CRICKET TEST

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 16, 30 December 1932, Page 2

CRICKET TEST

OPENING TO-DAY AT MELBOURNE UNPRECEDENTED INTEREST. TEAMS NOT ANNOUNCED. London, Dec. 29. The “Morning Post’’ expects the Australian team to be stronger in both batting and bowling than at Sydney. Bradman’s 157 for New South Wales is surely proof that his health is restored and his batting is as good as ever. An editorial describes “bodyline bowling with a packed leg field” as a fearsome phrase. This bowling had no terrors for A. C. Maclaren, Ranji or Victor Trumpor. The plain truth is that Australia, like England of 10 years ago, has no fast bowlers, so the batsmen cannot play fast bowling very well. It is the pace that kills in this caso.

The “Daily Express” describes the Australian cricket news and Its references to body line bowling and Bradman in hiding as more and more amusing. The paper refuses to believe the Australians will repeat the poor show they made at Sydney. “It should bo a great match despite all the funny stuff the Australian publicists are putting over us.” THE TEAM’S SELECTION. NOT YET FINALISED. Sydney, Dec. 29. Reports arriving from Melbourne tonight suggest that O’Brien and Oxenham will be omitted from the provisional 13 Australians in the second tost, opening to-morrow, in which unprecedented interest is being taken. It i» oven suggested that Richardson will replace Woodful] as captain. The Board of Control, which met in Melbourne to-day, decided that the captain and vice-captain will be appointed to-morrow before the game commences. It will not be known definitely until to-morrow whether Bradman is playing. AUSTRALIAN VISITS TO N.Z. POSSIBILITY OF REGULAR TOURS Sydney, Dec. 29. The Board of Control discussed with Mr Connelly, president of the New Zealand Cricket Council, the possibility of regular tours by an Australian team of New Zealand, beginning next year. No decision has been announced. ORIGINAL TEST TEAM. ONLY ONE SURVIVING MEMBER. Melbourne, Dec. 29. The only surviving member of the first Australian test team to visit England in 1878 is Mr T. W. Garett, who is now residing near Goulburn,

DEATH OF MR BLACKHAM. MANY AT THE FUNERAL. Melbourne, Dec. 29. Cricketers, former players and sportsmen crowded St. Paul’s Cathedral to-day for the funeral of Mr John McCarthy Blackham. The service was conducted by Canon Hughes, who is president of the Victorian Cricket Association, and Judge Moule, who is a former international test player. The Marylebone cricketers were represented by Mr Warner and Palairet. John McCarthy Blackhani was born in a country district of Victoria on May 11, 1855. He was one of those who placed Australia on the cricket map by showing meh wonderful aptitude for the game that they were able to meet England on level terms. Blackham was a member of the first Australian team which toured England in 1878, and he revolutionised wicketkeeping in England on that tour by standing close up to the wickets to, Spofforth without a long-stop. Up till Blackham’s advent a long-stop had always been fielded behind the wicketkeeper in. England, so Blackham will go down in History as the man who gave cricket teams an extra man in the field.

To this day Blackham is regarded as the “prince of wicketkeepers,” even in England. With his jet black beard, he was almost as much of a personality on the cricket field as the late Dr. W. G. Grace. He was a contemporary of W. L. Murdoch and F. R. Spofforth, and with this famous pair was a member of the Australian team which startled the world by defeating a strong M.C.C. team in the second match of the "1878 tour in a single day. Blackham played for Australia for several years, and was the wicketkeeper in many Test matches, both in Australia and in England. He represented Victoria during the same period. He played in six -matches against South Australia, and in eleven innings scored 221 runs, at an average of 22.10. Against New South Wales he played in thirty matches, and in 53 innings aggregated 1027 runs, with a highest score of 109, his average being 22.32. In all he played for Australia in 35 .Test matches against England, and in 62 innings totalled 800 runs, with a highest score of 74, and an average of 15.68. Blackham played for Australia as Into as 1894, when he scored 74 and 2 in the test match against A. E. Stoddart’s team at Sydney, which was won by the Englishmen by 10 runs. In that match, Blcekhcm caught Brockwell off Jones, and stumped Ford off Giffen. 1 By the time ho mtvo nn ‘lr.-t • cricket, Bhiel-1 , .. • ,j| v „>■ bis front teeth kmokod ;,ul. ihu- p;i, *

ing the penalty for-introducing a new era in the art of wicketkeeping. He was a safe but never a showy performer with the gloves. He played in firel-cll ss rrickei for <i;;hl /uni h l.n t liiac .stamped 127 • tiiul liiughi '.177.~r‘ ! Buruood.”