VERITY IN FORM

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 131, 30 November 1936, Page 5

VERITY IN FORM

GREAT BOWLING

ENGLAND V. QUEENSLAND

j (By J. B. Hobbs—Copyright in all countries—Reproduction in whole I or in part forbidden.) BRISBANE. November 28. Thanks, to a wonderful piece of bowling by Verity, England nearly got on terms with Queensland today, the second day of the match, though when the first wicket had not been captured until 117 runs were scored the situation looked bad. The team had been showing signs of declining morale up to then, but the vim put into the fielding when the chance existed of leading on the first innings showed the need for only one turn in Fortune's wheel for them to surprise .everyone in the Tests. At tea time eight.wickets were down for 193. Verity had bowled all day, 25.3 overs, of which nine were maidens, for 33 runs and five wickets. Wyeth and Oxenham then showed enterprise and passed the English total. Verity bowled very straight without a full toss or a long hop throughout his long spell, which took my mind back to White's marathon effort at the Adelaide Test in 1928. Only when the new ball was taken did Verity give way after bowling 30 overs for 50 runs and five wickets. OTHERS NOT SUCCESSFUL. The easiness of the wicket was emphasised by the lack of success of the other bowlers. Occasionally Fames put venom into a delivery, but Voce was not at his best. England wanted another slow bowler, and if Robins had been able to lend a hand they ought to have seized their advantage and led on the first innings. Robins injured a leg early and did not field after tea, when Hammond took over the captaincy. Brown, top scorer for Queensland, is a peculiar player. He is a fine batsman for a time, but then goes into'his shell and refuses to make a stroke. He did this both today and in Sydney. If he reversed the process I could understand him. I know Verity was bowling finely, and had the field placed well, and that Brown got out trying to hit him, but I thought he might have opened out to the other bowlers. Rogers, a young left-hander, played a good innings. He was beaten twice by Fames in the latter's. first over on Friday, but was excellent today, making hard off-side strokes off the fast bowlers. Oxenham and Wyeth pluckily gave Queensland the lead, adding 44 for the ninth wicket. This compelled a double bowling change, Hammond coming on for the first time. Voce effected a separation, this being . his only wicket. Verity capped a day of great personal triumph by making a brilliant catch in the gully off Fames to leave England 28 runs behind. POSITION IMPROVED. .England hit back today, and the position is far better than appeared possible when Queensland registered a first-wicket partnership of 100 for the first time against an English team. England's second innings started with half an hour to go. It was important lor some batsmen, for it would decide who should play first in the Test. In view, of England's failure against slow bowling, it had been suggested by friends of the team that I should coach some of the younger players. We are frankly worried, and it is not nice for me to sit here, see them perform so badly, and hear the cheers of tho crowd as one man after another gets out to leg-breakers. But I don't think. I could do any good. These are rnglanct'players. They have got runs against this, bowling at Home, aijd should be able to master it here. It is a matter of fundamental principles of batsmanship which Test playeis should knov/ at this stage of theit carters. The batsman has to use hie feet to get the pitch or play right forward to cover the break or else play right back, watching the ball on to the bat.' Nobcdy can tell a batsman \yhen to play forward and when to play back. He has to decide that in the fraction of a second after the ball has left the bowler's hand. I don't think the wickets are as fast as they used to. be here. " They respond more to spin,' due to the' unusual drought, but our men should have fathomed that by now. Scores:— ENGLAND. First Innings 215 Second Innings. A. E. Eagg, not out 9 C. J. Barnett, not out 10 Bowling: P. L. Dixon took no wickets for 11. runs, J. Cockburn none for '3, R. K. Oxenham noiie for 5, E. Amos none for 0.- ---' QUEENSLAND. First Innings. W. A. Brown, c Fishlock, b Verity 74 B. Rogers, c Hammond, b Fames .. 62 C. W. Andrews, c and b Verity 24 T. Allen, b Verity 12 D. Tallon,' run out 0 J. Baker, c and b Verity 5 J. Cockburn, c Verity, b Ley land .. 2 R. K. Oxenham, b Voce 19 G. Amos, b Verily .' 3 E. R. Wyeth, c Verity, b Fames .. i 29 P. L. Dixon, not out 5 Extras . . .; 8 Total ....;' ■.-....■..7243 Bowling: W. Voce took one wicket for 51 runs, K. ; Fames ' two for 7G, W. R. Hammond none for 17. R. W. V. Robins none for 23, H. Verity five for 50, M. Leyand one for 19.