APOLOGIES TO WASHBROOK

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28020, 14 July 1956, Page 9

APOLOGIES TO WASHBROOK

Cricket Writers “Eat” Words

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, July 13. Most English cricket writers eat humble pie in print today. They give unstinted praise to the “old man,” Cyril Washbrook, for his not-out innings at Headingley which, they say, saved England in the third test. i As soon as Washbrook’s selection was announced at the week-end, they attacked him as a “has been.” Today, they agree they were wrong—but say they have never been happier to admit a mistake. One writer. Brian Chapman, of the “Dailv Mirror,” remains slightly unrepentant. He said the selectors, whom he had criticised, had proved to be brilliantly right, but said he was against “dragging out veterans cast off years ago.” Chapman said it was a gamble—but it had succeeded. And Washbrook afterwards showed no signs of his arduous innings. “I feel fine,” he said, “and ready for more in the morning.” “Knew He Could do It” The “News Chronicle” quoted Mrs Washbrook as saying: “Too old my foot. I knew he could do it.” Washbrook’s six-year-old son. Roger, rushed home from school to watch his father on television. He then went out for a little cricket practice on the lawn of the Washbrook home, at Timperley, Cheshire. Asked what he thought of his father’s performance he said, “smashing” and hit the ball for six into the rose bushes.

The England captain, Peter May. was equally enthusiastic. He said after play ended at Headingley, “Cyril was magnificent. Even towards the end of our partnership, we were still running as hard as possible for every run. There was no thought of easing through tiredness.”

During his innings yesterday, Washbrook exceeded 2500 runs in test cricket, something only eight other Englishmen have achieved. He needs only 18 more runs to complete 1000 in tests against Australia. In the little soace they had left after their “apologies” to Washbrook and his fellow selectors, the English critics praised Ron Archer for his fine bowling.

The “News Chronicle” cricket writer said: “He produced one of the finest spells of hostile new-ball bowling I have seen on a hot-very-helpful pitch.”