WONDERFUL TEAM SPIRIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 25 March 1936, Page 4

WONDERFUL TEAM SPIRIT

WHY AUSTRALIA WON TESTS CAPTAIN’S COMMENTS (Uni-led Preßß Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph—Copyright) CAPETOWN, 23rd March. In the course of a special interview with Reuters aboard the Themistoclcs to-day, V. Richardson summed up the reasons for the Australian cricketers’ decisive Test victories against the South Africans. He placed first the wonderful team spirit, after that the remarkable bowling of Grimmett and O’Reilly, and the consistency with which Fingleton and Brown gave the side a splendid start, making the task of the African bowlers a heart-breaking one.

Richardson was somewhat reluctant io comment on the “suicide” leg-trap used by O’Reilly in conjunction with Richardson and' Fingleton. “Previous experience had shown us that O’Reilly’s deliveries were almost invariably played by batsmen to a certain spot on the leg side, so Fingleton and I stationed ourselves accordingly. The move was purely an experiment and as it met with success from the beginning we retained it.” It was only with a bowler of O’Reilly’s peculiar type that a leg-trap could effectively be employed.

Richardson, in paying tribute to Herbert Wade, the South African captain, said he could never hope to meet a finer sportsmen or a more charming man.

The manager, Mr Rowe, spoke in praise of the South African Press and of the hospitality and courtesy accorded the Australians wherever they went.