TOUR CONCLUDED

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 92, 19 April 1921, Page 7

TOUR CONCLUDED

ENGLISH CRICKETERS' RETURN

COMMENT BY THE PAYERS.

(nWTIV FKISS ASSOCIATION,—COP7HIGHT.)

(AUBTI.UUN • NSW KBJI.AfJR OABLf AH«OUTI«N.) LONDON, 17th April.

The English cricketers on their arrival at Victoria Station had an enthusiastic reception. Hundreds of people rushed the platform and waited for two hours. Hobbs wps the hero of the occasion. He endeavoured to evade his admirers, but they hemmed him in. Only when the police appealed to the- crowd was Hobbs able to .escape, the crowd raising three ringing cheers for the Surreyite.

Hearne, who lias quite recovered from his illness, said he now felt quite fit, but bemoaned his ill-luck in not participating in more matches,

The crowd warmly greeted Fender, who said : "We have been jolly well beaten, but I am quite optimistic as to the result of the Tests in IJngland, as missed catches were largely responsible for the results in Australia. Referring to the umpires controversy, Render said that wha^ he had to say ha would put in writing after conferring with 'the authorities, -'I certainly said what J believed tp be the cage, and the people over there perfectly understood We. It w^e exaggerated by the comments upon my comments, but really there was nothing at all jn it,"

Mr. Tpone, manager pf the team, Siiid he was -naturally greatly disappointed with the result of the Tests, but the team did not lose because they were not triers. They would try to do better in England, financially, the toiir was a great success. When the figures were published they would cause a great eurprise. With regard to Wilson's cablegrams, he wag sure Wilspn did pot mean them to be read the way they were interpreted. The umpires were conscientious men, but like all men they were liable to make errors, Personally, he thought one disputed decision was a mistake, li(ut, the umpire had np intention to be unfair.

Wilson declined to discuss the controversy, hiit paid the highest tribute to the Australian cricketers. He did not wish to play against a better and more sporting lot of men. Their batting was wonderfully sound, and Macartney's was 'brilliant. Wilson was greatly impressed wjth Gr-egflry, E[e expressed the opinion that Gregory would he even a greater success in England. He thought that if it had beeu necessary to. bowl Mailey longer agftipst we)l-§et" batsmen he might not have been, so fpvniidahle. The Au3^ tralians were splendidly captained, an 4 wer,e most confident, in all the matches. Australia possessed a very large number of young cricketers who were coming on to take the places of the older men. He thought, bad fielding cpn.tripu.ted. to the defeats. The Australians were the bptter side. The English bowlers were liandicappf! by the hard ground, when runninc to the wioket, causing tham to slip. Thus Parkin, Howell, and Woolley were ppliged to oheck their run, and Woolley was unable to employ hie body action.

Rlipdes gaid th^t the Australians de-. served to win., hut the Englishmen wore Cftpabje of much better things, Makepeace said ihat tlie barraokips was ciHTJed overfar, though they havi racked their own men as much ac tihe visitors. He paid a great tribvite to the Australian fielding, espßciaJlv in saving runs in the outfield, jii which they eoni trasted with the Englishmen. Tl'J Avs~ tralian bowling qu^jit to be equally effective on the English wickets. Everyone sajd they eiijoye^ tl^e tfiuritlimensely, espepiajly the newcomers! who are anjfiaus to go again, hut. the general feeling is that too many umpiring mistakes were made. Waddirigton mentioned that though Crockett umpjred Jn all the Tests, the others were frequently changed.