HOBBS AS STONEWALLER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 205, 28 July 1928, Page 19 (Supplement)

HOBBS AS STONEWALLER.

A TEST MATCH INCIDENT. DELATED BV P. FENDER. .Mr P. CL 11. Fender, tlie Surrey cricket captain, speaking at the Epsom Brotherhood sports service in England recently, said a classical instance of playing for one’o side, as opposed to playing lor one’s own end. was provided in the fifth test match against Australia two years ago. .

J l \v;is the period W.iien the game was in a crucial state anti Richardson

was bowling. Ho (.Mr Homier), knowing tho wicket at tlie Oval, realised that there would be a period between the start on the Tuesday morning and the luncheon interval when the batsmen would have a “rotten half-hour.”

Hobbs knew that also, and, waited. The wicket was as diilieuit as the Oval wicket could be, and .Richardson was howling in line form.

Hobbv, knowing the characteristics of the wicket, eoulil spe a way to stop Richardson. He got to the end facing him, and prevented anyone else having any Richardson. He played eight consecutive maiden overs from .Richardson and refused to score a run. Mr Fender said it seemed to him that a game which allowed one to do a tiling like that for the benefit of his side, and gave an opportunity of exercising self-control, could not be anything but a very great factor in the foundation of character of the -youth and manhood of the country.