1937-04-03 — Page 21

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 8, 1987.

THE "TOSS" MEANT WINNING TESTS

Adelaide Only Equal Matcha

ABNORMAL EFFECT

OF WEATHER

ALLEN'S HEROIC FIGHT:

HIS RESERVES FAIL

(By C. G. MACARTNEY)

Melbourne, March 4.

WINNING the toss in the Tests has meant win-

ning the match. This is the outstanding feature of the series as we celebrate the Australian triumph, which was made complete to-day, when, after only three minutes' more play, England lost and the rubber by the fifth and final match an innings and 200 runs.

ONLY THE GAME AT ADELAIDE WAS DECIDED WITH- OUT INTERFERENCE BY RAIN, SO THAT AN ABNORMAL BUT THIS PART HAS BEEN PLAYED BY THE WEATHER. DOES NOT AFFECT THE TRUTH THAT THE LATEST ENGLAND TEAM ARE THE WEAKEST SEEN IN AUSTRALIA THIS CENTURY.

•

Moreover, although rain penalised the side who lost the toss, in the other four matches, the England and Australian fortunes have been equally divided. England had Australia in difficulties at Brisbane and Sydney, and Australia were twice top at Melbourne, where England in turn were forced to bat on a damaged wicket.

on

G. O. Alth, above, the captain of the England Test elevens which lost to Australia recently, is paid a tribute

by

C. G. MacCartney, the former Australian- Test cricketer, in the article on this page.

INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY FINAL FOR TO-MORROW

Portuguese Players ________ In Dilemma

ALSO PLAYING IN LAI WAH CUP

MMA very good hockey game should be witnesesd on the.. U.S.R.C. ground at 3 p.m. to-morrow after- noon, when England will meet Por- tugal in the final of the Inter- national Tournament..

Unfortunately for Portugal, two of their probable players, N. Bel- trao, a half-back, and B. Gosano, a forward, have also been invited to represent the Civilians in the- Final of the Lai Wah Cup Football Competition, against the Army, which match will take place at 4.15. p.m. to-morrow on the K.F.C. ground.

England will be represented by the following:

Allen and Voce were the speed bowlers in the early matches, but

Benwell (Club); Lt. Stileman Farnes appeared in the fourth Test and filled the position of a high- (Navy), A. E. P. Guest (Radio); Spr. Brown (RE); Lieut. Davies (Navy), class fast bowler with the greatest Parker (Police); S. Fowler (Club), credit. Voce was perhaps the lead-Lieut. Wright (R. Navy), Lieut. Thorn ing menace in the first three Tests. hill (R. Navy), Lieut. Garthwaite On the other hand, the Australian (R.A.) and Lieut. Wraith (R. Navy).

The Portugal team will be selected bowlers of pace, McCormick and from the following Nash, were not in the international class.

It would only be correct to say, the occasion of his big score at however,

INEXPENSIVE O'REILLY that England were Sydney he did not domináte the

control Neither of them could handicapped in this way in the situation as it was expected he

the length and direction that are first of the two Melbourne Tests, might do. for in the deciding game Austra- In addition to Bradman the Aus- necessary to make speed effective. lia had already amassed a huge tralian batting included Fingleton, O'Reilly, the stock-bowler, some score, and the change of condi-a sheet anchor for a considerable times bowled without sting, but he tions-merely prevented their op-while, McCabe, consistent, if un-was never expensive, and he finish- ponents from putting up a better able to make scores in keeping with ed the series with his finest effort.

young and the two fight in face of a fate that was his ability, plain before two days had pass-Jones. Gregory -- and Badcock. Contrast with these the leading It, therefore, we desire to esti-England supporters of Hammond- mate the quality of the two sides and we can only name Barnett and by-a match played out on equal Leyland. terms, we must recall the Test at Adelaide. From this

ed.

to

BARNETT TOO IMPULSIVE Barnett would have shown encounter

if he had been we may draw the conclusion that better advantage there has not been much between less

them.

POWER OF BRADMAN

U. B. Souza or E. Alves (goalkeep- ers); E. L Gosano (Capt.), Dr. A. M. Rodrigues and R. Xavier (Full-backs); N. Beltrao, L. Oliveira, J. Gonsalves, T. Alves and R. Marques (half-backs); S. Nolasco, B. Gogano; J. Pinto, A. An- gelo, A. P. Souza, D. Noronha and L Gosano (forwards).

made mistakes occasionally, but I. Fleetwood-Smith, like Farnes, entered the side at the fourth Test doubt if England could have found and won it. He bowled magni-a captain who would have done bet- ficently, and his presence in the ter, or even as well.

Bradman has been established by earlier games would have made an

this series as Australia's captain, enormous difference to them-pro-

He led the side more than credit- vided, of course, that he kept a

ably. He showed courage and tena- similar accuracy.

The two countries have been alike city essential qualities

takes, but they

a lea-

impulsive, and Leyland in one thing-they had the goodder. Of course he, too, ma, ❤

possess such wicket-

mis-

were mostly was not the aggressive Yorkshire- fortune to

without serious con- are man of former years. It must be keepers as Ames and Oldfield. They minor ones

His principles allowed, though, that Leyland as gave almost flawless displays, and sequences. well as Hammond was forced on Test teams have never had better sound, and I am convinced that with further experience he will become several occasions to play a game men in the position. foreign to his nature, and thus lost England won the first two Tests a shrewd and capable leader.

The cricket we have seen can in much of his old enterprise.

through superior team-work as well

:

TRAINED TO DEFEND

Whatever superiority Australia may have had was due mainly to the batting of Don Bradman. He made a mediocre start, it is true, but then he brought his great powers into full use, and hence- Nor can we forget that a heavy as with the help of the Australian the main be described as dreary, with defence overdone, an absence forward his consistency was re-responsibility burdened these Eng-climate. But their co-operation -markable. R

land batsmen owing to aecidents, gradually declined, while that of of footwork in the batsmen depriv- opponents correspondingly ing the play of any sparkle. Ag- Sometimes he was forced by cir- illness and the failure of others to their

improved. Australia have emergedigression might have been employ- cumstances to employ quieter and find the form they show at home.

The burden was

Test a first-class, led without risk over and over again, borne admir-from this final concentrated methods, but in the

but defence was considered safer three last Tests he scored prolifiably, but it seriously interfered well-balanced fighting force.

-perhaps because the batsmen : RESERVES UNFIT cally, and thus became more for- with the scoring, especially to-

The falling-off of England was thought time was unlimited! midable than he had ever been be-wards the end, when runs were fore.

most needed. England, moreover, not surprising, because the re-

batsmen are trained to defend in- Bradman has yet to show con- were unfortunate in their opening serves, who should have been re- It seems to me that present day

some of the first eleven, vincing batsmanship on a turning batsmen, and remembering Hobbs lieving pitch, but he clearly showed that and Sutcliffe it is easy to realise were in no fit form or condition. stead of hit. Running between wie- he is capable of adapting himself the significance of this, although in Wyatt's absence from three Tests kets is also disregarded, and has to any situation and incidentally the matter of first wicket partner was a heavy blow, especially as the not been of the kind we expect in

high class at times, being he exploded the idea that his cap-ships Australia were little better. batting strength lacked a middle. G. Test cricket. The fielding lost its

0. Allen must be complimented on BOWLING STRENGTH

tic, and insufficient consider tainey would interfere with

On the whole England's bowling the way he handled his side in con-

was given to the returns to the wic run-getting,

strength was steadier than that of sequence

Robins WATCHED YOUNG PLAYERS

He made the most of his limit ket. Nevertheless, He watched the conditions most Australia, and their pace attack

Hardstaff, for England, and Fin ton, for Australia, gave. displays carefully and in a most admirable much superior, but they were seri-ed material. As I have said already, fashion he shepherded young jously hampered by the poor quality there is no doubt that the present

England team are t the weakest seen equal to the best- players through their difficulties of the slow bowlers.

Australia has won the Ashes, but in Australia this century yet he and set their feet on a firm founda- Verity was an excellent "stock" fought manfully to mould a com- there is no reason why we should tion. Examples of this were Grebowler, but the consequence of the bination in face of great difficulties,

rest on our laurels. A medium- gory in the fourth test and Badcock failure of Robins and Sims was working himself like a tiger..

paced, left hand bowler would have in the fifth. 42

that he suffered badly from over-

ERROR IN JUGMENT been valuable, also superior fast England had no Bradman. For a work and became almost mechani- Except for an error of judgment bowlers. But as long as covered time Hammond looked like becom cal. But he did not lose his ac-in the third Test—he failed to close wickets prevail they will not be en- ing a champion to be comparable curacy or his cunning. It is surpris- the innings soon enough he would couraged nor developed with him, but he was not sufficient-ing that on rain-affected wickets probably have won three in suc Only, detrimental results can ly consistent. He made some sterl-Verity had little opportunity to cession and then been acclaimed come of the proposal to pro ing achievements, but apart from prove his effectiveness.

the finest captain ever known. He wickets fully.

his

Test