Little to console Australians

Press, 1 September 1977, Page 28

Little to console Australians

NZPA London Australia’s summer of discontent subsided into a fifth test draw at the Oval yesterday, and the vanquished prepared to return home the most resounding losers in England this century. Although they finished the 4t-month tour with much the better of the final test, there was little to console the Australians in the final days. They foundered from the! beginning, failed to come to I terms with the demands of!

English conditions, and handed back the Ashes by three tests to nil in the depths of a mid-tour slump.

The season saw the farewell of Greg Chappell, one of the greatest post-war batsmen, and probably provided the stage of departure for several other modem Titans in Rod Marsh, Doug Walters, and Max Walker. They will all join the Kerry Packer series in AusI tralia towards the end of i this year, and unless there is an unexpected turnabout in

events, their services for Australia in traditional cricketing contests are ended.

It was particularly sad to see Chappell’s term end on such a dispirited note. Glumfaced, he conceded that England had been the better team throughout, and spoke with nostalgia of his sevenyear test career.

“My decision to retire now is final. I can only hope that young players can gain

as much from the game as I did,” he said.

“The last stages of this match proved what I have said all along — that the difference between the two sides was England’s greater experience, depth of bowling, and Boycott’s batting. "We were beaten by a better team. I regret that some of the luck we had in this match did not come our way sooner.” Scoreboard, page 6.