BODYLINE BOWLING

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 103, 25 January 1933, Page 9

BODYLINE BOWLING

M.C.C. Reply to Protest CONFIDENCE IN TEAM Way Open to Cancellation (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received Jan. 24, 7.10 p.m.) London, Jan. 23. The Marylebone Cricket Club committee met to consider the cable message of the Australian Board of Cricket Control protesting against “body-line bowling.” Lord Lewisham presided. After a prolonged meeting the committee sent the following cable message to the Australian board:— “We, the Marylebone Cricket Club, deplore your cable and deprecate your opinion that there has been unsportsmanlike play. We have the fullest confidence in the captain, the team, and the managers, and are convinced that they would do nothing to infringe the laws of cricket and the spirit of the game. We have no evidence that our confidence has been misplaced. Much as we regret the accidents to Woodfull and Oldfield, we understand that in neither case was the bowler to blame. “If the board wishes to propose a new law or rule, it shall receive our careful consideration in due course.

“We hope the situation is not now as serious as your cable appears to indicate, but if it is s.ucli as to jeopardise the good relations of English and Australian cricketers, and you consider it desirable to cancel the remainder of the programme, we would consent with great reluctance.”

A. E. R. Gilligan, writing in the “Chronicle,” says he thinks it more than likely that the remaining Tests will not be played. “It would be very much better,” he says, “if they were cancelled than have glorified dogfights at Brisbane and Sydney which would only engender • the bitterest feeling, with the spirit of cricket completely forgotten.” The “Chronicle,” in a leading article, says: “If the feeling is as vehement as the Board of Control suggests, then the only way out may be to cancel the remaining matches and recall the team! It is a very deplorable one and the onus of demanding it is rightly left with Australia.” Other newspapers and critics support Marylebone’s reply and congratulate the committee on expressing itself so forcibly. P. G. H. Fender declared that he was glad Marylebone bad not only expressed the great .faith that all have in the English team’s cricket sportsmanship, but added that there was no evidence that the confidence was misplaced.

The message sent by the Australian Board of Cricket Control to the Marylebone Cricket Club was as follows:— “Body-line bowling has assumed such proportions as to menace the best interests of the game, making protection of the body by the batsman the main consideration. It. is causing intensely bitter feeling between the players, as wc-Il as injury. In our opinion it is unsportsmanlike. Unless stopped at once it is likely to upset friendly relations existing between England and Australia.” V BOARD TO MEET Consideration of Reply COMMENT REFUSED (Received Jan. 24,10.15 p.m.) Adelaide, Jan. 24. The secretary of the Board of Cricket Control, Mr. Jeanes, announces that a special meeting of the board will be held at Sydney on Monday to consider the Marylebone Cricket Club’s reply to the board’s cablegram. Mr. Jeanes has also released a telegram from the Castlemaine Cricket Association, Victoria, as follows:—“Castlemaine association. 500 players, concurs in board’s protest. Body-line bowling death knell of country cricket. Spirit of game violated.” . The chairman of the Board of Control, Dr. Robertson, when asked whether the position was now as serious as the Marylebone Club had indicated, replied : “I woh’t comment on that.” He .'also declined to say whether he was personally in favour of cancelling the remainder of the Tests. THE ONLY COURSE OPEN Cricketing Opinion in Sydney (Received Jan. 24, 9.55 p.m.) Sydney, Jan. 24. The consensus of opinion of cricket officials and old internationals is that the Marylebone Cricket Club’s reply was only what could be expected and the only course it could take. Some think that the protest should have been made either after the first or the last Test. Others suggest a round table conference to overcome the difficulty. Members of the Board of Control refused to comment.