IS BULLI SOIL INTERFERING WITH NATURAL BOWLERS?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1034, 25 January 1911, Page 8

IS BULLI SOIL INTERFERING WITH NATURAL BOWLERS?

. Sir—l shall feel glad if you will allow, me a little space to discuss the above subjeot, as I feel sure everyone who is interested 'in that noblest, of games, cricket, would like to thoroughly understand the difference between real natural turf'and artificial wickets. What I mean by artificial wickets are those faked up for the • glorification of.the .batsmen. Foreign teams that visit Australia are naturally nlaced at a great disadvantage after coming off the real turf, suitable to both batsmen and bowlers. - Now, sir, I would like to noint out that wlien Shaw and Shrewsbury's 1 team visited. Australia somo years ago, when a Test match would be finished at least in four- days, thoproper natural' turf' was then played' on. ,As I was then residing in Sydney; and attended both international and intercolonial matches held there, the batting and ; bowling was on an equality, the'simple • reason being that 'the slower natural wickets materially "assisted, the bov-'lers. •But what do, we find sinco .the introduction of the Bu'ili soil?! Why, sir, the bowlers, have no. show against such hard and fast wickets,' unless they' have that great extra pace such as Snofforth, Jones, Richardson, and Lockwood had in .their prime.. It is' a real fact that bowlers non', on Australian wickets, are unable to turn the ball, whereas the star bats 7 men' have to be' dug -out:- -When- E. Foster:made his record -Test match score, a few years ago, after he had first passed the Australian score, and was caught out," he was hoard' to remark: "The most magnificent .wicket .1 have ever played on, but much too' perfect" to help the bowlers." Now, sir,' my argument is this: Why not have the proper natural turf, the same as other countries? Then .we should see some great play for Supremacy. Fancy 1600 runs made in one match, and extending.into si£ [lavs. Poor, bowlers! What a time they had. And surely that is not in the interests of a visiting team, who have to play nearly, every day for three-, or 1 four "months in- the great heat which they, experience in Australia. Surely, four days should bo quite sufficient for any Test match, and I maintain'that only' four' days should be" allowed,' then itlie public would, not bo grumbling about the very slow and tedious. play. 'As a matter of fact, these Test' matches 'are 1 played'fop. ali, they aro-worth, and for i"kccp.i,'"'i'not 'teactlv to suit the'public all' the''time.' ''But 1 am sure there'will, bojijno alteration until the Tests, are. limited,rshy,-'<to four" days,: and.played on the same kind of turf that the-county, matches,.and- Tests , are played on in .the' Old Country! Sir, I have thought over', this matter for some considerable time, and if any great expert can -replv to the argument I should feel glad to hear his side of. the, story, and. .nerhaps, enlighten me a little more. Thanking .- you for finding,space for my letter.—l am, etc., .' ... . A. E. 'BENNETT. ; • Normandale, Lower Hutt.