A CRITIC OF BRADMAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21521, 18 December 1931, Page 12

A CRITIC OF BRADMAN

VIEWS OF LORD TENNYSON CHAMPION OF ENGLISH PLAYERS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, November 5, Lord Tennyson, the Hampshire cricketer and former England captain, speaking at the annual dinner of the Ferrets Cricket Club in London this week, referred to the negotiations between Bradman, the Australian cricketer, and the Accrington Club, and said: “I have many friends in the Lancashire League and other leagues, but 1 do think it is wrong the way they have tried to get international cricketers to play for them. I think Bradman, in his refusal to go to Accrington, was perfectly right. While he considered Bracftnan one of the finest batsmen in the world, he was not, in Lord Tennyson’s opinion, in the same class as Victor Trumper, Clem Hill, and others, and he “had not half the strokes” of men like Jack Hobbs, Frank Woolley, and Herbert Sutcliffe. He considered that the sooner “ that young man did not wailt to get his name in print the better.” “ I do not know,” said Lord Tennyson, “ if this will go to Australia, but if it does I stand by what I say. I expect Bradman will be an enemy of mine henceforward, but I always state what I think. I do think that clubs in England should stick to English players, and not men from abroad who will eventually qualify for counties.” Mr Arthur Gilligan said that he agreed with what Lord Tennyson had said. v WHAT CRICKET IS. Douglas Jardine, who responded to the toast of “ Cricket,” said that the best definition of the game he had ever heard came from a New Zealander, who described it as “That beautiful, beautiful game which is battle and service and sport and art.” There seemed no doubt among the company that Jardine will captain the next team to Australia. Those present at the dinner included five England skippers, namely—Percy Chapman, Arthur Gilligan, Harold Gilligan, H. D. G. Leveson-Gowcr, and Douglas Jardine. According to one who was present, there was much support against the importation of overseas cricket “ stars.”