FAST AND SLOW BOWLING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21186, 5 November 1938, Page 16

FAST AND SLOW BOWLING

In a broadcast which W. A. Oldfield gave in England recently, he expressed some interesting views regarding the merits of pace and spin bowling, and the ability of the Australian batsmen to play the two, types. “The opinion is often expressed,” he said, “that Australians play slow bowling better than they do fast bowling, but I do not altogether agree with that, as I consider we play fast bowling equally as well. I would point out that the chief reason why Australians play the turning ball with confidence is that we have so much practice against it. For instance, no Sheffield Shield team in Australia ever takes the field without one slow bowler. In the case of South Australia, both Grimmett and Ward are played, while in New South Wales, O’Reilly and another slow bowler are always chosen. It stands to reason, therefore, that if slow bowlers can meet with such success on our hard Australian wickets, surely the same type of bowling should be expected to meet with the same measure of success in England, where the wickets and varying atmospherics generaly lend themselves to this particular type of bowling."

Oldfield added that England had rendered a great service to cricket by showing enterprise in selecting, and, further still, in displaying confidence in their young players—Hutton, Compton, Edrich and Wright—all of whom seemed destined to play for their country for many years to come. Their style would, he knew, delight the Australian cricket lover, should they visit us in two years’ time, and they were sure to present our bowlers with many interesting problems to solve on our hard, fast wickets.