HOBBS SPEAKS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 109, 11 May 1933, Page 11

HOBBS SPEAKS

AGAINST BODY-LINE

NOT GOOD FOR CRICKET

RISK OF LIFE-LONG INJURY

PAST SILENCE EXPLAINED

United Press Association—By Blectrlc Tel«graph—Copyrleht (Received May, 11, 11 a.m.) LONDON, May 10. Li a copyright article, in th« "Star," J. B. Hobbs.says: "I think it better to say. at once that I am not in favour of body-line bowling, which seems to me contrary totha spirit of cricket Its adoption generally, or even by one or two men f would not be in the best interests of the game. "I may well be asked why I. did not say this in my cables from Australia. The answer is that I did not wish to embarrass Jardine or the team during the Tests. They had quite enough anxiety. Had I expressed an opinion for or against it would have given the Australian critics a lever to further harass the team and stir up strife. "I consider body-line bowling not good for cricket, as there are certain elements of danger in it A batsman facing a fast bowler is asked to play strokes more for the protection of his body than with the idea of defending his wicket or scoring. "Looking at the question from a broader viewpoint, I would ask: What man with his son showing promise as a batsman would care for lys boy to go to the .parks and face body-line bowling with the risk of receiving a blow calculated to inflict a lifelong injury? So I say that body-line bowling is not in the tru« spirit of the game and, furthermore* spoils its attractiveness."