"LOTS TO LEARN"

Evening Star, Issue 20986, 28 December 1931, Page 1

"LOTS TO LEARN"

BRADMAN'S FAULTS SCHOOLBOY EYE Lord, Tennyson and MV jLrtlmJ, G'illigan are both too young Mi draw comparisons between Bradman and Clem Hill and Victor Trumper (writes Oscar Ascbe, "in the London ‘ Daily, Telegraph ’), Hill was last here in 1905 and Trumper in 1909. They were both on the downward slope, and Lord, Tennyson and Mr Gilligan could only] have been youngsters. I saw Charles Bannerman make 160,| retired hurt, in the first test match at, Melbourne in March, 1877. _ As I was only five years old at the time I could, not subscribe to the opinion, held by) many old Australians, that he was the greatest bat Australia ever But I saw Hill and Trumper in their] heyday, and I saw Don Bradman hero in ’3O. He certainly did not give the impression of a seeker after publicity,though he quite rightly took advantage of the big fees offered him to write the story of his life thereby incurring the displeasure of the autocratic Australian Board of Control. In fact, lid, was very reserved, even amongst his comrades. He had nearly every stroke except the lofted drive. It was because he kept nearly everything ou the carpet and looked so safe that he was at times slightly boring to - watch. As a 1 run-getter he stands head and shoulders above all other Australian batsmen, and is, I think, approached only by Sutcliffe in this particular; quality. But close your eyes and dream back ,on the _ individual performances which have given you most pleasure and. beauty of style, and the figures osi Trumper and Macartney stand out clear from the fog of years. So with English batsmen. There ard, bats one remembers having with greater enjoyment than Herbert. Sutcliffe at his best, though none havo, equalled his record. Ranji, “ Tip Foster, Spooner, Palairet, Woolley*, George Gunn, all strike at the door of memory. ~ , Bradman had his faults, which may;get him into trouble when he has lost] that schoolboy eye. There was one, bat in the last Australian eleven who was more exhilarating to watch than) the Don, and one who may prove Jus equal as a run-getter—M'Cabe. - After watching Bradman all through the summer of ’3O I was guilty of the following doggerel:— Not Ranji’s grace, nor Trumper’a trouncing shots, Nor Charles Macartney’s footworn his as yet ; ; MacLaren still could teach tha youngster lots, And Hobbs show him some stroked most bats forgi fc,_ Yet ne’crtheless this youth of twenty-one Eclipses all that they have evep done. . Six years ago a lad without a shirt.Playing the game upon a pitch of dirt, A sapling for a hat, a gutty ball, ■ A tin-can wicket! Now the king c*i aID