“BODYLINE” CONCEIVED FOR BRADMAN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22197, 6 December 1946, Page 1 (Supplement)

“BODYLINE” CONCEIVED FOR BRADMAN

TEST BOWLING FINGLETON’S OPINIONS NURTURED AT OVAL D. G. Bradman's way of playing hodylinc howling in the 193233 Tests did not please Australian captain, VV. M. Woodfuli, states the former opening batsman, J. 11. Fingleton, in a book, “Cricket Crisis,” just published in Sydney. Fingleton played In the 1932-33 Australian team himself and his comments on Bradman and bodyline have the backing of first-hand knowledge.

Commenting, “I do not know that anybody would blame him,” Fingleton says: “Bradman refused to be made an Aunt Sally. “This. rather than any vague theory of beating probably the essence of his amazing and unorthodox capers at the crease before the ball was bowled. “His life, judged by Bradman standards, might have been a short and gay one but it also had the merit of being, as far as possible, somewhat safe physically. “He received only the one blow, whereas Woodfuli. Richson. Ponsford, McCabe and myself carried a multiplicity of bodyline brands for the entire season. “Woodfuli gave his bowlers instructions that rather than take the risk of a bad blow, they were to sacrifice their wickets.

“But this instruction applied only to the bowlers. Nobody knew better than Woodfuli the difficulties of bodylinc, but he expected his batsmen to share these difficulties. “I do not think there was one single batsman who played in most of those bodylinc games who ever afterwards recaptured his love of cricket. Bradman never regained his 1930 poise.” Fingleton says that the English bodyline bowler Larwood went back to England after the 1932-33 Tests and said Braclman hacl been frightened.

This, says Fingleton, stung Bradman into retorting:—

“My method of playing Larwood exposed me to considerably more danger than the orthodox way Anybody who understands cricket knows that.” Fingleton adds: “Bradman will not find an Australian bnsman of that series to agree with him that he look more risks of physical hurt than they did. ® "’When an acquaintance wished Braclman luck as he was leaving for the Fourth Test in Brisbane he replied: 1 would

sooner return , from Brisbane with a pair of clucks than a pair of broken ribs. “The person to whom that was said was amazed at what seemed to be Bradman’s lack of thought for Australia’s Test prospects but Braclman ai this stage and much earlier saw bodyline for what it was. Test bowlers will give it as their opinion that Bradman sought records against them in a cold, deliberate fashion. Many will agree that Bradman knew only too well in that 1932-33 season that his record-breaking chickens had come home to roost.” Born on XVc.l Wicket

“Bodylino,” Fingleton says, “was conceived for Bradman, and carefully nurtured for him. Had there been na Bradman there would have been na Test bodyline. “I am also positive,” Fingleton adds, “that had Bradman been an Englishman and whipped the Australians, the Australians (provided they could devise such a method of attack and had Woodfull not been the captain), would have been tempted to use some such drastic theory against Bradman. “And what a howl there would hava been had that happened at Lords! “Bodylinc was conceived for Bradman in one over at the Oval in 1930, when Larwood dropped a ball short on a wet wicket and Bradman showed concern when it lifted round his ears.

“The only suggestion (in the 1932-33 season), of Australian retaliation, if one may so term it. was when Bradman let the wicket-keeper have the full force of his bullet-like throw when Sutcliffe was at that end. “Sutcliffe was forced to do a hurried jig and move . aside, glowering mean, while at Bradman.

“There was a mystifying action in the fifth Test which suggested that Suscliffe. befitting his high professional post, held a strong arbitrary place in the team.

“Bradman had just arrived to bat, •Tardine threw the ball to Allen to bowl, piit-iiffe hurried across, took the ball from Allen and threw it to Larwood."