PERSONAL TRIUMPH FOR VERITY

Northern Advocate, 30 November 1936, Page 7

PERSONAL TRIUMPH FOR VERITY

Cricket

QUEENSLAND JUST

HEAD M.C.C.

[By J. B. Hobbs.—Copyright in all countries. Reproduction in whole or in part forbidden.]

(Received 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day

Thanks to a wonderful piece of bowling by Verity, M.C.C. nearly got on terms with Queensland to-day, though when the first wicket had not been captured dntil 117 had been scored, the situation looked bad. The team had been showing signs of declining morale up to then, but the vim put into the fielding when a chance existed of leading on the first' * innings showed the need of only a turn of fortune’s wheel to surprise everyone in the test matches.

At tea eight wickets were down for 193. Verity had bowled all day for 25.3 overs, nine maidens, 33 runs and five wickets. Wyeth and Oxenham then showed enterprise and passed England’s total. Verity bowled very straight, without a full toss or long hop throughout the long spell, which took my mind back to White’s marathon effort in the Adelaide test match in 1928. Only when a new ball was taken did Verity give way after bowling 30 overs for 50 runs and five wickets.

Easy Wicket. The easiness of the wicket was emphasised by the lack of success of other bowlers. Occasionally Fames put venom into delivery, but Voce was not at his best.

England wanted another , slow bowler, and if Robins had been able to lend a hand the team ought to hhve seized the advantage and led on the first innings. Robins, however, injured a leg early and did not field after tea, when Hammond took over the captaincy.

Brown, who was the top scorer for Queensland, is a peculiar player. He is a fine batsman for a time and then he goes into his shell and refuses to make a stroke. He did this both today and in Sydney.

If he reversed the process I could understand him. I know that, as Verity was bowling finely and had the field placed well, Brown got out of trying to hit him, but I thought he might have opened out.

Verity’s Brilliant Catch,

Rogers, a young left-hander, played a good innings. He was beaten twice in Fames* first over on Friday, but was excellent to-day, making hard off side strokes. Oxenham and Wyeth pluckily gave Queensland a lead, and added 44 for the ninth wicket. This compelled a double bowling change, and Hammond came on for the first time. Voce effected a separation when he took his only wicket. Verity capped a day of great personal triumph by making a brilliant catch in the gully off Fames to leave England 28 runs behind. '

England hit back today and the position is far better than appeared possible when Queensland registered a first wicket partnership of 100 for the first time against an English team.

The second innings started with half an hour to go. It was important for the batsmen, as it would decide which should play first in the test. In view of England’s failure against slow bowling, it has been suggested by friends that I should coach some of the younger players.

“We Are Worried.”

We are frankly worried, and it is not nice -for me to sit here and see them perform so badly, and to hear the cheers of the crowd as one man after another goes out to leg break deliveries.

I do not think, however, that I could do any good. These are English players; they have made runs against this bowling at Home, and should be able to master it here. It is a matter of principles of batsmanship which test players should know at this stage. The batsman has to use his feet to get to the pitch, or to play right forward to cover the break, or else play right back, watching the ball on to the bat. Nobody can tell the batsman when he is to play forward and when back. He has to decide that in the fraction of a second after the ball has left the bowler’s hand.

I do not think the wickets are as fast as they used to be. They respond more to a spin owing to .the drought, but our men should have fathomed that by now.