The Grey River Argus. FRIDAY, February 17th, 1933. THE "ASHES."

Grey River Argus, 17 February 1933, Page 4

The Grey River Argus. FRIDAY, February 17th, 1933. THE "ASHES."

Putting aside the disputations as to sportsmanship, which have been partly the reflex of the intense interest taken in the Test matches, it must generally be conceded that in winning the “Ashes,” the English team have gained no more than their deserts. It is a somewhat singlar thing that, at a time when the world in general faces such gloomy prospects so great a section of Ihe British public, both at home and abroad, should have focussed its attention so keenly upon these sporting contests. But they have doubtless provided a welcome diversion in this period of depression, and in that respect have probably had. no ill effect. It is true that the tendency now is altogether too much in the direction of hero worship where the human factor alone enters into a particular form of sport. Great communities judge their prowess or repute too much by reference only Uo individuals. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that the English cricketers have on the Test fields “staged a. come-back,” an expression, of course, justified only by reference to the lugubrious tone Of sporting opinion in the Gid Country after the previous Test series there. On this tour the visitors have shown themselves strong in practically all departments of the game, and it is noteworthy that in the fourth and deciding Test their fielding, previously open to criticism, compared favourably with that of the opposition. The Englishmen have, of course, two marked advantages. One is that Iheir batting is uniformly good, they being able to select a Test team with only the stump of a tail. Australia, on the other hand, has in this Test series resembled its national emblem altogether too noticeably, having the tail of a veritable kangaroo, and relatively few really reliable batsmen. The other advantage of the Englishmen is their bowling superiority, which has tended to give perhaps the unduly elong-

a ted appearance to the aforementioned Australian tail. Just as Bradman was the outstanding figure. in the last, Tests. Larwood stands out in the present series, his remarkable pace being the quality that has given the visitors’ attack just that penetrating power that has made all the differ, cnee. Apart probably from O’Reilly, the tour has not brought to light any great Australian bowler, while it has not disclosed one new Australian batsman of the front rank. The veterans have, for the most part, shown a decline, and for the next tour it is essential to recruit new blood. Jardine, the English captain, has certainly joined the ranks of great leaders in the game, his handling of the attack having been such as to reflect itself in the relative paucity of the Australian scoring. Indeed, the tour has been remarkable for the fact that the ball has regained some of its old ascendancy over the bat, the scoring having generally been be. low the popular expectations. Moreover, the style of batting suffers by comparison with that previously seen, the slowness of the run-getting having been invariably a subject of note. This, no doubt, is the consequence of professionalism. The English team, of course, came with its main objective the regaining of the “Ashes,” to which any consideration of mere brilliancy or spectacular batting was subverted. Th e “leg” theory is also the expression of that determination. It now must, of course, come under review, and if allowed to continue, will put the onus on Australians of adopting it, whatever might have been their common sentiment as to its sportsmanship. The visitors have naturally been more concerned about the impression they created in their own country than that made on Australians, which explains their very patient batting. The feeling aroused at limes has been so strong as to suggest that the traditional rivalry might have come to an untimely end, but at Brisbane the feeling has been decidedly more, cordial, and this is i all for the best. Australians are i among the best of sports, and they will unanimously acclaim the meritourious victory of the ■ Englishmen in this series of those contests which stand out in so unique a manner among all of the international rivalries that are known in the whole sporting sphere.