THE ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

Evening Star, Issue 20023, 14 November 1928, Page 6

THE ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

There is one item of production in which Australia excels. With tho. he p of such marl-like topdressings as Jiulh or Merri Creek soil her groundsmen can produce wickets which can hardly be equalled anywhere. This fact, together with an acknowledged dearth ot exceptional bowlers, has led to phenomenal scoring in the cricket matches which the touring English Eleven has so far played. Not alone have the scores been big, but for the most part they have been rapidly compiled, the States batsmen have been less consistently prolific than the visitors. At Melbourne last week the Victorian Eleven went remarkably cheaply m the first innings, though a splendid start was made in the second innings, prematurely cut short by the final drawing o stumps. New South Wales also looked like running up a mammoth score in its second innings, when again the match had to be declared drawn. No lower than 1,500 runs had been scored in this match on the Sydney ground where the wicket was described as “a batsman's paradise for the loss of only twenty wickets. Clearly the batsmen have the upper hand of the bowlers, and they are not maintaining it bydogged stonewalling, but have been going for the bowling in refreshing stvlc. Jt is delightful to sc© English amateurs like Jardino and Chapman setting such a merry pace in run-get-ting, for the aclvonturoius spirit is needed in cricket to revive its ancient cdories, such as amateurs like V\. C. Grace, the Studds, W. IV. Head, I‘. S. Jackson, Fry, Hanjitsinjhi, the Palairots, Jessop, and Spooner at different times imparted to it. I 1 urther, Hammond and Heudreu among the professionals are no whit behind their captain and vice-captain in their zest for fast scoring. It is with profound satisfaction that one reads of Hammond’s masterly off-side play—driving, coverhitting, and cutting. For him there is no two-eyed stance, which practically precludes freedom on the off-side, eliminates that most delightfully artistic stroke, the cut, and usually involves much playing of the ball with the pads instead of the bat. it may' be that different tactics will he employed in the test matches by the batsmen on both sides, and that the issue at stake will lead to a test of endurance rather than a sporting game. There are arguments for as well as against a time limit to test games in Australia.