BATTING GLOVE FELL FROM JACK HOBBS’S LISTLESS HAND

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19154, 21 August 1930, Page 9

BATTING GLOVE FELL FROM JACK HOBBS’S LISTLESS HAND

“Well That Is The End. I Wish I Could Have Made Some Runs.”

(Continued from page 7.) (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received August 21, 2 p.m.) LONDON, August 20. The Australian Press Association says that an innings victory is not improbable. Hobbs’s end was the saddest feature of the day. His batting glove dropped from a listless hand as he walked back amid sympathetic cheers from the home ground, on which he has been a dominating figure for twenty years. He said: “Well, that is the end. I wish I could have made some runs; England needs them so badly.” Bradman and Jackson beat the previous fourth wicket record of 221 by S. Gregory and G. Trott, .which has been standing for 34 years. Bradman, who has established a record of three double centuries in test cricket, has now broken Victor Trumper’s record of 2570 runs in an English season. His 232 is the highest test score at the Oval.

“CHAPMAN DAMNED BY FAINT PRAISE.”

BANNERMAN COACHED AT CHRIST’S COLLEGE.

Charles Bannerman, whose death was announced in a cablegram this morning, was Australia’s first champion batsman. A little fellow standing only sft 4in, but of sturdy build, Charlie was a glorious hitter on naturally true lines; a hit of his oIT Morton, the Cambridge fast bowler, which lifted the ball clean over some drags at Lords, was the subject of talk for over half a century. He played in the first test match of all in Melbourne, in March, 1877, when he not only opened the play, but scored the first century—l6s. Bannerman only went Home with one team—in 1878—and in scoring 133 against Leicester was the first Australian to make a century on English soil. lie thus holds a double record. On that tour, which was mostly occupied with matches against odds, Bannerman scored 1278 runs, his average being 21.4 per innings, easily the best on the side. This tour actually lasted eighteen months for it commenced in Australia, thence went to New Zealand, England, America and back to Australia again. Over the whole tour, he had 115 innings at an average of 23.1.

CHRISTCHURCH PLAYER DISCUSSES TEST GAME.

“Had either of the two Australian batsmen been dismissed in the five minutes after the final resumption on Tuesday, there would have been grave trouble. As they were not out after that trying period, I think the affair will blow over.”

That was the cemment of a prominent Christchurch cricket enthusiast, when shown the wireless message concerning the final test match in England. The matter in question was the decision to continue play on Tuesday evening when there were only five minutes left.

“It was unfortunate that the umpires should make that decision, for uncharitable persons might be led to think that they were just as keen to see the Australians out as were the English bowlers. However, the batsmen saw the dangerous period through, and except for some adverse comment and the demonstration spoken of, I think the matter will die a natural death.”

Banner-man’s actual cricket career ceased soon after this, but many years later, about 1901, he was appointed cricket coach at Christ’s College, where he did good service for a few years. A good judge of the game he was soon requisitioned as umpire in Canterbury representative games.

The informant, who has himself played in England, pointed out that aspersions cannot hold weight when they are levelled at a committee of the integrity of the English selection committee. The chairman, Mr H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, he cited as a gentleman whose interest would be a recommendation to any sport; a man of the highest integrity. “I can remember the Surrey selectors passing out notes to the captain with suggestions thirty years ago, but nothing in the way of orders. The Captaincy. “Chapman should hardly have been dropped from the captaincy at such a time. Chapman was to a certain extent ‘damned by faint praise’ by some English critics, by Warner especially. It was alleged that he gave his bowlers too much out-fielding to do. Well, he has a team which includes some elderly men. at least four of them being in the neighbourhood of forty, and with a slow bowler on against people like Kippax and Bradman most of the field hajd to be well out. He could not give the old stagers all the running to do, so the bowlers had to be deep as well. Now Wyatt is coming in for exactly the same criticism. Chapman was a splendid captain.' 5

On one occasion he was the unwitting instrument responsible for the famous incident on Lancaster Park when

“Plum” Warner and his team were playing Canterbury. Bosanquet, the famous googly bowler, bowled Wallie Pearce round his legs and dislodged a bail. Pearce walked away, but Sims sent him back and appealed to Bannerman, the umpire. From his position Lannerman could not see what had happened and appealed to Bob Spencer, the umpire at square leg. Spencer, too, had failed in some way to see the wicket broken. Neither umpire could give a decision and after a little delay, Warner suggested that the game should proceed with Pearce still in. What happened after that is another story.

Bannerman heads the list of Australia’s great batsmen, being in addition a fine deep field with an accurate return. Bannerman, Murdoch, Trumper, Macartney and Bradman represent Australia’s champions in their respective eras.