BEAR GARDEN?

Evening Star, Issue 21628, 25 January 1934, Page 1

BEAR GARDEN?

ATTACKS ON LANCASHIRE CRICKET

Is the cricket field to be allowed to develop into an international bear garden ?

Tile Australian body-line bowling controversy has scarcely died down when scathing attacks on Lancashire League cricket appear in New Zealand newspapers (says a writer in the Liverpool ‘ Weekly Post ’).

According to a New Zealand cricketer who played for a Lancashire League cricket club umpiring in Lancashire is shocking, the fielding is poor, and the spectators “ sup ale while roaring their approval or disapproval of the play.” These allegations cannot be ajlowed to rest unchallenged. They have been denied by Lancashire League cricket pros, and other players, and certainly will find no echo among followers of League cricket here. The Ibw grievance is, of course, an old one, and even the seas betw<- i England and New Zealand cannot wash it out.

A batsman given out Ibw seldom holds the same views as an umpire, and as he walks to the pavilion after Ibw—and a cipher—there is a tumult of many emotions in his breast. Umpires, like referees, are often regarded as “ fair game.”

Followers of Lancashire League cricket will smile at the idea of spectators supping ale and becoming almost as “ heady ” as Australian barrackers. It is passing strange that cricket criticism in Lancashire should be represented to New Zealand by a man’s capacity. The more pints he consumes the more cricket he sees, according to this week’s version from New Zealand. League cricket in Lancashire, however, is well organised and well supported. Enterprising methods attract large crowds, and spectators on the whole are fair judges of the game.

Some cricketers in the colonies cherish the illusion that Lancashire is a gold mine Cor cricketers. The colonies have provided Lancashire with many good

c cricket pros., but it is hoped that r J cricket relations with the colonies will f not he aggravated by such silly state- i ments as have been made this week. t