TEST CRICKET WRANGLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1933, Page 4

TEST CRICKET WRANGLE.

In the unseemly wrangle that passes under the name of the third test “cricket,” the standard of fair play accepted by Britons for generations, is being brought into disrepute. New Zealanders, among millions more, are being deprived of the pleasure that once was brought by a test cleanly fought to the end. And in all the turmoil the most potent factor for evil seems to have been lost to sight. When the Australian Cricket Board of Control refused to permit Bradman to write comment upon the players the board was criticised for harshness and unreasonableness. Had the board gone further and prohibited players from broadcasting as well as writing it is probable that the huge cricketing public would still have been thrilling to manly cricket contests. It is only necessary to compare the sportsmanlike reports of matches contained in Press Association cables with the rantings of player and ex-player-writers and broadcasters to realise the harm that is being done. The plain fact is that legitimate journalism is providing the public with the facts and the player-broadcast-ers to earn their fees are seeking for sensationalism. There is little doubt that the notorious “incidents” have been grossly exaggerated, and that undoubtedly has led to viciousness amongst the players. The sooner- players accept the honour of election to the test eleven as sufficient without dabbling in publicity in which they are neither proficient nor .accurate the better will it be for cricket. That obviously applies to both sides. A test cricketer has a public duty to perform, and the creation of an atmosphere of unsportsmanlike strife is not part of that duty. There is a controlling authority, and two umpires are always on the ground; surely they can step in where discipline is necessary.