AUSTRALIAN BOWLERS CRITICISED

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25955, 8 November 1949, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN BOWLERS CRITICISED

BUMPERS IN MATCH IN SOUTH AFRICA

JOHANNESBURG, November «. The mild dose of bumpers from the Australian fast bowlers Lindwall and Walker at Benoni yesterday has had a startling sequel. To-day’s "Sunday Times,” cf Johannesburg. under a streamer heading “Australian Shock Attack Begins to Eounce Them.” says that the NorthEastern Transvaal batsmen were the victims of direct hits.

An article by Ted Nelson, who toured England with the South African test team in 1947. says that Lindwall ana Walker let fly a few dangerous bumpers and gave a foretaste of what the Springbok batsmen can expect in the tests. Nelson goes on to say that bumpers, provided they are not intended to intimidate or injure batsmen, are the legitimate stock-in-trade of 'ast bowlers. This is recognised in England and Australia, but lhe danger in the present situation is that the South African public is not so well educated to bumpers and is ’iable to regard them as unsportsmanlike, especially at Ellis Park (the Johannesburg test ground), where the berrackers, when aroused, may be just as lough as any in Australia. judging by the All Blacks’ Rugby match there recently.