STILL BATTING — WITH THE PEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17528, 4 May 1925, Page 7

STILL BATTING WITH THE PEN.

HOBBS’ THIRD INNINGS. “ BARRACKERS’ HUMOUR.” By Telegraph—Press .Association—Copyright Sydney “ Sun “ Cable. (Received May 4, 10.5 n.ro.) LONDON, May 3. J. 13. Hobbs, in his third article on the cricket tests, comments oil the Australian passion for cricket as evidenced by the enormous crowds at the tests : “The crowds thoroughly know the game. Their sense of humour depends on how you' receive it. They can amuse or irritate according to a man’s temperament. If you get in their bad books, heaven help you. The best thing is to laugh with the barracker. If you lose your head he will worry you to death. Any new player would find the barrackers’ humour rather trying, but would eventually gee to bear it quite cheerfully. “The only barracking that annoyed me was the crowd’s cheering when we justifiably, but unsuccessfully, appealed. They do it out of sheer devilment, but I wish they would not.” The-newspaper “Standard” says: “Tf any proposal is made regarding the toss, it is preferable that it should emanate from Australia, who never winced when Jackson won five times in succession. . It is well to remember that in 109 tests Australia has won the toss only once more than England. On those figures, is a change worth while ? It is an axiom that luck levels itself. Let us rather concentrate as sportsmen and cricketers on the development of players capable of winning when the tess is lost.” The “Evening Nows” declares: “Tf any serious proposal for compensation for losing the toss reaches Australia, it will raise a smile. Had England won 70 per cent of the tosses in the whole series, we might say something, but to propose an alteration when the spin of the coin is against us is neither particularly sportsmanlike nor diplo--1 matic. AVo are out to play the game by practically declaring that the Australians toss better.”