1937-12-13 — Page 19

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 13, 1937.

SECRETS OF CRICKET SUCCESS

STRIKING BASIC SIMILARITIES IN THE WORLD'S GREATEST

BATTING STYLISTS

Sydney, October 21

In every grade

partnership of 120 with Stan Mc- Cabe made practically the same remark

It was great to be in with Stan 1-learnt more in this innings than I might learn in two years with the club" said young Fitz with delight. He is just the sort to appreciate and benefit from such a treat.

It does not fall to the experience" of all players to bat with a cham- pion in this way. But thousands. may closely watch and study the and learn from

MANI CONTEND THAT DON

batting of stars what they see.

WHILE

BATSMEN, AND

SOME OF

HIS

BATTING is the most fascinating thing in cricket.

from the back yard to the Test-it is the same. Every player has his natural style. His mental and physical make-up, is invariably reflected in his methods. Nature dictates. And is rarely at fault. In Australia nat-BRADMAN IS THE MOST UNOR

THODOX OF Over there THEREFORE NOT A GOOD MODEL ural tendencies are given more freedom than in England. coaching turns out many good, some very great, batsmen from the one STROKES COULD BE PLAYED mould. It is a mould of style that does not crack or break. In this coun-ONLY BY THOSE WHO POSSESS try coaching, as a rule, aims at implanting rudimentary principles, com-THE SUM AMOUNT TO GENTUS. mon to all masters of the bat. When these are assimilated as the basis, the young batsman is left to himself more or less to develop his own style in keeping with the particular powers nature has given him.

VERY RARE QUALITIES, WHICH IN BRADMAN'S BATTING IS BASED If he cuts the ball he invariably does it perfectly. For the back cut The moves across with the right foot and with a ping of the wrists, whips the ball wide of third slip, or as we

UPON SOUND OLD PRINCIPLES.

NO IMMUTABLE RULE HAS EVER BEEN LAID DOWN TO GOVERN GRIP AND STANCE.

THESE SHOULD BE NATURAL KS. RANJHSINHJI AND J. B. HOBBS, THE used to say past third man. Into TWO GREATEST TEST ENGLISH BATSMEN OF THE LAST 40 YEARS, VICTOR TRUMPER, this stroke he also brings his C. G. MACARTNEY, DON BRADMAN, ALAN KIPPAX AND STAN MCCABE, FASCINATING shoulder. AUSTRALIANS WITHIN THE SAME PERIOD, ADOPTED GRIP AND STANCE THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR. NOT ONE OF THESE CROUCHED. ALL TOOK UP A STAND AT THE THEIR WICKETS, THAT DENOTED COMFORT, EASE, AND READINESS TO ATTACK.

OF THE GRIPS OF THE HANDLE DIFFERED VERY LITTLE. THEY WERE MASTERS STRAIGHT LEFT ELBOW, WITH THE LEFT SHOULDER WELL FORWARD. BUT THEY WERE NOT MARTYRS TO IT.

оп

The ease of their movements with the bat and the feet was such that anything they did seem- ed to be the most natural thing imaginable. And their command of most of the strokes either side of the wicket was common talk The grip and stance of Ranjitsinhji and Trumper represent the ideal in ease, symmetry, and balanced beauty of strokes, together with command of the ball on áll manner of wickets..

Some other great players have, had different methods. Clem Hill, for instance, gripped the bat low near the blade, while Warren Bardsley gripped it high, near the end of the handle. They were two of the finest left-hand bats- men the world has known. Ver- non Ransford, another left-han- der in their class, and contem- porary with Bardsley, always appeared to me to be a champion right-hander reversed.

THE FOLLOW THROUGH-

If you see him defend against a good length ball the bat is perpèn- dicular and the blade square on to the ball If he steps in and drives on the off the follow-through is as-

Ranjitsinhjf's was pronounced as that of Trumper and

The same may be said of McCabe.

These two generally get a little

closer to the ball on the drive than Alan Kippax and for that reason

that day, he had made up his mind are a shade more successful in plac- fing the off-drives to beat the field. that Maurice would never trick hom

Many of the Kippax drives, 80- again in that particular way.

beautiful to watch, were made after And he never did," was Don's he had reached out inordinately. Often the ball was intercepted by the fieldsman

He recollected

prompt response. the incident perfectly.

KIPPAX AS A BOY At his top Kippax was one of the

HERE YOU HAVE THE WISDOM JOE BOBBIE AREL, ONE OF ENG LAND'S MASTERS, AND THE EX PERIENCE OF THE GREATEST most interesting batsmen to the BATSMAN OF THIS AGE, UNITING

THE BATSMAN THINKING THINGS IN ACCLAIMING THE VIRTUES OF OUT FOR HIMSELF.

WATCH OTHERS

abled me to ascertain exactly what strokes I could make with the greatest certainty, and with the least loss of energy.” These observations by Abel recall)

There is no better way of develop No batsman ever attained any an incident in the career of Don success worth mentioning without Bradman. It happened in his first careful thought and determination Test in Brisbane, against A. P. F. ing one's batting than to closely to eradicate weak spots in his Chapman's team Don was a colt, watch great players in action, and

de-cool, clever, and aggressive. ever-present armoure and an

sire to improve.

But to adopt, as far as one's powers will he was young. He made 18 in the allow, their strokes and methods in batsmar He making them. A young Bobby Abel, the little man of Sur fashion of a class batsman. rey, won fame in Sydney in 1891-2 had just glanced one from Maurice should grasp any opportunity - Going in first with W. G. Grace Tate to the fence, a clinking four, getting to the wickets with a player back Charles Kelleway when a colt, David and Goliath he scored 133 off a length ball on his leg stump, who has established himself. Year against Australia. The little fellow It was a Trumper stroke.

was a remarkable batsman and a prolific rungetter for over 20 years. In discussing the art years ago he said:

"AN INCIDENT IN BRADMAN'S CAREER "When I remember early difficulties first a with a very Derve

no style at many ideas how

made-I am unless a crick love for the g

mustard, and

and rectify defects

methods, he will never become

1 great, or even a good, bat.

"Whenever I got out, I set myself to study the bow and why, until I discovered how I should have played the ball that beat me. It is an excellent practice. I have found It of

advantage. In time it en

While the ball was being fielded and returned to him, Tate stood calmly watching the young batsman. Through field glasses, one could see! that he was making up his mind 10 try to trick Don into making the same stroke off a slightly different ball and get him Ibw.

A slight change in pace and pitch, and Don tried it again. This time he missed and was out lbw.

eye we have ever had. batting has been a delight to In England on his first he received a remarkable ar- preciation from an old English gen

It was a letter from one who had tleman, who had seen Ranji and

been privileged once again to be rumper in their superlative roles.

charmed by the fine chiselled

How did Kippax develop this fin- ish to his batting? - strokes of a master of style.

As a boy in early school days Le spent his Saturday afternoons zip- ping from ground to ground watch- ing Victor Trumper Victor was his idol Naturally he tried to do anything and everything that Vic- tor did But he would be the first to admit that his own cricket, 'se- ductive as it is, had not the classic exclaimed to the writer at the Syd and versatile excellence of the hero

of 1902. new Ground.

"I have just had a wonderful ex-

What is it? he was asked. "To be in with Vic. Trumper, course."

Don had tickled the crowds by the breeziness of his batting the an Austration in that fill mernotie to Australia, He had just finished an important

with VictorHe for

were focused on him

not in

Trumper

MODEL OF JACKSON

Kippax apparently be model of glorions Archie who would have been near- rumper than Kippax, had en him robust health and

is to adopt a comfort grip, a stance that

ivate footwork to length of the ball stated ke. No two batsmen are that may perfectly suit one. not suit another. But there se. In one so young, “Besides,” said Charles, “His run- astonishing. He wasining between wickets was a revela-are rudiments that, common to all, thinking how and why Tate-hadition. He got singles for me that may be mastered either at tricked him. Before he had got to did not seem to be there. And he practice or in match play with

turned as the pavilion gate he had solved in problem. Then his face broke in ing a smiles in response to the

ed to move from the wic

ace showed that he was were

Orthodox

of the crowds and use of correct foot

plause...

Some years later over a cup of

tea, I recited this story to Don him-Fitzpatrick, self, adding that as I read his face land colt

asy mainly by

Os without turn-batsmen of class.

This batting art is more intricate never forget it

PERIENCE than it may seem. But it is very

ago Jack delightful Nevertheless, style the Central Cumber-not everything, as may be illustrat- the end of his opening ed in future articles,