J. B. HOBBS AS CRITIC

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19374, 24 December 1932, Page 16

J. B. HOBBS AS CRITIC

NOT SO MUCH IN PUBLIC EYE. John B. Hobbes, out here again, not as player, but as newspaper correspondent, is not so much in the public eye as he has been, says the Sydney “Referee.” In his new sphere J.B. is doing admirable work. Last season in England his articles on the game in London were marked by soundness, fairness, and we might say a fresh, independent, constructively critical note, for the game and those who play it.

Looking back on the remarkable career of this great batsman, it is strange that a cricketer of the standing of A. O. Jones, who captained the English team in 1907-8. should have left Hobbs out of his first test match — it was played in Sydney that season. On that tour we -aw Hobbs bowling once or twice, and he looked quite a good, heady bowler. Cecil Parkin, the mercurial, has told this story of Hobbs:—

“It was in. the Bradford League that I came to know my friend Jack Hobbs as a capital bowler. I was playing for Undercliffe against Idle, in whose team the Surrey crack was acting as Saturday professional. We batted first, but could only muster 32. Hobbs took eight wickets for 17, and he was bowling against players like Llewellyn (the South Africa and Hampshire master), George Gunn, and Tom Oaks. I th nk. on his form that day. Hobbs could have got his own wicket in quick time. “He bowled about medium pace, with a good swerve, and occasionally he pun the ball. If Hobbs had not de-

cided, when a youngster, on becoming the best bat in the world, he could easily have become one of the best bowlers.”

In tests against Australia Hobbs bowled only 19 overs for 53 run without taking a wicket. With the bat he scored 3632 runs in 41 matches, averaging 54.26. It is 25 years since his first test; when in Melbourne in 1907-8 he made 83 and 23. In Australia alone hi" test centuries are 126, 187, 173, 107, 122, 123, 115. 154, 119,and