DUKE OF NORFOLK: Carrying On ‘Ashes’ Now Pointless

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30063, 22 February 1963, Page 17

DUKE OF NORFOLK: Carrying On ‘Ashes’ Now Pointless

(New Zealand Press Associatto*)

Neither the Australians nor the Englishmen deserved to win the Ashes, said the Poke of Norfolk, manager of the touring M.C.C. cricket team, at Auckland tonight. In his opinion, the misfortune was the custom of carrying on the Ashes from one series to another instead of deciding the contest within the limits of one series of five matches.

“The Ashes in any case, never leave Lord’s, so that this business of carrying . them on is quite pointless, anyhow,” he said. "I am not disappointed with the results of the tour,** he added.

‘The Sydney cricket ground on the last afternoon was like a monkey-house while the crowd hooted and slow-clapped the Australian batsmen.

"But the performance of the Australians was in my view the fault of the system of continuing on the Ashes from one senes to another. Aware of Danger “As captain of Australia, Benaud was well aware that his country held the Ashes and he was also well aware, when his team had lost four important wickets for 70-odd, of the danger of pressing forward for the runs.

“Had he taken up the challenge, chased the runs and failed, Benaud would never have heard the end of the criticism—from fellow-Aus-tralians.”

The Duke said that in his report to the M.C.C. he would almost certainly suggest an alteration in both the number and the nature of the secondclass matches played in Australia by an M.C.C. team.