CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11493, 21 November 1931, Page 10

CRICKET.

BEST SEEN BY NEW ZEALAND-

ERS ON TOUR.

Questioned with regard to his- impressions of English cricket-, T. C. Eowry, captain of the Now Zealand team, just returned from its English tour, said that of the newcomers they met on their tour they were most impressed with Verity and Bowes, of Yorkshire, and Brown, Cambridge -University. Of tho old players Tate,• Freeman and Parker wero the best, and many of the touring side thought these three better than the younger bowlers. Tho team was disappointed at not 'meeting Larwood, who was regarded as tho best bowler in England. “Nearly all the star batsmen made centuries against u.s, and some of them two or three,” continued Lowry. “Sutcliffe and Jardino are. the host of tho correct butsmen in England, and are vciy hard to got out. They possess wonderful temperaments and immeasurable patience. Dulecpsinhji was in magnificent form this year. He is a law unto himself—entirely brilliant and unorthodox, and .it is impossible to keep him quiet while he is at the wickets.

“Hammond and Woolley played brilliant innings, making their runs in front of the wicket and hitting many sixes. Ames, Hendren and Lcyland aro probably the best of the other batsmen in England. “We played against 1 Hobbs at Scarborough, and he made 150. This was, I think,-the most brilliant innings played against us. Ho was at the' wickets with Sutcliffe and both their scores were 60. Ilobbs then proceeded to 150, while Sutcliffe was still in tho sixties.

“George Gunn, of Nottingham, probably tho-greatest stylist and exponent of footwork, made a century against us, but, as he is over 50 years of age, ho has lost much of his speed. ” 100's OFF GRUMMET!. Pelham F, Warner, “Plum” to his Mends £n cricket, pr/edicts that hundreds will bo hit off Clarenco V. Grimmett’s bowling by English batsmen in tho next Ashes Tests a little over a year hence (says a writer in a recent issue of the “Sydney Referee”). Ho will probably be . revealed as a true prophet, if history iudexes thq way. Tho little corkscrew bowler of Adelaide is no stranger to seeing threo figures against .liis name on tho bowler’s side of the scoring board. In making this prediction Mr. Warper, as a close student of Test cricket, realises that if it be fulfilled tho odds will strongly favor England’s Success. Such a discerning judge of tho game will probably Lave long sinco concluded that Australian captains play into- England’s hands by making far too much unceasing use of Grimmett’s bowling. They keep him on over after over when tho gallant spirit is willing and stamina is waning, instead of keeping him fresh by fitting, spells. It is ono of the weaknesses in Australian -leadership ■of recent years, that slow, leg-break bowlers are used as stock bowlers instead of iboso.of medium pace, as in the big years when W.. L. Murdock, G. H. S. Trott and M. A. Noble, were tho captains.

Grirnmolt has played in the whole of the last thirteen Test matches against England, while England won sis; and four were drawn. In the one match Australia won in 1925-29 Grimmett; was not over-bowled, his .figures being 0 for 40, and two for GO. In the other four Tests Grimrn'ett.bowled in seven innings and in six of these over 100 were rnado off his bowling, while in the other ho Look two for-96.- Ho captured three for 167, and G for 131 in the first Test, two for 191 in the second, two for 114, and two for 9G in the third, ■D for 102 and one for 117 in the fourth—all four lost—.while in the fifth, which Australia won, his record was as ,stated above.

His 23 wickets co:.t 44.52 runs apiece. No side can hope to win Test matches when its star bowler is over-bowled and his wickets become so costly. ;

Grimmett is more dangerous on English than on Australian wickets against Test batsmen. But even in England in 1930 when "his bowling wion such high praise, his wickets were too costly for the star bowler in tlje team. In five of the nine innings ho had over one hundred runs made off his bowling and in two others ,94 . and 90. But ho was 1 the finest-bowler ■on the side. Two of the five Test:; were won,by Australia, mainly because the team produced batsmansliip of a class never seen in England or anywhei'e else in Test cricket at'any period. There is a/moral in all this. It is that Australian's attack, as in its peak years, . ought tor be mainly that of medium-pace bowlers, with the fast and/slow-bowlers used, so judiciously that ‘ the shock and freshness of their attack are preserved as long as possible. .;. , ... ■ •