THE TRIANGULAR TESTS.

Evening Star, Issue 14963, 24 August 1912, Page 5

THE TRIANGULAR TESTS.

PRESS COMMENTS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, August 23. 'The Times' says the Australians had the, worst of the luck in the final test. They played for a large part of both innings under very difficult conditions, but they ought to have done better than they did in the second innings. Reviewing the tour, it says that Australia had a consistent, sound batsman in Bardsley, a fine batsman in Macartney, an attractive player in Jennings, and dogged defence in Kelleway; but the body and tail were undependable. to a great bowler. The ' Daily Mail' says Australia was outplayed in every department. 'Sporting Life' says that, owing to the unequal weather conditions for the game, the tests were hardly satisfactory. The ' Sportsman' says that possibly Australia had the worst of the luck, but her batting and bowling were scarcely of the right quality for the bad wickets. SYDNEY, August 24. (Received August 24, at 10.5 a.m.) The ' Daily Telegraph ' says the expected happened as far as the tests were concerned. Australia's best eleven might have had a chance, but it was too much to expect Gregory's men, some of whom lacked English experience, to beat the cream of England on the Home wickets. The South Africans were disappointing throughout, and were not class enough to put up decent games. It has been pretty conclusively demonstrated that finality in a three-days' match is only possible when one side is hopelessly outplayed. Apparently Bardsley, Kelleway, and Macartney had to carry the rest of the eleven, as far as the batting was concerned. The failure was decidedly in the batting. The ' Herald' says : To Australia's credit, the winning of the trinangulars was uncertain till the last match. Had the spin of the coin favored Gregory the result might possibly have been different. However, the victory was clear-cut, even if it was the only decisive contest of the three. The Australians' batting, with the exception of that of Bardsley, Kelleway Macartney, and Jennings, broke down badly in this match. The Africans, and in a lesser degree the Australians, have had little, experience in playing on the glue pitches prevailing almost throughout the present summer, while the Englishmen have had a great deal of such experience. In the circumstances, the Australians performed very ably, in that they were only defeated once in the six tests. WHAT AUSTRALIA'S EX-CAPTAIN SAYS. ADELAIDE, August 24. (Received August 24, at 11.15 a.m.) Clem Hill says that on paper England had far the strongest team, and to have been beaten must have had the worst of the wicket. He does not doubt that if the best available men had been sent Australia would have had a really good chance. The English team were certainly not better than the one last out here. The Australians were too weak in batting, and depended throughout on four or five batsmen. As the wickets were dead they were against Foster's fast deliveries, and he was not half so dangerous as he would have been in a fine summer. SOUND ARGUMENT. LONDON, August 23. (Received August 24, at noon.) The 'Pall Mall Gazette' says that the attendance at the test matches is sufficient comment of the popularity of cricket. It is. nonsense to say that the game is losing its popularity.