U.K. Press Pays Harvey Tributes

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30038, 24 January 1963, Page 17

U.K. Press Pays Harvey Tributes

(BJB Procs AnsrlsMls CswrUto)

LONDON. January 22. N. Harvey's deeWea to nK erieket sempleted a “hat-trick of body-blows at Australian cricket." tbe "Dally Express” said today. The heart was being "tom out of the Australian test aide,” said Crawford White in a report tram Australia. White recalled that R Benaud had said he would not tour again and A. Davidson was to retire at the end of the aeries. For nearly 15 years, since he scored a test debut century when he was 19, at Leeds in 1948, the left-handed Harvey had been his country’s leading batsman, said White. For the last five or six years, Benaud had been an outstanding captain and legspin bowler, and Davidson the undisputed assault leader as a fast boiler and "hitter bats num.** Since veterans like 35-yoar-old W. Grout and 37-year-old K. Mackay could not go on much longer, the Australians faced what could be a “long period of team-building,** said White. 5929 Test Rare Harvey’s 5939 runs in 77 teste (average 49) 56 test catches, 21,361 runs, and 66 hundreds in first-class cricket were beaten only by Sir Don-

aid Bradman, said Crawford White. Praise was generally skew trod on Harvey by Britain's sporting press today. “The Tutor* cricket correspondent said: "Without question, Australia's greatant post-war batsman ... a Fetor Pan among batsmen. A man who can make 231 not out in less than five hours and then give up the game la not so much retiriiw as abdicating.” “Way Be Made RanT* Tbe “Daily Sketch" eorren pondent said: " . . . R want so much how many Neil got but the way he made than” The correspondent said he thought Harvey was convinced the selectors would never make him captain. He was bowing out while still on top—“probably sooner than he intended." Brian Chapman in the “Daily Mirror” mid: "... Harvey ranked with the greet stroke players.” He was never one of the supreme personalities of the game but had "done mighty things for cricket." E. W. Swanton in the "Daily Telegraph" said: "At his best he was about the beet fielder in the world and he is still not far behind." Cricket had taken Harvey “into the hearts and memories of all who follow cricket.”