CRICKET British Press Says Ashes "Remote Dream’

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29985, 21 November 1962, Page 5

CRICKET British Press Says Ashes "Remote Dream’

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright; LOXDON, November 20.

The Ashes E. R. Dexter and his M.C.C. tourists wanted to win back in Australia has become a “remote dream.”

That was how the “Daily Sketch” cricket correspondent assessed the English cricketers’ innings defeat by New South Wales yesterday “For years the critics have been stressing the weakness of English batting against leg-spin and googly bowling.” the writer said. “But they still stay in their creases and prod firm-footed while Benaud and others spin them to destruction.” Batsmen Bewitched

Commenting on yesterday's play, the correspondent said: “As soon as Benaud turned the ball for the first time the English batsmen were bewitched. “Benaud bowled beautifully. and M.C.C. batted so badly that he became better and better as the innings drooled on.”

Other British sports writers agreed. Brian Chapman in the "Daily. Mirror” wrote: “Richie Benaud’s best ever, Ted Dexter’s worst ever. . . “Make no doubt about it. England’s test hopes have sunk to an all-time low, no easier to bear because our Melbourne run-feast raised them sky high.” Timidly Footbound

Denys Rowbotham in the “Guardian” said: "Batting as timidly footbound as it was frail in its judgment and some beautifully flighted, shrewdly varied leg spin bow’ling by Benaud led to M.CC.’s defeat. . . .”

lan Wooldridge, "Daily. Mail”: “England’s most powerful post-war batting task force fired exactly 41 scattered shots before being left for dead on the smouldering ruins of their own advance publicity. It was beyond belief. It was beyond excuse.” Wooldridge described Benaud as “the puppet master who dangled England on a string.”

Crawford White. “Daily Express”: “Do not blame Benaud’s brilliant seven for 18 completely for today's disgraceful M.C.C. fold-up Mainly it was careless and atrocious batting.” E. W. Swanton. “Daily Telegraph”: Benaud has bowled excellently and M.C.C. have

had a bad, bad day and the only thing to be said is that they have got a huge chunk of wretched cricket out of their systems all at once.” “The Times" correspondent said M.C.C. facing Australia's leading bowlers for the first time, had shown "failure both of character and skill.” He added: “If we were to suffer one humiliating collapse on the tour it is better that it should have come against New South Wales than against Australia. But X am afraid there may be others.” Benaud Comments In Melbourne, Benaud told a big group of English cricket writers: “I didn’t see anything wrong with the wicket. “I enjoyed batting on it this morning, and, of course. I enjoyed bowling on it this afternoon. It was a nice day's cricket.”

Dexter made no excuses. “1 can’t explain it, and can only say that it is one of those things that happen sometimes in cricket,” he said.