"Smacks Of Hypocrisy”

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30783, 22 June 1965, Page 17

"Smacks Of Hypocrisy”

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright)

SYDNEY, June 21

The former Australian test batsman, Sid Barnes, described as “sheer hypocrisy” England's dropping of Ken Barrington because of his slow scoring against New Zealand.

Barnes wrote in his weekly column in the Sydney “Sunday Telegraph”: “If it had happened to Barrington on the eve of an Ashes-deciding test against Australia, I’d believe the English selectors were fair dinkum.

“Coming as it does against the horriby weak New Zealand XI, it just smells of in-

: sincerity and tongue-in-cheek I propaganda. “Horrors perpetrated with a bat by Barrington over the years still induce in me a strong inclination to go to sleep whenever I think of them. Many Chances “There have been many opportunities for the English selectors to have disciplined Barrington. But they have allowed this Rip Van Winkle to get away with murder with the victims, the game and the public.

“Now—and after thrashing the daylights out of New Zealand in the first test—they condescend to express their disapproval.

“In the past the English selectors t have threatened, begged, cajoled, implored, and demanded brighter batting from their test men.

“They have taken no positive action to back up their I words—the situation just hasn’t been strong enough their way. “The fact that they let Barrington continue on his unmerry way, in my opinion, justied the slow one’s refusal to get a move on. “With little chance of England needing Barrington to help them win—or not to lose—the second test, the selectors made the grand gesture.

“I refuse to agree with Richie Benaud that Barrington didn’t deserve to be dropped and so humiliated. Rot. The only thing wrong with the selectors’ action is that it took them so long to take It.

“And that so far as I'm concerned, is the only gripe Barrington’s got.”