Traditional Uncertainty Once Again Exemplified

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26349, 2 January 1947, Page 5

Traditional Uncertainty Once Again Exemplified

From Neville Cardus, Special Correspondent. (Rec. 1.20 aim.) MELBOURNE, Jan. .1. A sudden return to test cricket to-day of the_ incalculable spirit of the sport transformed the match beyond anticipation. Shortly after lunch Bradman was obviously about to attack, and Barnes was a very limpet. A resort to obstruction seemed to be leading nowhere in particular to either side’s advantage. ..Then Yardley, called on to turn his arm as a substitute for Edrich and Voce, incredulously saw Bradman play a ball from him into his stumps, and with the next ball he got Johnson lb.w, while a few moments later Miller could not cope with Wright. When luck changes, she changes without. conscience,, and it is no belittlement of England’s keenness in the field to-day, backed up by a determination not to be discouraged by one or two discouraging periods, to , say that England has at last indeed come into a goodly portion of luck.

On the other 'hand, Australia deserved not to go scot free of the consequences of some unimaginative batting after 100 had been reached with only one wicket down. We usually get cricket of caprice and animation at Melbourne'. Everybody, English or Australian, is glad that, for once »in a while at least, the machine of contemporary Test cricket has had some hearty spanner thrown into the works.

This is England’s chance; victory in this match might lead to a revival. On a perfect summer morning, as English as June at Lord’s, an immense crowd assembled ro\md a field of fresh green, and the blue. sky was full of white pillows. So vast was the crowd that it seemed to eliminate individual identity; it was, in fact, all crowd, and from a distance it had sound, but not motion.