CRICKET TOPICS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 190, 13 August 1938, Page 4

CRICKET TOPICS

MORE FREQUENT TOURS NOTES AND COMMENTS ENGLAND AND S. AFRICA If, as the outcome of the EnglandAustralia conference at Lord’s, the M.C.C. suggests to Australia that tours take place every three instead of every four years, the project, with its glitter ot gold, will need very careful consideration at this end, comments “Not Out,” in the Sydney Referee. Originally lours were made every two years—lB7B, 1880, 1882, 1884, 1886, 1888, and 1890. Australia's strength was slumping. After that they were made every three years—--1893, 1896, 1899, 1902, and 1905. The next tour followed after four years in 1909 ,and then in 1912 (the cricket crisis year). The war broke the sequence, nine years elapsing before the 1921 team went to England. In the meantime the A.I.F. team made its tour, and the 1920-21 M.C.C. team came out to Australia. Five years elapsed between the 1921 team and the next, with the interval four years since. If three years be agreed to, it will be imperative- for Australia to give closer attention to developing Test players than has been the case for some years. If a slump in calibre of players and leadership is not to be courted, efforts will have to be made to revive the cricket standard in the more important interstate matches, if necessary, by playing them to a finish. This would also provide Australia with a trial ground, as of yore, for the Tests with England. ♦ • • • It would also be wise to get back to the true Laws of Cricket, and cover the pitch only as is provided for legally. •'* • • Covering the entire wicket means rearing up a race of batsmen at sea when rain comes. They are handicapped in a wet English season, and also in Tests in Australia, in which no covering of the pitch is permitted. C. L. Badcock’s Test batting recalls that of a few old timers when wickets in England were much inferior to those now prepared. In Australia Badcock began with 8 and 0, then got 118. In England he has made 9,5, 0,0, 4, and 5, not out. This non-success cannot be attributed to lack of form, seeing how successful he has been in other matches. Fleetwood-Smith, we are told, is now bowling the normal off-break less and the bosie (breaking from the leg) more to right-hand batsmen. If he can keep his length—as apparently he can—this is usually a deadly bail in England when moisture is about. In that case it will mean that the unusual left-hander should gather in big crops of wickets in the remaining matches. He is running O'Reilly close lor the first hundred wickets. Somerset has never defeated an Australian team. First match was played in 1882. Of the thirteen, Aus-

tralia won nine, the last seven in succession, and the last three with an innings to spare. Four matches were drawn. Pleasing to know that W. R. Hammond will captain England on the South African tour shortly to start. Five Tests will be played. • * • * If invitations, already issued, be ac- . cepted, Young England will be well] represented W. D. Yardley, D. Compton, W. J. Edrich, L. Hutton, P. A. Gibb, E. Paynter, K. Fames and L. E. G. Ames. Wright, the legbreak bowler, will no doubt be also invited. On their last visit to England, South Africa defeated England for the first time on an English ground, and won the rubber. The two countries played 59 matches, with 28 wins to England and 12 to Africa. The drawn match is a bugbear, here as well as in the bigger Tests — eight of the last nine drawn. The absurdity of recent rubbers is disclosed by the fact that when South Africa won the last rubber on South African wickets and again in England in 1935 eight of the matches were drawn (four in each series), with two finished. These being victories for South Africa, gave that country the honours twice. W. R. Hammond made three centuries in African Tests. As great as ever, he should add to his century list. If England takes heed of the Australian success in Africa a few years ago, spin bowlers will feature their attack. H. W. Taylor tops in centuries in England v. South Africa. He made seven, six on African wickets and one at the Oval. England’s most successful century-maker is H. Sutcliffe with four, three in England and one at Johannesburg.