S.A.—“Most Exciting Cricket Nation”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 15

S.A. — “Most Exciting Cricket Nation”

(N.Z. Press 4»jn.— Copyright) SYDNEY. South Africa now - was the most exciting cricket country in the ;worW, the Australian captain, R. B. Simpson, said yesterday. . Addressing a Sydney luncheon, Simpson said: "I don’t necessarily mean they play the most exciting cricket of all the cricketing countries. ’■ “In fact, there are features about their cricket 1 do not admire, such as the predominance of medium-pace seam bowlers. “But I think South Africa

is the most exciting cricket country in the world because millions of new people are being introduced to the game. “These people, of course, are Afrikaans, descendants of the original Dutch settlers. Previously, the Afrikaans did not play or watch cricket, nor did they have the slightest interest in the game. “Cricket was an English t game, played by people with , English sympathies. “The Afrikaans now look : upon - cricket in a different light and are learning to i appreciate the English game t for what it is worth. “Before independence, i about six years ago, cricket was not played in Afrikaan i schools, but now every day

more schools are including it in their curriculums. “Cricket is now the number one sport in South Africa. Previously Rugby was the top sport. “Our tour coincided with a desperate period in South African sport, when, beaten in Rugby and debarred from competing in other worldwide sporting events, such as the Olympic Games because of their political policies, the South African people needed something to grasp. “In cricket they achieved it. Their support was wonderful to see and their elation at the Springboks’ success made our losses a little easier to bear.” Simpson said that at pre-

sent the Afrikaaners were only lending moral support to South African cricket for there was not one Afrikaaner in the test side. “That makes the performances of South African cricket now and in the past even more meritorious when you consider they are selecting their teams from only half the white population.” Simpson said South Africa’s main strength was its batting. The side batted down to number nine and had some outstanding all-rounders. He regarded R. G. Pollock as very nearly the world’s greatest batsman. On the bowling side, South Africa was not quite as strong and was probably a

* little lucky that most of the > wickets favoured seam bowl- * ing. ■ “Their whole bowling was based on seam and I don’t * think that this is in the best 1 interests of the game,” Simp--1 son said. 1 “Seam is so often negative, ’ with bowlers operating to tight fields and taking a long j while to get through an over.” * Onee the South African j people get used to winning , they will become more selec- ' tive. t “The Australian people des mand more than winning—they want to see Australia i win but . they, want to see s good cricket played,” Simpi son said.