ENGLISH CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1935, Page 12

ENGLISH CRICKET

STANDARD IMPROVING COMING YOUNG PLAYERS

(By

“Off Spin.”)

Some observations upon the present state of English county cricket following the slump and the recent tours by strong Australian and South African teams were macle to “Off Spin” by A. E. Aiderman, the Derbyshire professional now at New Plymouth on a coaching engagement. “At present the standard of English cricket is lower than it was.” said Mr. Aiderman, “but tnere are signs that England will soon regain her place of eminence in the cricket world.” It was not the success of the Australian and South African teams that, led him to say England was below her former level; those two countries had sent greatly improved teams which had won the rubbers on their merits. England had, however, lost her Woolley, Rhodes, Hobbs, Sutcliffe and company, and there were as yet no others ready to take their places. There were several young' players—as far as cricket was concerned—who showed promise as test bowlers and batsmen of the future. Meritiohing a few names off-hand Mr. Aiderman detailed as bowlers Hedley Verity and Bill Bowes of Yorkshire,’ who had not yet, in his' opinion, reached their peak in international cricket, Read of Essex, Mitchell of his own county of Derbyshire and Nichols of Essex, whose bowling was already definitely of test standard. Mr. Aiderman characterised as one of the outstanding performances of last season Nichols’ part in the defeat of Yorkshire, the champion county, by Essex. Mainly because of “M.S.’s” howling Yorkshire was skittled for 31 in the first innings for Essex to score 300 odd, and then Nichols played the chief part in putting Yorkshire out a second time for 99—a loss for the leading team by an innings and over 150 runs. Among the batsmen Mr. Aiderman said the most promising included Hardstaff (Notts), Arnold (Hampshire), Smith and Worthingtpn (Derbyshire) and Gimlett, the youthful batsman who scored 100 in an hour for Somerset in his first county match. Barber and Hutton of Yorkshire were two other- coming batsmen. There were, however, still no batsmen in England comparable with Wally Ham-

mond. "Hammond makes cricket look easy and plays such perfect strokes,” said Mr. Aiderman, “and in addition he is a good bowler and a brilliant fieldsman.” Hammond had had an off season, nevertheless, so far as test cricket was concerned. While he had scored consistently in county cricket he had not struck form against the South Africans. Asked if he considered Hammond a superior bat to Bradman Mr. Aiderman said a contrast was difficult as their styles were so different. Bradman was simply a run-getting machine and one could not tell young players to model themselves on the Australian. Once he became set he scored his runs at a great rate with shots that were of them unorthodox. Hammond, on the other hand, was the acme of style and grace and yet he could punch a ball to the boundary through the covers even when playing, back to a well pitched ball.

Concerning Larwood and the publicity given him Mr. Aiderman preferred to say little. The Nottinghamshire man was a very fine bowler but his foot injury had been genuine and had retarded him in the season just over. The “bodyline business” was over and done with and, commented Mr. Aiderman, he did not think there, was any point in saying anything about it now. Asked about the popularity of county cricket generally following complaints of dullness made two or three seasons ago Mr. Aiderman said some of the county clubs were in none too good a position financially through lack of support, although the cricket last season was brighter generally. “Probably the English public is getting too much cricket,” he added.

"The new leg-before-wicket rule is making a big difference,” said Mr. Aiderman. “Many more matches are now being played to a finish that were previously drawn, with a consequent effect upon public interest. The rule also makes* it necessary for the batsman to play the ball rather than to rely on his pads as a defence.” Tire new rule, explained Mr. Aiderman,

was briefly that if a ball, pitched on the off, that would, in the opinion of the umpire, have broken the wicket, were to strike the batsman’s leg he should be out l.b.w. The remedy was to use the bat and play the ball. As far as New Zealand cricketers in England were concerned a comparison with English county cricketers was difficult. Dacre had been up to good county standard but Badcock and Merritt had been playing in a different type of game in the Lancashire League.

There was apparently not so much public interest in New Zealand in cricket as there was in England, concluded Mr. Aiderman, although the players’ enthusiasm for the game was splendid. The lack of public support, he considered, was due to the fact that everyone seemed tO' play some summer game or other himself, which, while not very advantageous for sports that needed the financial support of gate money, was a very good, thing for the nation as a whole.