IF ENGLAND CAN TAKE THREE LAST WICKETS CHEAPLY

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 June 1948, Page 5

IF ENGLAND CAN TAKE THREE LAST WICKETS CHEAPLY

That Would Give Side Chance Of Winning This Test

(By Walter Hammond, former captain of England) Received 6.10 p.m. LONDON. June 25 If England can get the last three wickets cheaply and consolidate their batting they have a great chance of winning this test. They certainly have an opportunity of dismissing Australia for a total which gives them a fighting chance. Good hostile bowling had the Australians fighting all day.

The damp wicket assisted the medium-pace bowlers, who held their grip on the batsmen and never allowed them to get on top.

I thought Australia adopted the wrong policy after tea, when Hassett and Brown played defensively without getting runs. With the pace as it was there is always a chance of losing a wicket, and for the batsmen it would have been better to hit out. Only the left-hander Morns looked confident and showed his home form for the first time on this tour. Once again the Australians played Brown at No. 5, where, in my view, he is wasted. Coxon bowled well and steadily all day, while Yardley made his usual successful contribution by breaking a dour fifth-wicket stand and getting both Hassett and Brown.

Bradman had a difficult decision to make when he won the toss, but I cannot imagine any international captain putting the opposition in to bat on what appeared a reasonably good wicket. Nevertheless, had Bradman decided to put England in first he might have gained a distinct advantage. England’s decision to leave out Young was a brave one, as, although the weather forecast is for good weather, climatic conditions are unsettled and the value of a left-hander would be tremendous should rain fall during the game. Coxon gave England a wonderful start when he dismissed Barnes for a “duck” in his second over. He also had Bradman completely tied up with his first ball, and his third ball so puzzled Don that it was plain he was not sure whether or not to run a leg bye which certainly was not a run.

Bradman has never before given me such an impression of really hard concentration. It is plain he was worried and hoping the batting conditions would improve as the game wore on. In his first half-hour he made only one really confident stroke and at the end of an hour he was still uncertain. In the past an hour’s sight of the ball was enough for Bradman to get going, but it looks as though he is now passing from the ranks of the Immortals to join the mortals. He treated everything on the leg side with strong: suspicion, always remembering Hutton round the corner waiting for it, and it is obvious he was trying hard not to repeat his previous mistakes. A great shout went up when, immediately after lunch, he turned Bedser to leg into the hands of Hutton. This is the third time in three test innings on this tour that Bradman’s weakness has brought about his dismissal. I think Bradman has at last developed an inferiority complex over this leg shot. It was a good move of Yardley’s to play for it immediately on the resumption. England’s fielding for most of Ihe day was keen and little was given away, but Hassett was missed three times during three hours. England cannot afford to give a batsman three innings. If the first chance had been accepted Australian might have been all out in a day. Evans kept wicket, well and was as agile as ever. Morris’ innings was sound rather than spectacular. He has been called a second Warren Bardsley and he looked more like it today than at any other point on this tour. This is his fourth century against England and his fifth test century fd'r Australia.