BIG CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 50, 22 November 1928, Page 9

BIG CRICKET

DEFEAT OF AUSTRALIAN ELEVEN AROUSES ENTHUSIASM IN ENGLAND CHANCES OF THE TESTS (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) London. November 20. On the strength of England’s victory, the newspapers, in blackest type posters, informed London that the Australians had been skittled. Critics are busy pointing out the superiority of the English team, apparently overlooking the fact that the eleven is not precisely the Brisbane Test team. The “Standard’s’ sporting diarist says: “Australia seems to have selected the Test team on the basis of what the M.C.C. lias done. Before he met Hammond, Jardine. Hendren, and company, Blackie was declared to be Australia’s best bowler. Where is he now? Likewise, where is Hartkopf, Scott, Nichols, and Hooker?” The “Evening News.” in a first editorial headed “Sunshine from Australia,” says: “England won by fierce determination to win, a. relentless attack ball by ball, and grim obduracy in defence. It must be remembered that the Australian eleven contained the best youthful Australian batting as well as all-round ability. The bowling that is capable of shifting such an eleven twice for 474 will subdue the Australian critics. who were inclined to underrate it.” Sandham, the Surrey player, says: “Team work is necessary for such a win. This disposes of the ridiculous stories of snobbery and bad feeling.”

Amidst the general panegyric, J. W. H. T. Douglas, an ex-England captain, states that there were important omissions from Australia’s eleven, which could not be regarded as a representative one. “Nevertheless,” he says, “it makes me hopeful.” P. F. Warner regards the win with pleasure. “But the more I look at the names of the Australian team the more I realise how powerful the batting,” he writes, “while the bowling has variety. but I fancy that we will show superiority in fielding, especially in the slips.”