FIRST TEST MATCH

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 69, 14 December 1932, Page 9

FIRST TEST MATCH

Dramatic Cricket

McCABE’S BRILLIANCE Larwood Magnificent (From Our Special Representative.) Sydney, Dec. 9. Although England won the first Test match by the handsome margin of 10 wickets, the game will go down in Test history as one of the most memorable in the long series. It was a game f aught with uncertainties and dramatic changes, and the public followed the fortunes of batsmen and bowlers with unprecedented interest. The brilliance and courage of Stanley McCabe, the 22-year-old batsman who trounced the cream of England’s demon bowlers to score 187, the magnificent bowling of Larwood, the powerful hitting of Walter Hammond, the courageous innings of Sutcliffe and the Nawab of Pataudi, and last, but not least, the glorious defiance of the Australian “tail” to avert an innings defeat —all these things will be remembered and discussed for years to come.

Undoubtedly the gem of the piece was the performance of McCabe —who became overnight a new idol iu the Australian cricketing world. In order fully to appreciate McCabe’s performance, it should be realised that he came to the pitch when four of Australia’s star batsmen were out for 87 runs on a perfect wicket. McCabe handled the situation like a veteran. He is naturally an aggressive player, and the SituNation did not restrain his aggressiveness. From the start, he punished the balls that should have been punished, and played a straight bat to those on the wicket. He was partnered by Victor Richardson—the South Australian captain, who is well known in New Zealand—and these two carried Australia’s score to 216 before Richardson went. Meanwhile, the feelings of the thousands in the packed stands and on the famous “Hill” had been raised from the slough of gloom to the pinnacle of hope. Australia had a chance, no matter what Jardine’s men did! At the close of Friday’s play, McCabe was unconquered at 127. Unprecedented Scenes. Not one of the 58,000 people present at the Cricket Ground the following morning will ever forget the scene in the hour before lunch, when McCabe added 60 runs to his score, with the help of the tailenders. On the previous day. McCabe, while aggressive, had not been daring. Realising that it was necessary for him to score runs with poor batsmen as partners. he went for the bowling. It is not too much to say that he made Larwood and Voce look easy. Off one Oyer from Voce he scored 14 runs. He hit Larwood to the fence twice in succession. I have seen many international football matches, where excitement generally reaches a high pitch, but never have I seen anything like the hysteria that swept the Sydney Cricket Ground. Men cheered until they could cheer no more. They lost their hats, but did not care. ” omen wept and screamed. College boys flung their arms in the air. McCabe had Jardine worried. The M.C.C. captain changed his field a dozen time, but still McCabe found, holes, and the ball ran to the pickets with greater frequency. ■< For 35 minutes, McCabe had the fast bowler Wall as a partner, and the manner in which he manipulated the strike was a revelation. Here was cricket in all its glory. Who will ever forget the ovation the young Australian received as he walked to the pavilion undefeated? ■ The Englishmen themselves stood and clapped him. The scene is unforgettable. English Batsmen. Then everybody settled down comfortably to watch the sedate and safe batting of Jardine’s men. At the moment it seems that the visitors will not have to call on Jack Hobbs to partner Sutcliffe. R. E. S. Wyatt is a sound and attractive batsman, and these men are likely to pave the way for big scores for England. Wyatt scores faster than Sutcliffe. although the Yorkshiremah scored at the rate of nearly a win a minute last Saturday. Sydney people love fast and bright cricket, and it is a great tribute to Sutcliffe that when he slackened his pace later in the day—when nearing his hundred—the “Hillites.” as they are known, did not tak» him to task. Sutcliffe is never worried. When he was in the forties, a ball from O’Reilly came off his bat and ran to the stumps. There was a tense hush, but the bails were not removed. Sutcliffe was unperturbed, and the runs continued to come to him.

Walter Hammond was in great form. This fine all-rounder has. perhaps, the most powerful drive of any cricketer, and many times during his innings the ball was swept to the fence with terrific force. The Nawab of Pataudi secured the distinction with his eo-patriots. Rangitsinhji and Duleepsinhji. of scoring 100 runs in his first Test But the 100 was not gained in the manner of the others. On the whole, the Nawab’s innings was disappointing. Occasionally his bat flashed, and there was a brilliant four, but for most of the time' he was poking for singles. His 102 runs were compiled in 5 hours 17 minutes. Larwood’s Bowling. Larwood was the chief factor in the destruction of Australia. In the two innings he captured 10 Australian wickets in 49 overs for 124 runs. Throughout. he bowled magnificently. Never has he been faster.' It is estimated that every ball he bowls travels toward the batsman at the rate of 92 miles an hour. The Notts express, as he is .called, takes h long run and throws his whole being into his delivery. Unless Woodfuil. Ponsford, and others can master Larwood, then there seems nothing to stop the mythical “ashes” travelling back to Britain. There has. been much talk about the howling of Voce, who makes the ball fly on occasions. One school thinks that his tactics are unfair, but the great majority of the people seem to think that the methods are quite legitimate and that it is up to Australia to counteract them. Voce, on occasions, swings the ball remarkably. Thus the people have seen the spectacle of Ponsford and Bradman step across the wicket, ostensibly to avoid being hit, only to find that the ball knocked oiit the middle or leg stump.

This is what the “Sydney Morning Herald” said in a lender apropos of England’s “shock” tactics: “It is puerile to complain of the Englishmen’s ‘shock bowling’ as something unfair. . . As for the bumping ball, have Australians no memory? Are Jones. Cotter. MacDonald, and Gregory so soon forgotten? Did they never make the ball fly high at the batsmen here and in England?” Problems of Selectors. While Australia has its problems, there must be certain aspects of England’s batting which are worrying Jardine. It must be remembered that Sutcliffe, Hammond, and the Nawab of Pataudi scored 408 runs of England’s total. Ames, who replaced Duckworth for his batting ability, failed miserably. So did Leyland, while Jardine himself was uncomfortaNe. If Sutcliffe had gone in the forties, then a different story might have been written about the first Test. Indeed, one realises how much England depends on this dapper little Yorkshireman. The Hill, at any rate, considered that mly the tire brigade could put him out. It seems likely that Maurice Tate will replace Allen in the second test. Thus England's attack will be strengthened. Meanwhile, everyone is waiting impatiently for the second Test to begin at Melbourne on December 30. The question on everyone's lips is: Can Australis withstand Larwood on a fast Melbourne wicket?