CRICKET GROUNDS TOO SMALL

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 180, 2 August 1938, Page 10

CRICKET GROUNDS TOO SMALL

CRITICISM OF ENGLAND ACCOMMODATION DIFFICULT TO GET. Nearly a million people watched the five England v. Australia Tests in Australia in the 1936-37 season. The aggregate attendance at the third Test at Melbourne was 350,000. The Australian cricket authorities have long realised the importance of providing adequate accommodation. England, where cricket was born, has no such grounds as Melbourne and Sydney. Improvements come slowly, though interest in the Tests series increases consistently, states the Daily Express of July 1 in commenting on the inadequate accommodation of the English grounds where the Tests are played. It was announced yesterday ( June 30) from the Yorkshire headquarters that every ticket for the fourth Test (which began at Leeds on July 22) has been sold. Three weeks before the match, and not a seat left. There is room for 30,000 spectators at Headingley. Yesterday’s message stated that if the ground held twice that number it would still be too small to satisfy the demand for tickets. The fifth Test is to be played at Kennington Oval, beginning August 20. That is a long way ahead. Yet not a seat is available for the first and second days. Mr. A. F. Davey, secretary, Surrey County C.C., made this known yesterday, and tickets for the other days are going fast. Manchester houses the third Test due to begin next Friday. There is now no chance of getting a ticket for the first day. The rush apparently has not yet extended to the other days. Perhaps because Lancashire people arc suspicious of Manchester weather—and with good reason. Anyway, there are tickets for the second, third and fourth days. Nottingham, where the first Test was played, could not take on two of the four days all the people who wanted to see the play. As for Lord’s many thousands who had begged or stolen a day off had sorrowfully to turn away. Just over 100,000 paid at Lord’s. M.C.C. members brought the aggregate to about 120,000. Melbourne has held 88,000 spectators on one day. It does seem that something more could be done at the Test grounds in England to bring them nearer the Australian standard. Of course, the counties seldom have much money to play with, but M.C.C. surely arc in the position to finance improvement schemes. Interest in the Tests grows and grows. We should not lag so far behind Australia, even though the Test series is only once in four years. old. Sam Walker failed with the kick. Final result: Britain 11, Eorder S. Teams: Britain.—Jenkins; Unwin, Leyland. Macrae, Clemen; Reynolds, Giles; Walker, Travers, Graves, Taylor, Mayne, Waters, Alexander, Duff. Border.—B. Reid; Willmers, S. Reid, White, Moore; Evans, Gordon; Jennings, Brownlee, Kopke, Woodford, Maartens, Lewis, Robertson, Petzer.— (Rand Dally Mail). TEN MATCHES WON The British team, up to July 23, had played 13 matches. It has won ten and lost three. A big match awaits it at Johannesburg on July 30 against

Transvaal. It will then rest for a week until the first Test, which is to be played at Johannesburg on August 6. Following are the results of matches played up to July 23: v. Border, won 11 to 8.

v. Griqualand West, won 22 to 9. v. Town and Country Clubs (Western Province), lost 8 to 11. v. South Western Districts (Western Province), won, score not known here. v. Western Province, lost 11 to 21. v. Western Transvaal, . won, score not known here. v. Orange Free State, won 21 to 6. v. Transvaal, lost 9 to 16.

v. Country Districts of Free State, won (score not known), v. North Transvaal, won 20 to 12. v. Cape Province, won 10 to 3. v. Rhodesia (at Salisbury), won, 25 to 11. v. Rhodesia (at Bulawayo), won 45 to 11. Player, 13; won, 10; lost, 3.