NEW LINE ON CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 69, 19 September 1932, Page 9

NEW LINE ON CRICKET

AS AMERICA, SEES IT

AUSTRALIAN TOURISTS

CALL AT WELLINGTON

"What are they doing?" No need to ask in recognised cricketing countries .when such players as Bradman, MeCabe, Kip'pax, and Bichardson are in action, but in America it is different. Arthur Mailey's team' of Australian cricketers found it bo on the tour from which they are now returning. It was not unexpected, as it was a missionary and goodwill tour that was undertaken. The members of the team, with the exception of A. A. Mailey and H. Carter (who proceeded to England from America) are through passengers ■by the Monowai, which arrived* at Wellington from San Francisco yesterday. Their tour haa been a strenuous one, but they have enjoyed it, and not a little enjoyment has been derived from the comment on their displays, which necessarily had to be as attractive as possible. AMERICAN COMMENT. "Cricket is a nice way of demonstrating, out in the fresh air and sunshine the astounding wizardry of British pantsmakers," said a New York critic. "At Innisfail Park's hot-dog-littered cricket green you could see the slender, sun-browned . Aussies and the much browner West Indians demonstrate that British flannel pants stay put without the boon of belts or galluses. You throw a, red ball in the manner of a middle-aged pitcher on the ,Bloomer Girls' baseball team. The ball hits a .green carpet something like the ones they spread on the,- steps at' church weddings. If the batsmen, who has _9hin-guards and a pleasant air, likes It, he swats it. If not, he turns his back on it. It's not as exciting as the National Boys' Marbles championship contest; it's not as spectacular as watching the chaps dig the Rockefeller Radio City foundations; but it is positively breathless compared with the subway ride up there to see it." MISSION FULFILLED. For all that and other equally amusing comment which American writers have a way of their own of making, Vie. Richardson, captain of the Australian touring team, considers that the purpose of the tour has been well served. The tour was primarily arranged by Arthur Mailey, he said in conversation with a "Post" reporter yesterday, as a missiopary tour to Canada, and to give an incentive to the game there. The tour was extended to include games in America. "We feel that the tour has fulfilled its mission in all ways," said the captain. In the matter of match engagements the^ team had had a Very strenuous trip. Something like fifty-two matches had been played, and more often than not| the batting strength against, the tourists was represented byj about eighteen players—sometimes more, sometimes less. That, of course, meant a strain on the bowlers, but they had come through,remarkably well. Mailey and Fleetwood-Smrth had each taken round; about 250 wickets at a very low average. MeCabe ha.d taken about 150 wickets and had also made nearly 3000' runs on the tour. Bradman had made between 3500 and 400£ runs. .Bright cricket was the order. There was no aim, at piling up very big scores, but the object was to get runs as quickly as possible*, with a good1- measure 'of 6.8 in the scoring efforts. There was no worry about the results of the games. . • ... • . ON THE UPGRADE. " There was no doubt, said. Vie. Sicliardson, that cricket was on the' upgrado in both countries. The Canadians and Americans interested in cricket had been very pleased with th'a tour, and it was felt that a great fillip had been given to the game in Canada; But to improve their cricket .they would' have to' improve their wiokets. The best class of cricket met by the tourists was at Bidley College, in Canada, where seven of the boys and seven or eight old boys formed the team to oppose the_ Australians.* Bell, dn. old boy, registered the only century of the tour against the Australians, and ho was ,quito the most successful opposing .batsman encountered on the tour., : He played in some other maten s'as well. The headmaster of the college, Mr Harry Griffiths, was probably one of the keenest cricket supporters in the world, and was .doing a tremendous amount for the game over there, as was the Toronto Cricket Club—the M.C.C. of Canada. That club had been responsible for fostering the visit by the Australians. "THEY CAME TO SCOFF —." One of the most novel experiences of the tour, said Vie. Richardson, was in playing in Harlem, the negro centre of New York. ' There the West Indian negroes put up a- good performance, and the enthusiasm and excitement was tremendous. In Chicago the team played right m the heart of thp. city. Day after day good crowds of people put in an appearance and showed quite an interest in a game which was strange to most of them. It was going to be very difficult to get the game going in America against baseball. They liked their games over quickly there. What are they doing? people would ask. But, said Richardson, as with Goldsmith's old parson, those who came to scoff remained to pray. • THE TOURING PARTY. The visiting cricketers were met on their arrival by the Monowai by Messrs ±\ B .Broad and A. Varney, chairman and hon. secretary of the Wellington U'icket Association. Subsequently they were greeted by many other enthusiasts and were taken on outings, several of the cricketers spending the afternoon on the Herotaunga links. The members of the team visitine Wellington are: V. Y. Bichardson, D. t ra^ man > A- Kippax, S. J. MeCabe, U O. Fleetwood-Smith, E. Nutt, E. F Rofe, E. K. Tolhurst, P. H. Carney, and VV. lyes. Accompanying the party are Mrs. Brauman and Dr. Pope (who has accompanied many Australian cricket teams), and Messrs. A! C. Bramble and C. A. Vaughan. ■