ENGLISH BATTING FAILURE

Southland Times, Issue 23140, 5 March 1937, Page 7

ENGLISH BATTING FAILURE

BRADMAN’S BIG PART HOBBS REVIEWS TEST SERIES (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) MELBOURNE, March 4. In a special review of the Test series, J. B. Hobbs saysf* “England failed to regain the Ashes because, frankly, the side was not good enough. D. G. Bradman is more than one man in a team, “The Ashes were lost and won on the third day of the fourth Test. If the English batsmen on that Monday had pushed home the advantage the bowlers had gained, England could still have allowed Bradman to get his 270 and pulled off the match. The English batsmen never struck form and there was no first-wicket pair to give the side a good start. H. Sutcliffe was sadly missed, and passengers were carried in every Test. “Another cause of defeat was the absence of a tip-top spin bowler. I cannot see Engalnd ever doing really well in Australia until it finds one. Australian wickets have become more responsive to that kind of bowling. G. O. B. Allen told me that he thought the difference in the pace of the Test wickets here since the last tour was the contrast between the fiery Lords wicket and the Test wicket at Manchester.

“I have no complaint against our present bowlers—they dismissed Australia for far fewer runs than England expected. It was our batting that failed, and we had to rely too much on about three men. W. R. Hammond failed to hold his initial form and the bowlers found a way to cramp his style by concentrating on his leg stump. Being essentially an off-side player, he was compelled to play in a manner entirely foreign to his nature. On the other hand, Australia undoubtedly had the better stroke players. “The toss decided the result in every game, and I wish something could be done to nullify its effect; I am afraid that nothing can be done. Australia, however, had won the final Test before the rain came and all the rain did was to increase the margin of defeat. Yet in a way Australia was luck- to get away with the Ashes. Its side was short of bowling until the last Test, and the rain won them the third Test when England was two up. “W. J. O’Reilly is a class bowler, although he sank in my estimation on this tour by exploiting leg-theory too much. W. A. Oldfield is still a master behind the wickets. Sporting Crowds “Allen more than came up to expectations as captain, but he was handicapped by social duties. The umpires gave complete satisfaction, but perhaps the happiest feature of the Tests was the excellent behaviour of the crowds; barracking was almost eliminated.” C. G. Macartney, recalling that it is the first time Australia has won the Ashes in Australia since 1925, says: “While rain caught the side which lost the toss in each match, it was evenly divided and there was not a great deal between the two sides. But Australia can claim superiority. It was Bradman’s batting that turned the scales in favour of Australia. Bradman clearly showed that he is capable of suiting his batting to any situation and exploded the idea that the captaincy would interfere with his run-getting. England possessed no Bradman to come to her rescue when in peril. Hammond was not sufficiently consistent to play the role. “On the whole, England possessed steadier bowling strength than Australia, but was seriously hampered by the poor quality of its slow bowlers. England won the first two Tests owing to superior team work, but from then onwards the side gradually declined, while Australia improved, emerging from the last Test as a first-class, wellbalanced' fighting team. Allen made the most of the limited material and the team he was asked to lead, was the weakest seen in Australia this century. Bradman is established as Australia’s captain for many years.” The cricket commentator of The Sydney Morning Herald, reviewing the Tests, emphasizes the steady improvements made by the Australians after the second Test and the manner in which some of the younger players proved capable of backing up the efforts of the more experienced mem CARR CONDEMNS BOTH SIDES , LONDON, March 3. Commenting on the Tests, Mr A. W. Carr, the former English batsman, says: “We were lucky to win two Tests. I should think that these were the two worst sides that have ever 'represented England and Australia.”