RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31936, 13 March 1969, Page 17

RANDOM REMINDER

ENCOURAGEMENT

While there must be a certain sympathy for El Cordobes, his experiences in Guadalojara (Mexico) really point the way to success in sport. In case you don’t know who El Cordobes is, he is a bullfighter, the highest-paid in Spain, but in Mexico he fled from the bull ring under a hail of seat cushions and beer cans thrown by angry spectators. The cabled message did not make it clear whether the crowd was upset with the quality of his bull - fighting, or whether El Cordobes was upset with the quality of the bull.

At all events, he made his rapid exit; and the incident provokes the thought that the lowly

standard of New Zealand cricket might very well be improved if there was more crowd participation in the test matches. If the batsman knew that failure would bring with it not the usual polite and sympathetic applause for a duck, but a hail of beer cans and abuse, and swarms of angry spectators hitting at him with umbrellas, etc., it would make him concentrate better. Lack of concentration has been blamed for some of New Zealand’s less distinguished performances. And it all comes back to the fact that cricket crowds are too

polite, by far. Occasional cries of “Get a bag” may be heard late on Saturday afternoons, particularly at

those grounds situated near drinking establishments, but by and large New Zealand cricket audiences have too much reserve.

Something of the bull ring Is needed, a fierce enthusiasm from the crowd. The batsman playing an exquisite late cut should require the halting of play while the crowd shows frenzied admiration and he responds suitably with graceful bows. And when on 99, he could walk to the gate to ask the permission of the local president to complete the kill. It might be wise, however, to stop the thing short of allowing him to present his girl friend with one of the bowler’s ears.