EAGER FOR THE FRAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12425, 20 April 1926, Page 7

EAGER FOR THE FRAY

AUSTRALIAN TEAM IN LONDON CROWDS WAIT HOURS TO CHEER THEM REMARKABLE ENTHUSIASM By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Australian, and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, April 18. Never in the history of international cricket has there been anything like the amazing scenes which occurred during the welcome to the Australians. Two hours before the train’s arrival the streets outside Victoria Station were thronged with patiently-waiting people, and when the cricketers were recognised there was a spontaneous burst of cheering. The crowd soon broke down the barriers, and the ’ cricketers, midst a surging mass of excited humanity passed through in charabancs, which conveyed them to the Hotel Cecil. An unofficial guard of honour was composed of men from the Australian cruiser Melbourne, who, helped by a strong force of mounted police, kept the crowd back as far as possible. The Australians arrived by tile 6.15 train from Dover, and were met by A. E. R. Gilligan and R. H. Mallett, on behalf of Marylebone, who greeted the visitors most cordially.

M. A. Noble, who is now resident in England, met his colleagues at Dover, where there was an hour’s delay before the train started for Victoria Station. Special barriers had been erected at

Victoria Station, where a large force of police was also required to restrain the crowd. Among the earliest arrivals were Sir Joseph and Lady Cook, Jack Durston (Middlesex), and V. B. Trapp, who years ago played inter-State cricket in Australia. CAN THEY REPRODUCE FORM?

The manager, Mr Sydney Smith, on behalf of the players, declared that he was glad to he in the Homeland again. He looked for the tour to be a meiTns of improving the Australians’ play. “If our players really reproduce their batting, and bowling form under the new conditions, we shall be a very strong team indeed.” He recognised that England, particularly on her own fields, will be most formidable. Interviewed in Paris by the “Sunday Times,” H. L. Collins (captain), said: “I expect the side that’s lucky will win.” The correspondent added that it was obvious that the Australians above all dread wet wickets. The cricket correspondent of the “Sunday Express” took C. Kelleway to the country to meet J. W. H. T. Douglas, who is now convalescent after an operation. Douglas said that he had not played yet against Everett, hut he did not think he was another Jack Gregory. He was in doubt if Grimmett would do much here, hut he fancied that Arthur Richardson would he the success of the tour. Kelleway remarked that Richardson bowls a bit short for English wickets, to which Douglas replied: “Yes, and so did you. What we want in English cricket is a little more heart.”

Maurice Tate, writing in “Reynolds’s Newspaper,” says: “I shall be delighted to see the Australians again. They ars keen as mustard, and wholly good fellows who are deadly serious where cricket is concerned. Nevertheless, these Australians cannot, in my view, make a super-eleven out of their sixteen players. 1 can assure you that the most likely English cricketers that

I have met recently are going to put their very hearts into the task. We all hare, for some reason or other, got the feeling that it is a case of now or never.” The “Observer,” comparing past and present performances, asks: “Have we been making a habit of losing?” and concludes: “England cannot take on the Australians and an inferiority complex at the same time.” Writing in the “Sunday Express,” Douglas says: “With such a presentday plethora of left-handed batsmen it is to be hoped that a left-hander will get the preference, owing to the fact that he will be a strong asset. The Australian attack, whatever the wickets may prove to be, will probably be their gopgly howlers.”-