PLAYING IN A TEST MATCH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3333, 9 August 1926, Page 8

PLAYING IN A TEST MATCH.

(By C. E. Kelleway, the famous Aus traliau cricketer.)

The ruling ambition of every cricketer's life is the honor of representing bis country in a Test match. Before attaining this ambition, however, and seeing your name among the list of the “chosen,” there is a hard row to hoe, and many disappointments to overcome. I have known men who have made big names for themselves in the world, in various walks of life, who would give all they possess to be included in a Test team. They have little knowledge of what they seek, and are probably better off as they a re. Nevertheless, the fact remains that more is known of leading sportsmen than of brilliant scholars and business men. Why is ibis, I wonder? The safety of a nation, the British nation, at any rate, depends largely on its physical fitness, and the desire to excel in sport builds up the growing boy who later develops into the healthy man. I have often been asked: “How do you feci when going in to bat?” Personally, nerves have never affected me. 'l'he knowledge that a, duck is easier to gel than a century has no terrors for me. A score of nothing •to-day might easily be turned into a hundred to-morrow. So why worry. I always Lake the bowling- as I find it. and endeavor to reason out what tho bowler is trying to do. Once this is known it is a fairly easy matter to regulate how he bowls. You do not tell him what to do in words,- of course, but a certain amount of bluff makes him bowl to suit you, and not himself. As a bowler, an entirely different aspect presents itself. Find out what, the batsman knows, and then work him out by bowling differently from the way be anticipates. He may have a pot shot on which it is always a good thing to work. Do not bowl the ball be wants, but Jet him think you arc doing so. Different players arc affected in difierent ways by the greatness of the game. To some it is a. nightmare, and (be feelings of any one so affected arc bard to realise. To the- happy-go-lucky typo of man Test cricket is more a pleasure than to any one else. The seriousness of the game fires his blood, makes him think quickly and more clearly, and in time becomes the breath of life for him. I wonder how many of the’spectators realise what it means to a man possessing a nervous temperament to fail. I olleii try to put myself in his po.v tion, but, of course, can never pro-n.-vl'- I ise bis feelings. as my nerves have rarely, if ever, been frayed. I have seen batsmen drop their bats with nervousness and bowlers stumble on their way to the wicket. A numb feeling apparently possesses them, and until they have conquered it. anything they do seems to be unreal to them, Then, of course, comes the crowning glory of a cricketer’s fame. It is no ( more and no Jess than obtaining a ecu- i tnry at Lord’s in a Test match. Getting j ten wickets in an innings is nothing , compared with a. century on that, bali"wed ground.