler had to retire injured. I noticed Wright chase a four on Monday and put his foot into the gutter which surrounds the ground at the base of the fence. Re is too valu* able to have him running unnecessary risks in a position which should be filled by one of the batsmen who does hot bowl. Ikin or Washbrook is the man for the job. Washbrook is certainly a brilliant close in fieldsman, but se wae Bradman and he had to take the outfield on numerous occasions. MANPOWER NEEDS OF AUSTRALIA IMMIGRATION PLANS OF GOVERNMENT (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, Dec. 16. “Next year Australia could employ 46,631 immigrants,” said the Minister of Immigration (Mr A. A. Calwell). "However, because of lack of shipping jt will be impossible to bring that number of migrants to the Commonwealth.” Speaßing at a conference of Commonwealth and State departmental re, presentatives called to consider immiSation problems, Mr Calwell said that bs would be available for 28,035 men, ,387 women, and 5209 juveniles. Ta fill those jobs the Government would have to bring to Australia more than 120,000 immigrants, including dependants. The estimated manpower needs of industry in each State were given as follows: New South, 15.140: Victoria. 11.650; . Queensland. 5670: South Australia, 11,296; Western Australia, 2000: Tasmania, 875.