CRICKET TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 20

CRICKET TOUR

THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM STRONG ALL ROUND SIDE BATTING RECORDS SHATTERED SUCCESS OF YOUNG PLAYERS The Australian cricket team which will conclude its tour after the match with North of Scotland, commencing yesterday, must rank as one of the most successful which has visited England. Although the destiny of the "ashes," held by England through the success of D. R. Jardine's team which toured Australia in the 1932-33 season, was at stake until the final test, Australia had definitely asserted its superiority under favourable conditions. Only one test was lost by the present touring team, England liaving the advantage of making the Australians bat on a soft wicket in the second match and winning by an innings, after compiling a high score under good batting conditions. The tour of the Australians has served to show that they are a better all round side than England. Whereas, in the previous series of tests in Australia the home side proved lamentably weak in batting after the first five, any member of the present touring team up to No. 8 in the batting order has proved capable of making a century. The Australian fielding, too, has been much more reliable than that of England, which had many runs scored against it through failure to accept chances at critical stages. In bowling talent as well Australia j produced more variety in its attack, j England relied practically, with the one exception of Verity, on its fa3t bowlers and when this proved fruitless the Australian batsmen went on to amass high scores. Verity, although bowling consistently, was not troublesome on good wickets, but with soft batting conditions he proved a matchwinner for England in the second test, taking seven for 61 and eight for 43 in the first and second innings respectively.

Features of the Australians' tour were the failure of Bradman in the early matches and his remarkable return to his best form, especially in the fourth and fifth tests, when Australia had the "ashes" at stake; the wonderful return to form of Ponsford, who was nearly left behind when the final Australian side was chosen; the particularly consistent bowling of O'Reilly and Grimraett; and the failure of England's outstanding batsman, W. R. Hammond, in the tests. Bradman and Ponsford came well into the limelight by shattering all previous partnership records. In the fourth test they added 388 runs for the fourth wicket ahd then went one better by compiling 453 for the second wicket in the fifth and final test. Bradman showed what a wizard he is with the bat by compiling 304 in the fourth test and 244 in the fifth, both being chanceless displays. Ponsford, on the other hand, gave chances but these did not materially detract from his excellent batting. By making 304 in the fourth test Bradman failed narrowly to beat his own record in test cricket of 334, compiled on his previous tour of England. It will be remembered that W. R. Hammond, Gloucester, beat this record by making 336 not out at Eden Park against New Zealand for the M.C.C. team in 1933, but this innings cannot by any means be compared with that of Bradman.

Most of the young Australian players justified their inclusion, particularly Brown, Chipperfield and FleetwoodSmith. The last-named is second in the bowling averages and, although he has met with his success against weaker teams, he should prove a great asset to Australia in the future. He did not play in any of the test matches. Chipperfield has proved a fine all rounder and as he is modelling his bowling on the lines of Grinunett it will occasion no surprise should he be called upon to fill the place of the former New Zealander in the near future as a "googly" bowler. Brown is a good opening batsman and as Barnett, the reserve wicketkeeper, is also a good batsman and. clever behind the wickets, it seems Australia will be well served in the future when Oldfield retires.

Taking a lino on the form shown by the Australians on the present tour it would appear that it will take a very strong all round England team to win the "ashes" in future tests.'