GAVETHEMTHECANE

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 660, 13 January 1933, Page 11

GAVETHEMTHECANE

School Teachers in Test Games. TALL AND PERSISTENT. At Adelaide to-day, two school teachers, W. J. O’Reilly and T. W. Wall, will again attempt to “ cane ” the Englishmen, under the direction of a third teacher in Australia’s eleven —W. M. Woodfull, the captain. It was O Reilly and Wall who played the main part in Australia’s dramatic recovery against England in the second Test. The successful bowlers, one from New South Wales and the other from South Australia, are the tallest players in the home side. Both are six-footers, with O’Reilly the more lean in build. Although O’Reilly is eighteen months younger than Wall, he looks the older because, at twenty-seven, he has lost some of his hair. In persistency they are alike, according to a cricket writer in the Melbourne “ Herald,” but otherwise their bowling is a contrast. With a fast, longstriding run to the crease, Wall relies on pace and swing to beat the batsman. O’Reilly is more deliberate in his approach, with his right hand in a coiling motion in preparation to spin the ball along at medium-pace or slower. With a similar movement of the hand and wrist, he bowled leg-breaks, offbreaks and straight spinners in the second Test. Varying his pace, he made some deliveries rise and others whip through lower. Seven years ago, a country match in the Moss Vale district of New South Wales brought the meeting of two young cricketerd for the first time. In the Bowral team was Don Bradman, and their opponents, Wingello, included Bill O’Reilly, then recognised as the best bowler in the district. Writing in 1930, before O’Reilly had come to the forefront, Bradman said in his book: — “ O’Reilly was a medium-paced bowler who could make the ball turn both ways, but never achieved any outstanding success on turf wickets. However, he often proved much of a demon on concrete.” Threw the Hammer. At one time O’Reilly was more prominent in athletics than cricket. He was champion hammer-thrower of New South Wales, and won hop-step-and-jump events. After a few games in the State eleven in 1927, he did not gain selection again until last 3 r ear, having been transferred to country schools for three years. Early last season he w T as again dropped from the New South Wales team, but before the summer ended he had climbed into the Test eleven against South Africa. “Greatest Trier.” If a vote were taken among Australia’s Test cricketers of recent years on who was the “greatest trier,” Tim Wall would be around the top of the poll. Many of his most notable Test successes have been gained when Australia has been “up against it.” His long run for each ball is tiring, but several times, after heavy duty earlier, he has produced great-hearted bursts in the afternoon to swing the fortunes of a match. Wall, who first appeared for South Australia in 1927, seems to like the Melbourne turf. It was here that he captured eight wickets in his first Test match (1929), and his best form in Australia since that effort was his bowling against Victoria last March.