OLDFIELD SUMS UP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 109, 9 May 1936, Page 4

OLDFIELD SUMS UP

TRIBUTE TO THE WALLABIES McCABE A GREAT BATSMAN ’ i O'REILLY AND GRIMMETT I WONDERFUL COMBINATION ! Australia's wicketkeeper, W. A. Oldfield, returned from .South Africa looking as fresh and youthful as the day he first played against England in his own country. “Yes, .1 do feel very well,'' he replied to a greeting. “But, all the same. I am not going to keep on for ever.’’ he added with a smile. | Come tu think of it, he is 38 years of age. though quite the champion st.ll. I There's no question about it, we na« I a very delightful tour, said the ' famous 'keeper. But, by jovc! wh.it la name the Wallabies of the Rugby I L’nion left behind them in South I Africa. I “What a team of men they must I have been! I never felt prouder ol (being an Australian than wheu 1 heard .the many u|>preciatiou of our Ru & ‘oy ( Lnion footballers as men an.i as sports(men. They are regarded as magnificent Inion, and the salt of the ea th among [sportsmen. I tell you, honeshy, it wis (a test for our team to practically follow in their wake. “11 is definite that the splendid impressions made by the Wallabies throughout .South Africa paved the way for us. Wo could feel jt everywhere. It is right that tribute of this I character should be paid tu he party managed by Dr. W’alter Alattaews, C” Orange, and captained by (Dr. Alec I Hoss. “Our team did show out well. The South Africans, of course, were suffering under a severe handicap in the death of H. B, Cameron. Their batsmen, however, ran into a combination of bowlers of quite a remarke a re- • markable calibre. O’Reilly and Grimmett, an wickets that helped them to turn the ball, a bit more than is possible uu our own wickets, were very difficult. “O’Reilly is a wonderful man, and a world’s bowler. His leg-break turns just enough to be exceptionally dangenerous for slip catches, 1.b.w., and clean bowled. He is particularly flighty, and his length is remarkable. And he does bowl the boscy now and thou. “Grimmett turned the ball more than he does here, and his length and guile arc still exceptional. He combines with O’Reilly so effectively that they make a very unusual combination. The Press advised the South African batsmen to go out and smite the bowling of this pair. Even Herby Taylor had given that advice in the Press. But when that gifted batsman eventually played against O’Reilly, he was unable to show us anything on attack. “McCormick, too, added to the ex-; cellence of the bowling. He is a fine. ! fast bowler. Fleetwood-Smith was ex- • ceptionally nippy, but. of course, he was thrown out of action by the injury to his finger. If it becomes thoroughly mended, he will be heard from. “More Finished’’ “The batting, of course, was consistently good throughout. Brown and Fingleton, as an opening pair, made a great name and deserved ; t. You will I see a more finished Jack Fingleton | thaa ever. | “But what a beautiful batsman Stan McCabe is! Some of his innings early in the tour were thrilling in attacking brilliancy, and a delight in charm of style. When* Australia had definitely got on top in the Tests, I thought be did not bat too seriously. “The whole team played up well and had a. delightful tour. The campaign was quite a financial success, and would have been still better in that respect but fore the breakdown of the South Africans in the Tests. “They have some very promising material over there. The selectors, it , must be realised, were in the position of having to build up almost a new team. Perhaps they did not make the ; best of the material they had. For ini stance, one could not see anv reason i for dropping . such a batsman and fieldsman as Rowan. He is a high-class ‘ cricketer. However, there you are. .! “This was my third tour in Africa. II was highly impressed by the im provements made at the Wanderers I Ground. The bare earth and matting i wickets have gone and in their place are beautiful turf wickets and fielding areas. It is the same elsewhere. Even at Kimberley they are bringing this • sidu of their cricket into line with England and Australia.’*