CRICKETING CHALLENGE FROM THE WEST INDIES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30125, 8 May 1963, Page 13

CRICKETING CHALLENGE FROM THE WEST INDIES

[By

U M. WORRELL has my 1 * sincere sympathy, for I believe he is sitting in the hottest seat in sport. Please do not misunderstand me. Senator Worrell —that is his title now in Jamaica —and his calypso cricketers are as welcome in Britain as summer sunshine. But the whole country is waiting for him to turn on the

glorious brand of cricket that captivated Australia so completely two years ago and gave the game its greatest fillip of the century. The trouble is that Worrell’s halo is so bright that the people I am meeting are not even looking at the problems he has to face. They are absolutely certain he and his men can turn on the sparkling shots and brighter cricket as easily as you can turn on a tap. I hope they can. I will be in the front row cheering harder than anybody if it works out that way. But as an old hand at this captaincy business and with some experience of test cricket, I want to sound a note of warning. Do not expect too much too soon. I am certain Worrell and his men are wholehearted in their intention to try to play the type of cricket they like and the spectators love. On Australia's hard wickets the steely wrists of

N. W. D. YARDLEY

Worrell, and especially of those two young men of genius. Sobers and Kanhai, set the whole cricket world alight with some fantastic innings when they flogged Benaud’s limited attack. In Australia the ball usually came through at a West Indian consistency of pace and height and they simply let rip with their shots and revelled in their runs. But will they be able to do it in Britain against the swinging ball and on pitches which are to be left uncovered? I back Worrell to the limit when he makes his two main points. He says that if we are to have the gay, hard-hitting cricket people want, there must be fast true pitches on which to play, and—pointedly—that it takes two teams to play bold cricket. In other words, if England provides some of the awkward, dusty, turning wickets which have appeared on the test scene at odd times in recent years, or if she goes on the defensive as soon as a few fours have been hit or wickets taken, tire whole concept fails. I cannot see anything wrong with that argument and Worrell is perfectly right to make It at the beginning of his season. It is as well for England to realise her share of the business. Enough was said about playing brighter cricket in Australia last winter yet, when the chips were down in that last test. England somehow could not rise to the occasion. Well, England has got to rise to it this summer—even if she loses the serie* making the attempt. That is not an easy thing for a Yorkshireman to say. but that is my honest feeling and it is the feeling of every cricket lover I have spoken to in recent weeks. Winning is not worth while if we are going to kill the game with miserable cricket. The more I analyse Worrell’s team, the tougher it looks. He tells me it is the

best-balanced side West Indies have ever sent out, and I believe he is right. Not only has it got balance, I also suspect it has the quality to beat England if it has any luck at all.

I am not setting this down as a prediction. It is far too early for that. Form has to sort itself out. And we have to wait to see if the sun provides the right sort of pitches. But if one examines the paper strength of West Indies and England at this moment the edge must be with the tourists. I estimate that Worrell’s opening pace bowlers. W. Hall and C. Griffith, are both faster than England’s F. S. Trueman and J. B. Statham and could be the more dangerous combination. Jn the spin department, L. Gibb is every bit as good a world-class off-spinner as either F. J. Titmus or D. A. Allen. I think I would back G. A. Lock against A. Valentine as my left-arm spinner, but England just has not got any bowler to compete with the left-arm variations of G. Sobers or the leg-spinners of W. Rodriguez.

As for the batting, I make the balance even. England has to find two new openers. But I gather that 'Worrell has not overmuch form and experience in that department. In the middle order there cannot be much between Sobers, Kanhai and Worrell oc, the one hand and E. R. Dexter. K. F. Barrington and M. C. Cowdrey on the other. Any me of these great players could win a test mateh off his own bat. I am also told to look out for some left-handed aggression from M. Carew, who is to be brought on as an opener, and from the tough B. Butcher, who has been coached by C. L. Walcott. As a matter of fact I am looking forward to all of them. There's something about the West Indian lads that shrieks of carefree cricket So let us welcome the West Indians and forget for a while the tangle of techniques and tactics whieh have bogged our cricket in recent years and get out there to hit the ball. I hope the groundsmen will provide good fast pitches. If they do not that halo of Worrell’s will be tarnished; and the good name of England cricket will be smeared yet again. And that is something we Just cannot afford.