“THE TWO DON’S.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 932, 30 November 1933, Page 17

“THE TWO DON’S.”

Sidelights of Test Trial in Melbourne. Tlad Tim Wall been an English bowler and_ ended Don Bradman's innings for 55 runs during the 1930 tour of England Wall would have been hailed to-day as a national hero, and newspaper posters would have emblazoned to all England a message of two words in huge black type: ‘‘Bradman Fails ” (remarks a cricket writer in the Melbourne “ Age ” of November 20). They would have spc.ken and ■written of Wall as “ The man who tamed Bradman,” and Bradman might have been pictured a dismal, pathetic figure in his dressing-room, crushed by the thought that he had “ let down ” Australia. In England on that tour a century innings by Bradman was almost taken for granted, especially in Test matches. Bradman’s bat had brought to first-class cricket a new sense of values, and it is not stretching the imagination to say that some English critics will see in Bradman’s 55 in the Test trial of Saturday reason for grim satisfaction. That Bradman had determined to give the crowd a treat and was taking risks and doing things that he would hesitate about in the first hour / of a Test match innings would be passed over lightly, even if it occurred to the English cricket mind which developed in 1930. This match, begun on Saturday, was a testimonial match for Blackie and Ironmonger. Bradman was not on trial, and, sensing that on this' drab day “ his crowd ” would expect a display to put it in good humour, Bradman attacked the bowling from the moment of his appearance at the wicket and provided the “ high lights ” of the day. The fact that he was batting when the luncheon adjournment arrived would have a wonderful effect on the attendance in the afternoon. When Woodfull gave the ball to Blackie before the interval many onlookers feared that a real cricket tragedy might happen. “If Don Blackie bowls Don Bradman before lunch the ‘ gate 5 will suffer by hundreds of pounds.” What a thought! But the tragedy did not happen and the crowd swelled to 22,000 after luncheon, had the joy of seeing the greatest drawcard in the game bring sunshine with his merry bat. With his departure came the rain.