AMAZING SCENES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21831, 19 December 1932, Page 6

AMAZING SCENES

TEST MATCH CROWDS ENTHUSIASM FOR M'CABE (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, December. 8. Cricket, cricket, cricket. For a week or more one topic has dominated all others in Australia. Everywhere it has been the centre of conversation, the centre of public discussions, the main feature of the press. The air has been literally .if ull of it. ' First there was the shock when it was announced that the popular, idol, Don Bradman, would not be available, to take his place in the Australian Eleven. , Then came the disastrous opening by the Australian team, the great recovery, the electrifying display by the baby of the home team, Stan M'Cabe, the dour batting of the Englishmen with the prospect of a thousand runs at least, the sudden collapse of the visitors when hope had faded, and then, unkindest cut of. ajl,- the rout of the Australians in the second innings. Public feeling with the fortunes of the gaffie. ■ One could almost detect the state ,6f tlie game by noting the faces of passers-by in the city streets. In this age of wireless it was not neces;, sary to be at ‘ the cricket ground to know the latest. From countless shops, and'restaurants, and hotels, the ball to ball broadcast was available to all who cared to listen.

Men, women and children in every walk of life kept in close touch with the game. Groups congregated everywhere in the business area of the city and suburbs, making the most of this wireless age. Run by run the game was discussed; always with an air of authority, for few Australians do not regard 'themselves as experts on their national game. They condemned or praised tactics according to their point of view, and at times the arguments became so heated that it is a wonder indeed that minor riots did not occur. Without . experiencing it, it is difficult to believe that any nation-still in the midst of the most'serious depression in its history could take its sport so seriously. The huge crowds that awaited _ the opening of the gates at the Cricket Ground each day were evidence of the enthusiasm that had been engendered by the match. Never before has the like been seen in Australia. Some people were there with the breaking of the dawn, eager to take up their favourite position on a ground offering so many splendid vantage points. It would be difficult to imagine a ground that would be better suited to the staging of a great, international contest, yet its deficiencies :nave been, noted, ; and a. ‘scheme is . now on-foot to. improve the accom-

modation and give the public a greater -measure of comfort and convenience. ■With 58,000 people present on Saturday •the ground was overcrowded, for the .'■simple reason that a, Sydney crowd will hot tolerate standing daring a cricket ' match. It has ho objection to doing so at a. football match, but tradition demands that almost everyone shall be seated at a' cricket match, even if that /seat is on a grassy slope. The stands -Were .totally inadequate, i Australia failed ingloriously in the ■first teat, Jjut no failure could ever detract from the glorious display given by Stan M'Cabe in the, first innings. Pandemonium brokeToose when he made a hit which gave him his first century in a test match against England. There ’were nearly . 50,000 people present on ■'that memorable Friday afternoon, and they, with spontaneous acclaim, rent the air with delirious enthusiasm. The famous ■■“ Hill;” packed like sardines, rose as one man, and, waving torn sheets of paper, hats, umbrellas, and sticks, vociferated in. a. scene unparalleled in its .intensity and spontaneity. This was 'the climax to the pent tip feelings of the huge crowd which had watched the shock bowlers of England decimate the ranks of the' Australian batting phalanx, and the home team’s amazing recovery through the super batting of Stan M'Cabe, aided by Victor Richardson. Stylishly dressed women, carried away by the tumult of cheering, jumped on the seats of the stands and added shrill shrieks to the general delirium. So sustained was this unusual display of enthusiasm (at a cricket match) that the crowd seemed to forget that M'Cabe was not out and must resume his innings. The roar of delight continued for some minutes, holding up the game meanwhile. While the occupants of the densely crowded stands were cheering frantically, hundreds of coatless and hatless men and youths on the “ Hill ” joined hands and jazzed about with unrestrained glee. Seldom, if ever, has such an amazing scene been witnessed even on the Sydney Cricket Ground. Veterans who have followed cricket for more than a quarter of a century declared that the intensity of the scene had rarely been equalled on any cricket ground in the world. Those who saw it and participated in it will never forget its electrifying influence. M'Cabe was the hero, and never before has a batsman, on reaching a century, been acclaimed with such fervour and enthusiasm. T,he great crowd which attended on the following day had further reason to acclaim M'Cabe. When he resumed his innings he gave the most dashing disBlay8 lay ever seen in Sydney, and seemed j do Just as he liked with the remark-

ably accurate bowling—the - really difficult bowling—served up by the members of the English'.tehrn. He forced the pace the whole time, and he was successful in securing the strike almost whenever he wanted it. Larwood, the terror of his team mates, was treated with utter disrespect, and all the time this young player had the crowd on its toes, wondering what he would do next. He defied all the tactics that were employed against him, and when The innings closed he was still the master.

Hopelessly defeated in the first test Australia has not lost hope. It is certain that the next team will be a vastly different ohe from that which has just played. Australia sadly missed Don Bradman, and his presence in the side at the. Melbourne test, beginning on December 30, will go a long way towards restoring confidence. The dropping of Woodfull (captain), Ponsford, .Kippax, and-Grimmett is already being.'discussed.' New blood is certainly needed, but the selectors have a difficult task ahead of them if the decide to experiment. If there is to be any experimenting, the second test is the occasion for it. If Australia loses the second test it will have to win the remaining three, and it will then be a little late to introduce new blood in the hope that it will be better than the old. Whatever may happen it is safe to predict that Australia will not settle down to normal life until the fifth test has been played. ■