English Comment.

Grey River Argus, 3 December 1928, Page 5

English Comment.

ON FIRST DAY’S PLAY. (Australian an>. _..Z, Cable At.,a.) lAIN DON, December 1. Wooley writing in the “Daily Chronicle”, says; For two potent reasons, Chapman has justified hi> selection—nrstly, he won Che toss ana secondly, lie took a 1 ading part in reviving the scojring prospects. Th*, winning of the toss was most, important, because the Brisbane ground is new and is unlik/Jy to .stand a rigorous nonstop game.” H thinks eventual, a great partnership between Hendren and Chapman, and considers England’s position favourable, with a reasonable hope of success. Han. Tennyson*, in tho “ Daily Chronicle'' says: Accidents will happen, even in tests, but there is nothing to worry about, especially as Chapman was lucky enough to win the loss. Runs Will la.ee some gelling in the fourth inning . The man on the spot must be the best judge but 1 think England’s selectors were not uneuti’oly well advised in taking Lhe field with only four bowlers, and these with no marked difference cl pace from the wicket. It seems tempting Providence to leave out Freeman with his spinning leg breaks and guoglics.

Mr P F. Warner writes of Dobbs’ dismissal: it was a stunning blow to England, ‘but full credit must be given to Bradman. With seemingly

i Casual flick of the wrist another splendid piece of fielding dismissed Sutcliffe. The Australians forget nothing. That is a matter of cricket history. Probably Gregory at Brisbane by set purpose, put up the same soi l of fast, short pitched ball, which tempted Sutcliffe at Melbourne in 1924-25. Sutcliffe is one of the Jest hookkXS in the world, and he eou.d not resist the temptation. 1 am uclined to think 272 for 5 wickets is

a gupd score for Brisbane. 1 would be unhappy over a similar score in fine weather at .Sydney, Melbourne, or Adelaide, but it is probb mat ical if the Brisbane wicket will last. Anyway, the Australians must be feeding joyful, for they have a tremendous batting side down t'o numb’ r ten.

Mr Warner alsoi said: “England is so convinced that Australia is the land of marathon cricket scores, that is has alm'ost been stunned by the. comparatively cheap dismissal of Eng land’s century makers” The “Evening standard’s'' critic says: “One can almost bo sen shak ing one’s heaxl in the sentence “nothing under four hundred —nothing like a good start.” He proceeds: “As for the experiment of playing only lour bowlers, the proof of the pudding is the eating, liut in so far as this has been done to strengthen the batting, we have already had a slice of the pudding, and does not taste good.'

Warner heads his comments in ihj Mojrniug Post with Kipling s verse, “at the beginning” viz: “Thank God who made the British Isles, ailfr taught ml. how t'o play.” He- adds: “I can imagine his 'opponents’ deJight when Hobbs, probably eu route for another century, dismissed himself.”