1938-01-08 — Page 20

UNA MAIL, JANUARY

SECRETS OF

S OF CRICKET SUCCESS

ENTHUSIASM, FITNESS

TEAM-SENSE

AND

ESSENTIALS TO HIGH SUCCESS

COMBINATION AT THE

(By “J. C. DAVIS”)

WICKETS

Sydney, November 4. FEW reach the altitudes in cricket who are not real dyed -in-the-wool enthusiasts. And none remain there. To achieve the great things, the player has to subordinate some desires that eat up time, and concen- trate on practice and on attuning himself bodily. Successful batting and fielding call for physical condition of the best if the high lights are to be wooed not in vain.

Cricketers in the important cities have incomparably better opportunities of getting practice and developing than many men who, by their rare deeds, years ago, helped to make the name of Australia în their game. Those old generations played cricket because it was in their blood. In the home districts of cricketers of the present there are admirable grounds, with good practice wickets, dressing rooms, showers, and lockers.

The character of club practice wickets may not always be above" suspicion-by batsmen. But these are as good and true as most of those on which the real old champions often had to practice.

-Success as an all-rounder în PAIGN IN ENGLAND IN 1882 first-class cricket which is WITHOUT MISSING A CHANCE.

of cricket wisdom. Here are a few:

"Play the great game with your mind as well as your body. Play as often as you can. Watch as many first-class matches as you can. By hook or crook get into a club where good coaching is avail- able, and a high standard of play is always expected.””--

is combination between the men at the wickets. It becomes a delight to spectators and a delight to the men themselves. Victor Trumper was a wonder in judgment and speed în making singles and in turning sin- gles into twos and twoś into threes. In conjunction with R A. Duff, Clem Hill, and Syd. Gregory his

running was a joy. As a rule the non-striker calls when the ball goes

behind the wicket. It is a cricket treat to see Don Bradman and Stan

McCabe in a good partnership... such as that in Melbourne in the

last Test of 1936-7.

"RULE OF THE ROAD”- The two men must understand one another and recognise “the rule of the road." Without the right

understanding, however, disaster will come. There was the case of Jack Fingleton being run out at Waverley two weeks back. Wendell Bill, in a momentary out-of-touch mood forgot his part, and Fingleton lost his wicket.

A. C. MacLaren--the wonderful Archis-tells an apt story of this little are in cricket, and the in- fluence it may have even in a Test

FIRST INSTANCE

The volatile Englishman em-match. much more strenuous, than or Yes, enthusiasm and the desire phasises a point some authorities "I will ask readers," wrote the dinary club cricket is won only to take pains in everything is a in Australia overlook. It is the famous English batsman, "to de- by the cricketer who is perfect-stepping-stone to cricket success.

wisdom of so arranging the club cide for themselves what they ly fit.

BATTING AT 6 A.M.

programme that young players would have done in my shoes in; PHYSICAL NEGLECT

Warren Bardsley and Charles Many a player has to thank some Kelleway, unable to get all the may have an opportunity of seeing two Test matches, both of which I neglect in his physical preparation afternoon practice they desired, the Saturday. I know the position been won during the 1901 tour în

the leading first-class matches on dared to think would possible have- for disappointing failure when made it a custom before starting may be difficult at times. But once Australia, and which would have expectations by his admirers and the season, to rise very early and it would have been a sacrifege for sent us home winners three to two by himself were very high.

turn out for practice on the park As a boy I remember Harry at the end of Glebe Point, where the governing body in a State to in place of defeated four

carry on its club premiership at one. Moses the left-hander, when he was Jubilee Oval is now located. At 6

the same time as a first-class leading batsman of New South a.m. they could be seen batting, match was being played on the "The first instance occurred în Wales, and others in his class, bowling, and fielding, though the Sydney or Melbourne ground. In the third Test match at Sydney, practising on the open Sydney Do-grass might be very wet, and the other times it was more vividly when we were one-all. The century main ground. · Dressing room ac-

་་

ball as heavy as lead. It paid them realised that ambitious young play. had gone up for us on our winning commodation did not exist. There handsomely, because they developers could learn a great deal by the toss, and my partner, who had can be no excuse these times fored early form and condition. cricketers in the cities, and little They were ambitious, and the re-match.

opened with me was still there, Both of us were on the top of our excuse for those in the country, cords of England v. Australia tell

form, when I cut Trumble to Vic- not to practise keenly, persistently, you how they succeeded.

at third man, and

Young cricketers are imitative. I tor Trumper's left thoroughly. Grounds are

At one period in his brilliant have already seen a few

calling at once in a loud voice, handy, and

arrangements good career Sydney Gregory was unable bowlers who are fashioned on WNo, to my partner, whom, to my enough for all save the grumblers, to get away from his employment. J. O'Reilly. His mannerisms, run, horror, I saw pounding down the whom it is impossible to please. in time to obtain the right sort of and delivery and methods of intro the wicket as hard as he could leg

Not so long ago, when discussing practice, though he was living with ducing guile and break are as cricket of by-gone times. with Mr.his parents in the old cottage at much a part of himself as those of Hugh Massie, the hard-hitting hero the Sydney Cricket Ground. Once of the Kennington Oval Test in

Spofforth and Turner were of an English team was coming out, theirs. They are being copied. Let 1882,

con-and he naturally desired to be în ditions under which he and others of his time practised sixty years ago.

he let light intond the his best form.

on.

his

The

watching the champions in a keen

IMITATIVE!

young

us hope the young ones will de- velop on lines that go beyond any mere copy to embrace distinctive qualities all their own.

If Bill O'Reilly's manipulation of the ball to create deceptive flight, his accuracy of pitch as well as his

matter.

it.

In less time than it takes to tell, I was off as hard as I could for the far wicket, quite satisfied that my partner must be

be out if I did not run, seeing there was no stopping

him, with the fieldsman picking up a genuine cut cleanly with the left hand, To my mortification Trum- mper's lightning return hit the far wicket, for me to be run out six or seven yards!

break from either side-no

"We lost the game by three wic how slight it may be on a good, kets. do so if it

true wicket--is reproduced what a

thing it will be for cricket as the bowling I have always felt that fine

"In spite of my being well in to well as the cricketer who achieves it.

GOT HIS PRACTICE One day I remarked NO MOTOR CARS

absence from the official practice. Mr. Massie said that he had to go He explained the reason and said out to the Albert Ground at Red-that if he could get anyone to bowl fern (then a fair journey from the to him he would practise before city) to practise. When he had breakfast on the big ground. finished he had to walk to Clovelly, writer volunteered to do on the ocean front, because there would be any use or value." was no other way to reach home. The upshof was that, without Trains, trams, motor-cars, and mo-pads or gloves, and with only one tor buses-even ordinary thorse stump in the ground, Syd Gregory buses did not exist or run there, got his practice such as it was- Roads and footpaths were not the between 6 and 7 a.m. in front of smooth, perfect ones they are to the Members' Pavilion on that oc day. Rough roads in places were casion. His batting, after one or bounded by virgin bush.

two mornings, became a revelation. So accurate was his timing that it reminded one of billiards by a

Can we picture many cricketers prepared to do that now, were practise otherwise unattainable?

champion.

I did the only thing possible, for there was a much greater chance

· IN TRUMPER'S REIGN- could see young batsmen every- not being gathered by the bowler In Victor Trumper's reign one of the ball missing the wicket, and where in Sydney adopting his at- cleanly than if I had sent my part- tacking methods and developing ner back, when he could not have some of the fascinating strokes by pulled up. It would have allowed which ha piled up the scores and far more time for the fieldsman to threw the bowler out of gear. And, return the ball easily, and with cer above all, his immaculate style. tainty for the bowler to colleet. Mr. Charlie Beal, an old Sydney HE ALSO DID SOME RUNNING THE MORAL IS THAT IF X

COMING TWO" Grammar School boy, and a city HIS CONDITION AND HELP HIS HIS CLUB ON THE SATURDAY OF Test

AROUND THE FIELD TO HARDEN YOUNG PLAYER HAS TO ASSIST "On the occasion of another solicitor, managed the 1882 Aus- SPEED, WITH THE RESULT THAT A DIG MATCH HE OUGHT TO MAKE MacLaren, "as I passed my partn

Melbourne," wrote – uT tralian Eleven in England. He often NO MAN OF OUR TIMES, NOT AN EFFORT TO SPARE AN HOUR between the wickets after he had told me that HUGH MASSIE EVEN GILBERT JESSOP THE WON OR TWO TO SEE PLAY ON THE MADE HIMSELF

GREAT

DER OF ENGLAND, HAS SURPASS-FRIDAY OR THE MONDAY OR driven the ball wide of the deen off- LED WHAT HE USED TO DO AT PICK HIS SPECIAL TIME PTO fieldsman, FIELDSMAN THROUGH DILI | COVER-POINT. DE

I said, 'Coming twol STUDY SOME PARTICULAR BATS when it was always my practice to GENT PRACTICE, WITH THE

CRICKET WISDOM

MAN OR BOWLER WHO IS COM- RESULT THAT HE WENT The humorist of the game, Cecil

MANDING REGULAR SUCCESS.

with my head down, a THROUGH THE ENTIRE CAM. Parkin, has written some tabloids One of the best things in batting

(Continued on Page 22)