STILL NO PLAY

Northern Advocate, 18 August 1931, Page 5

STILL NO PLAY

THIRD CRICKET TEST OLD TRATFORD SATURATED. BLOTTING PAPER REQUISITIONED

(Special to N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 9 a.m.)

MANCHESTER, August 17

There was no play at Manchester today in the test match between the New Zealand cricketers and England, and it is unlikely that a start will be possible tomorrow. Manchester has fully maintained its reputation for rain. Heavy showers foil at intervals throughout yesterday, completely nullifying the short period of sunshine, and there were leaden skies with a steady drizzle today. Unless there is a sudden and complete improvement in the weather, it appears that not a ball will be bowled in the match.

Hugo sheets of blotting paper were among the devices used at Manchester in an attempt to prepare the wicket for the test match.

The famous Old Trafford ground presented a scene of utter desolation. What is usually a stretch of velvet turf, was merely a cluster of miniature lakes. The groundsmen, who had worked hard all Saturday attempting to prepare the ground for play, gave up the unequal struggle. The wicket is still covered. Apart from that the ground is left at the mercy of the rain. The downpour is so heavy that prospects of play tomorrow are exceedingly slight.

' A suggestion has been put forward in some quarters that the match, champion county v. the Rest of England, at the Oval oh September 12, be abandon ed, to enable the final test to be played at that place and time. A later message, however, states that there is no possibility of, an extension of the fixture to August 19.

Gilligan, in the “News Chronicle,” says that there is no possibility of a fourth test being arranged to compensate for the Manchester washout. The New Zealanders are strongly supporting a suggestion that the English test team, after visiting Australia in the 1932-33 season, go on to New Zealand to play two matches. M. D, Lyon, in the “Daily Express,’’ says that the loss of the third test is serious financially to New Zealand. He quotes the manager as denying a recent statement that the tour will show a loss of £2OOO. It is impossible yet to say how it will turn out, as there are several good matches to be played in the south of England.

Referring to the suggestion of another test at the Oval to replace the Champion County v. Rest of England fixture, he quotes Lord Hawke as saying that if the New Zealanders are really anxious he is sure the commit tee could arrange to abandon the Oval fixture if another date was not available, but in his opinion mid-September is not too late a date for serious cricket.