Victory Essential

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 8, 21 December 1925, Page 5

Victory Essential

ENGLAND’S CRICKET PRESTIGE. PREPARING FOR AUSTRALIANS. London, Dee. 19. Opinion in cricket circles favours the putting of country before county in connection with the suspension of country cricket during the Australian visit. There is an unanimity of opinion that anything tending to handicap England’s chances of regaining the ashes should be eliminated. Douglas voices the viewpoint of another section to the effect that smaller clubs would be ruined. He points out that many prefer to work to the lasr moment before facing the Australians. The professionals arc inclined to disagree with the suspension on the grounds of the monetary losses. Tate, one of the hardest-worked, sums up thusly: “If selected, and 1 hope to be be given the chance to skittle a few of the Australian timbers. T shall ask to be allowed to rest. The nurse their men. It should be possible to do the same here. It is not advisable for a player to rush breathlessly from a county match to play the Aus tralians. ”

Colonel Philip Trevor, in the “Daily Telegraph.” stresses the urgency of team work, which was only recently regarded as applicable to cricket. In pas comparisons of English and Australian elevons it appeared on paper to favour the Englishmen. Nevertheless the Australians persisted in winning, proving superior in team work, especially in relation to bowling and fielding. Unfortunately England is handicapped in a way Australians are not, by the fact that firstclass cricket in England is more of a financial business than a game, while the English public are not so keen on tests as the Australian crowds. Therefore it may be difficulty to suspend county matches. Nevertheless, England badly needs victory to restore her prestige, which has suffered seriously, and which flimsy excuses have only made ridiculous. “England must run the financial risk if she does not mean to run the greater risk of irreparably damaging her cricket prestige.”—(A. and N.Z.)