A CHAT WITH J. M. BLACKHAM.

Evening Star, Issue 17329, 17 April 1920, Page 8

A CHAT WITH J. M. BLACKHAM.

Walking through the Domain one day last week 1 chanced to meet the old-time champiou wicketkeeper Jack Blackham,' savs a writer in ike ’ Australasian.’ He was lookui;| Lenity and well, and is stil! extremely fond o! walking. Our conversation, as might only be expected, turned upon cricket,, the old and new methods beum compared. is still a keen judge ar.a close observer of tho game, as well as of the players’ manners, methods, and customs. In criticising the players’ lack of keenness, the old champion hit the nail on tho head by remarking that selfishness has superseded the love of side, almost every man, like Hal of tho Wind, plaving a louhand. ' "

hhe chat was a most interesting one to me, as he imparted information "of some ot the old-timers that was of special concern. In answer to a question why there was such a disparity between the performances ot George Giffen in England and Australia, Blackball! said it was entirely due to climatic conditions. Giffen, be said reytlied in the sun and heat, and if only tho Adelaide chmato could have been ironported with him to the Old Land Giffen would have maintained his championship form. The Adelaide man had a football knee, and that cold easterly affected Giffen more than any other Australian cricketer no anew. Ho also commented on the fact tnao there is too much bovtling of the «oo"w vanety at the present time. The novelty has departed, and unless a googly bowler is also a good batsman he seriously questions hr, right to a place in a representative team.

Xo man. according to Biaokham, bowled he chopping ball as well as Giifen. I« t’"p oany trips to England, when Thornton w'U a sin iter, though slightly n a st his th , ( :. two b he coiild ‘not con- . stenu., hit r,j,re Giffen and Garrett. The W! o r'tr fiG > tC !-? et u ” der that ha« Bin? ball o. G.ffena, hitung it a great height no Distance. On one occasion when batting against Giffen, Thornton admitted hnll l ’/) 0 130 coui(i not hit the ball that Giffen nad tied to n strm’^ wjidi he puilc-d back at will.” Blarkbam is a great admirer of Garrett, who ho , ! eidercd whipped off ths pitch with ‘ a certain oad without any change of delivery whhhr^n' la ’ n on a ' n V th6 t b ° Wkr that C[lrn ‘ c y.thm hi s son . Thornton used to b* frejucnt.y caught in the s iip a and behbd off f 1 fc . ca . Mon 3bot 9 f Tom Garrett’s. toAh in combination with his other <r^t qualities, also possessed a chopping '’ball without any apparent change of pace’ Com mg after one of his wind-jammers, it Z a deadly delivery. Two other bowlers who also possessed the gift, though i u Li Vo marked a degree as Giffen," were Himh Ti-umbla and George Lohmana, th/ English man. In Bmckham’a ophilon variation of p ; .ce, with the same run and action and S s Ho,° W ]ikrf many f o P th^° Unt elm-stand the reason why the* standard class ot bowler—viz., the medium-uaiv, ritul v ? off-break varieby-lms become rct net his opinion, now that the goo cd T w i„-S its novelty and outlived its old class of attack, in which men inff% th f e forth. Turner, Palmer, Timmbte A k \h?‘ Charles M'Leod. Howeff. AlWt Trote’ I rank, Lavor, Roche, and many others were such past masters will again home teto Tte : Z th ° Eake of Austrian cricket. may it bo soon. Ths old «v_i „■ e u cricketer, is looking forward with to the visit of the Englishmen next season, though every time he visits the ground he misses the faces of many old friends such as Tommy” Horan, Harry Boyle! and Beu. WardilL