BRADMAN O.K.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 643, 22 December 1932, Page 1

BRADMAN O.K.

Two Doctors Declare Him Fit. WILL PLAY TO-MORROW. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE. December 21. Don Bradman was examined by two leading specialists to-day, who later officially declared that he would be fit to play in the Sheffield Shield and subsequent matches. Bradman is locking forward to Friday’s game. In a letter to the Melbourne “ Herald,” a well-known Victorian medical man says:— Sir, —This letter is written by one who specialises in nervous complaints. Two years ago 1 was interested to hear numbers of my friends say how wonderful it was that one so young as Bradman then was could have the “ nerve ” to conquer the English bowling in the way he did. This is wrong. Youth has no nerves! Responsibility sits very lightly on the shoulders of boys of twentytwo under normal conditions of cricket. M’Cabe, with his score of 187 the other day. is an example of a “ peaceful cricket mind.” Now, take the case of Bradman at the age of twenty-four years. Now a married man with added financial responsibilities who was offered a lucrative position at Accrington but declined it to fight for his native land. Normal wear and tear have now ceased! He lives under the shadow of restrictions. The restrictions of the Board of Control. The Press all over Australia has given sufficient publicity to these, so I will not enlarge on this. Every morning he awakens to read —Will he be allowed to play or will he not? Just imagine the state of mind that must eventually ensure after four months! He now does suffer from “ nerves.” On top of all this he is expected every time he goes in to make his usual century. The Sydney doctors assure us he is physically sound: so there is an easy cure in my opinion for his nerve:— (1) Let the Board remove the restrictions and give him mental peace. (2) Let the selectors play him in the second Test. It is vital for Australia that he should, and I confidently predict that, if this is done, he will soon kill this leg theory and on-side field, and be a greater thorn in England's side than ever.—Yours, etc., M.D. Toorak, December 12.