LEG THEORY

Grey River Argus, 14 June 1933, Page 5

LEG THEORY

BODY-LINE MISNOMER M.C.C.’s Reply BARRACKING CONDEMNED. (Aus. & N.Z e Cable Assn.) LONDON, June 12 Thu Alarylcboiie Cricket Club Committee, in a seven hundred words cablegram, in reply to the Board of Control, says that it had carefully eon sidered the Board’s cablegram of April 28, also the reports of the English captain and the managers. |» adds: “\\ t 1 consider the furm ‘body-line bowling’ as misleading, ami impropei It has led to much inaccuracy of thought by confusing t he short bump ing ball whether directed off the middle or leg stum]), with what is known as the- “h'g theory.’’ The term “body line’’ would appear to imply a direct rtttack by the bowler on the batsman The Commit fee con.siders that such implication, applied l'» any English bowler in Australia, is improper and incorrect. Such action rm th-- part of

any bowler would be an offence against 1 ho spirit of the game ami would In- im mediately comlemnod.

“Thp practice of bowling on the leg stump, with the field placed on tho leg side as is necessary for such bowling, is legitimate, and has boon in force for many years It was generally re feTied to as log-theory “The present habit, of batsmen to move in front of tho wicket, with the object of gliding straight balls to leg, tends to give the impression that a bowler is bowling at the batsmen, especially in the case of a fast bowler, when a batsman mistimo> the ball and 's hit. “Th,' now law roeommondod by the Board doos not appear to tho committop ns practicable’. Firstly, it would place an impossible task on the umpire Secondly, it would place in tho hande of an umpire a. power over the game more than dangerous, which any umpire might well fear to exercise. “The committed has had no reasov to give special attention to leg theory ns practised by fast bowlers.’’ “Thp Committee will watch care fully during the present season, for anything which can bp regarded as uu fair or prejudicial to- tin- host interests of tho gamo. It proposes to invite opinion -and suggestions from County Club captains, at the end of the season. with a view to expressing an opinion at a special meeting of the Imper ial Cricket Conference.

K°gariling tho report of the captain (Jar-line) ami the managers (Warner and PalairtY) thp Committee, while deeply appreciative of the private and public, hospitality shown to the Englishmen, is much concerned about the barracking, which was referred to in all the reports, and of which there is unanimous deprecation Barracking is unfortunately always indulged in by spectators in Australia to a degree unknown in England. During the* late tour, it would appear to have exceeded previous experience, occasionally being thoroughly object ioneble. There appears to have been little or no effort. on tho part of those responsible for the administration of the game i» Australia to interfere or control such exhibitions. Our team naturally regarded this as a serious lack of consideration to them.

The Committee is of opinion that cricket played under such conditions is robbed of much of its value as a game, and unless barracking in Australia is stop’ped, or greatly moderated, it is difficult to see how a continuance of representative matches can servo tho best interests of the game. The Committee regrets that those matters wore dealt with by correspondence, instead of personal conference. Tf the duly accredited representatives of Australian cricket would confer with the Committee, it would be- welcomed bv Afarylobone