Cricket Pros. Censured.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19314, 15 October 1932, Page 14

Cricket Pros. Censured.

Strong disapproval of the professionals’ action in refusing to take part in a time-limit match with Yorkshire, after the conclusion of the ordinary county game at Bradford recently, has been expressed by the committee of the Leicestershire County C.C. They passed a special resolution deprecating the attitude of their players, and a letter of regret was sent to, the Yorkshire Club. A time limit match had been suggested in order to entertain the crowd at Bradford, but the Leicestershire professionals refused to take part in it with the result that the “comic” cricket, became an utter farce and people left the ground. Swimmers In the Movies. Warner Brothers-First National studio report that Eleanor Holm, of New York, winner of the women’s world record in the 100-metre backstroke swim at the Olympic Games has signsigned a seven-year picture contract them at Hollywood. The studio said it would not endeavour to cash in” on Miss Holm’s swimming prowess by casting her in a mermaid role but would try to place her in a conventional part. Hobbs and Gibraltar. Mr. H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, Surrey County president, arranged a cricket tour of Gibraltar, and his party left England with the M.C.C. team last week. Jack Hobbs, who is visiting Australia—although not in the team—had been invited to play in one or two matches. If Hobbs accepts he will continue his journey to Australia a fortnight after the M.C.C. team. So runs a note from England. This may explain why Hobbs set out from London with his cricket kit-bag filled to the brim with implements of play.

Fred Root, Cricketer. Worcestershire County is not re-en-gaging Fred Root, the leg-theory bowler, whose engagement terminated at the end of August. Forty-two years of age, Root was dropped for the first time this season in the match against Essex, and had only 40 wickets to his credit. A fast bowler before the war, Root had quite a modest record with Derbyshire, but poining Worcestershire in 1921 and becoming the chief exponent of the leg theory he jumped into prominence. Root in 1928 accomplished the double feat of scoring over ICOO runs and taking over 100 wickets.

Root is a very interesting writer on cricket.

Too Hard On Them: When the programme of the AllIndian cricket team’s tour of England was arranged, those who had much experience of cricket in India where very doubtful about the wisdom of arranging matches, pointing out that no members of the team were used to playing nearly every day of the week for weeks on end (said an English paper, when the team still had eight matches to play). These critics are proved right, for the Indians are now showing definite signs of wearfness, and, what is worse, many of them are suffering from strained legs through their long days in the field.

They are not displaying the same agility, or stopping balls so cleanly, as

they did when they made their first appearance at Lord’s, and their bowling has lost much of its sting.

Amar Singh, who created such an excellent impression as a fast bowler in the Test match, confined himself to slow spinners against Surrey at the Oval, while Mahomed Nissar, after taking five wickets out of seven, broke down with a strained shoulder, and could not bowl another ball.