ANGLO – AUSTRALIAN CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12213, 7 March 1903, Page 5

ANGLO - AUSTRALIAN CRICKET.

T THOSE "ASHES." IS IT A CASE OF FUNK? [from our own correspondent.] London, January 23. Once more the off-season of cricket has been the occasion of a severe . cricketing ' sensa ti'on." This is the year for an English team to visit Australia, and endeavour to recover those "'ashes of English cricket," which have remained with the Australians as the rcsii 9 each of the last four campaigns—two in Australia'and'two in England. Mr. A. P- ' • lareri was asked again to captain the l P. sentatives of this country in a campaign ciuiing the coming Australian summer. " But ho not only declines, but also strongly protests against any English team g° 1 ??! all this year. And what has severely in dignated" cricketers oil "this side is his reason. It is that just now England i? "riot good "enough"—at any rate, in respect of bowling.. Naturally this has exasperated English cricket opinion to a pitch of frenzy. This is how ho put the case in a personal interview one day this week: —"There are a good many reasons," he said, "why the visit should bo deferred, and the experience gained during the last tour has convinced me that such a step is advisable. Good bowlers are scarce, and bur best men broke down early in the season owing to the laborious "task of playing for one year continuously/' 1 As a matter of fact, 'our bowlers were overworked. It must not be forgotten that the playing pitches out in Australia are very hard", and it is a difficult matter for a bowler to keep a good length till flay. 1"® Yorkshire Club,' also, again talk about refusing to allow their bowlers fo go, and .without professionals we cannot hope to do anything at all. Players should have a thorough rest rather than attempt to' make up lost ground in regard to Australian tours. An interval of four years elapsed between our last two tours, and the same time should _ again bo' permitted. Personally, I feel convinced that the committee of the Melbourne Cricket Club will admit ' that the objections' are good ones, and will see that' the suggestion to defer the tour is reasonable in the circumstances, for thoy musOcnriw ' that good bowlers are scarce in this' country.'' u '' • / • ' A well-known cricket writer also says:--"The solo reason that A- C.' Maclaren will not take a team to" Australia ii»ext autumn is that he hasn'f bowlers enough. '■ With tho exception 'of Rhodes,-Hirst, and Haigh, there are no stars lie can fall back upon." But" this, of course, is simply an abject -capitulation. " Mr. ' Maclaren won't go to Australia because he can 'find, no English bowlers good enough, and " therefore feels certain of being licked as ' the' Englishmen have been in four' successive seasons."' Naturally, such an admission is'bitterly resented. One cricketer writes : " The excuse that' ' good bowlers'"are scarce in 'this country,' wliir-h Mr.' Maclaren makes ' with reference to "his refusal to take ii'team to Australia next autumn, is tin-British "and unfair to the spirit of' English ''cricket. ' Surely it would be better-to take oyer only a moderate team and sustain defeat— by no means new experience to ' funk' and admit • our inferiority. Such an excuse can only cause disgust in Australia. It is to 'be' hoped that Mr. Maclaren will reconsider his decision, and'not expose' English cricketers to sneers wliic'n would be well deserved. Another remarks:' "Mr. Maclaren hasn't to choose his team straight away! and he might, in the coming season, be able to add to the strength with th'e following five: — Lockwood, Gill, Mead, Braund; and Blythe. There would be soVne experience in this team, too.' To choose another nine lie could take— ensure a bowling change— Jessop, Hayward, Abel, Lilley, ' Ranji,' Tyldesley, Jackson,"and Vv. P. Robertson. In the lastnamed', he would have a good allround player, with an average last season of 23, and a capable wicketkeeper. If Mr. Maclaren cannot go, the' Hon. E. S. JackSon should be invited to select a team, and in the eveiit of his refusal then G. 'L. Jessop might ' skipper "a" side". He is married to a charming Australian girl, and it would bo a bit in his favour to start with to have Australian sympathy. . Besides which, as Bobby Abel told hie last year, the ' Idol' would come off on a second visit'. He is essentially the cricketer of the day, arid it should bo engineered for him." 'V • Moreover, it is pointed out that if the English cricketer? cannot go out 'to ' Australia after 'an English cricket' season, the 'Australians might just as'well say th'ey could not come to England after an Australian cricket season". The rule cuts 'both ways'. Nobody can understand " Mr."' Maelaren's ; attitude. Some "inwardness" is suspected, but nobody knows what it ' can be. *'' Meanwhile qoatroversy runs riot.'