Australian Captain Sets Splendid Example To Team.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19109, 30 June 1930, Page 9

Australian Captain Sets Splendid Example To Team.

POSITION IS CHANGED FROM UPHILL FIGHT TO BOLD AND THREATENING CHALLENGE. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.*—Copyright.) (Received June 30, 9 a.m.) LONDON, June 29. Woodfull, Ponsford and Bradman provided a feast of run-getting reminiscent of the corresponding match in 1926 when four batsmen made centuries. A draw now seems inevitable.

Woodfull may not be a great strategist, but there is no denying that he sets a splendid example by his splendid example, by his own reliability and endurance on big occasions. Bradman showed a fine appreciation of the situation. It was an occasion made to order for a batsman of his type. He thoroughly demoralised the bowling and quickly changed the Australian position from an uphill fight to a bold and threatening challenge. His feat will go down in history as a cricket classic. Tapping, glancing, cutting and vicious drives revealed the superb confidence of the youngster. Chapman’s men had a heartbreaking day.

ground. The records he broke in that innings were Clem 1 Hill’s great figures of 365, Charles Gregory’s 383 in Brisbane, the highest total made by a New South Welshman, and MacLaren’s 424, the highest by an Englishman. At the conclusion of the match, the Queenslanders individually shook his hand and heartily cheered him, as did the spectators. After his first hundred he was always faster than a run a minute.

When Bradman first appeared in big cricket, he had many crudities of style, and played with a very cross bat. He has got rid of most of these, however, and little fault can be found now with his style.

All the bowlers suffered alike, but none looked less like securing a wicket than Allen. The official statement is that when the attendance was 31,000 the gates were closed.

HOME CRITICS VERY SUBDUED BY SCORE

ENGLAND HAD WORST POSSIBLE FIELDSMEN

BRADMAN IS BREAKER OF BATTING RECORDS.

Don Bradman, the youthful member of the Australian team, who has topped his many brilliant batting performances of the tour by passing the century in the second test match, is twenty-one years of age. He is the prolific scorer of the day, and a wonderful batsman in every respect. A country boy from Bowral, he began in the New South Wales eleven three seasons ago, with a century against South Australia, and he has been making centuries ever since. In the 1928-29 season he broke the Australian record for aggregate in a season, with 1690 runs, at 93 an innings, and with 340 not out against Victoria he broke the record for an individual score on the Sydney ground. Last season his aggregate was 1400 runs, at 127 an innings. He broke the world’s record for a first-class match with 452 not out against Queensland, on the same

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. >

(Received June 30, 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, June 29

Chapman’s men are not the only people who are subdued by the Australian score. The majority of the newspaper critics are even more subdued. While agreeing that Bradman’s display was dazzling, the greater part of the comment is devoted to England’s loss of Larwood, “which would have made a world of difference.”

The “Daily Herald” features Mailey’s attack on England’s fielding. He declares that the bowlers’ hearts were nearly broken by the many boundaries, which should have been stopped for one. “ In fairness to Chapman,” he said, “it should be stated that England had possibly the worst collection of fieldsmen who ever represented her in a test.”

(A full report of the game appears on page 7.)