BRITISH SPORTSMANSHIP ON TRIAL.

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 26 January 1933, Page 4

BRITISH SPORTSMANSHIP ON TRIAL.

Not all British people would describe themselves as sportsmen, and certainly all are not‘'cricket enthusiasts, but the whole race takes a legitimate pride in the British sporting tradition. It was the British who gave the world a new ideal in “sportsmanship” and 1 there is nothing which pleases the average Briton more than the knowledge that foreign nations which have mastered the technique, of our games are anxious that their youth should) play' in the British sporting spirit. It is only'in tihe light of this background of sportsman--ship that the nature of the shock inflicted on British people -by the regrettable cricket Test match controversy can be appreciated. “Body-line bowling” or the “leg-theory” has been the subject of communications between the Australian Cricket Board and the M.C.C.—the latter being the High Court of justice of British cricket. As a re'sult of the controversy the suggestion is being seriously 'discussed in some quarters that the remainder of the English team’s Australian tour should

be cancelled. What a blow is this to the British sporting tradition! Rugby at its fiercest has never drawn such a suggestion from a partisan public. In the past all British countries which have found themselves in the position of host to a visiting team, whether Empire or foreign, have opened wide the gates of hospitality. Matches which have been fought out on the field of play'-—Rugby' and cricket, Soccer and hockey', golf and tennis—have, almost invariably' been accompanied by the most genial social atmosphere. Australia’s reputation for hospitality' is world-wide and no one appreciates Australian friendliness better than New Zealand, whose representatives in many branches of sport have brought back glowing tributes to Australians as hosts. In the past this atmosphere has prevailed, both in England and Australia, 'whenever Test cricket matches have been .played; but to-day it is being suggested, and with some reason, that the Englishmen’s tour should be cancelled and the visitors allowed to troop home disconsolately. Cancellation would be disastrous, not only' to the good relations between the English and Australian cricket author! ties, but to British prestige in the sphere of good sport and good manners. The best suggestion that has been made to date is that of the Hobart “Mercury”—that a five or ten years’ holiday ‘ should be taken iby Test cricket. Some such decision is obviously- necessary, from all points of view. A decade of playing the game for the game’s sake will allow feelings to subside and a proper perspective regained. It is not for anyone at this distance from the Held of battle to judge who is right and who is wrong in this “legtheory” argument, but it is possible to apportion a large share of the blame for the distasteful nature of the controversy to the Press of Australia and England. In “playing up” cricket news to such an extent as they' do the news-: papers give the Tests an importance out of all proportion to their significance. Public excitement is kept at fever pitch; such a fever must be “fed,” with the consequence that everything that occurs that is even distantly' related to the subject matter of cricket and tests, becomes news. Newspapers—and now the broadcasting stations—vie with one another in obtaining the services of play'ers and explavers to do the job that requires all the impartiality and trained judgment of the best class of sporting journalist, with the result that the press—and the air—is flooded with .partisan statements.' This sort of thing is not good for any'.sport. The greatest service that can be done for sport and the highest service that sport can do for the nation ils to encourage everyone to play at it. Instead of doing that there is a tendency these .days—and it exists in’ New Zealand Rugby' as elsewhere —to concentrate upon the development of a •high-grade team to represent a nation .of non-players. If the Test match controversy' result in British sportsmen everywhere recapturing a dwindling sense of proportion, it will .vet achieve a valuable purpose.