1938-09-13 — Page 21

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COLOURFUL Imagination Of Test Cricket Writers

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Mr. R. E. Stewart, a reader of "The Referee,” (Sydney) takes to task cricket writers who, he de- clares, know little about cricket, and fill their pages with journa- lese which tells little about a Test.

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STAN MCCABE

IN. DEMAND

.

"Verily They Pen Along With Splashes From The Pages Of History"

Sea Lake, Victoria, Aug. 11. During the current series of Test matches such a torrent of rubbish has been poured over the defenceless public by self- styled cricket writers many of whom are obviously not- quali- fied to write about cricket at all--that I, for one, am thorough- |ly sick of it.

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During a part of the Lord's Test

"Hordes: of screaming, giggling sürplus women now throw a blight over Test matches.

Farnes

is a distinct loss to Hollywood.?!

AUSTRALIA SHOULD HELP NEW ZEALAND.

IN CRICKET

Sydney, August 11. President Sydney Smith, at the we were startled to read that Ham-annual meeting of N. S. Wales As- mond was now Napoleon, but later on we were relieved to find that Brad-sociation, struck the right note man had got the role back again, and when he stated that it was due for re- Hammond had to make the most

being Julius Caesar.

of Australia, or New South Wales, to take more practical interest in New Zealand cricket.

It is hard to imagine McCabe's innings at Lord's when

one reads that "the cape and sword of Victor Trumper have descended upon - noble McCabe."

The giggling surplus women

Considering the hordes of screaming,

attitude of Australia

to- throw a blight over Test matches, it manlike. It is selfish, and in a now wards New Zealand is not sports- is a wonder that Farnes has not been snared long ago,

sense discloses lack of broad en- For thus write our "special" re- [thusiasm in cricket, and a loose porters about Farnes. "Farnes is the idea of the necessities of the game most handsome cricketer in the game and of first-class play in Australia. to-day this god-like youth. his profile is a distinct loss to Holly- wood....

Cricket is the best of all games, and I yield to none in my gard for it, and because it IS Lancashire League [the best of all games, it should Nobody can be surprised to read

Clubs Ambitious be delivered from the spate of that Farnes has become engaged.

journalese tripe and foolishness

who Cecil Parkin, writing in the which pours from the printing "News of the World," brings in presses directly a Test match be

gins. the matter of Lancashire League, clubs desiring to secure stars to attract crowds for their Saturday matches.

"England's mighty seers of

In spite of his increasing weight, cricket are busily

few batsmen have the quickness engaged"

foot that makes McCabe such a cham- (writes Parkin). "Complacently, pion batsman, but to imagine him with knowing glances, these are oneself to his beautiful batting,

decked out like a toreador is to blind

informing an ever-credulous pub-that all one sees is a portly young lic that, with the arrival of Sept-away from a circus ·

apparently strayed emler, more than one prominent

Bradman is more often called "the member of the present Austra-Napoleon of the crease." Heaven alone lian side will have announced his knows why the greatest batsman

the history of cricket should be liken- intention of joining the profes-ed unto the greatest swashbuckling, sional ranks of a Northern Lea- egotistical adventurer in the history gue club next season.

"In other words, some of the would-be prophets are ‘chanc- ing their arms,' knowing little, if anything, of the ins and outs of the game. So let me quietly inform you that not one Aus- tralian who has this term

visited Trent Bridge, Lord's, or the unfortunate Old Trafford, will be turning out for any English League side in 1939.

who

of nations..!

has

of

80

Poor Farnes! God save you from your friends!.

And such rubbish as I have quot- two men playing a game of skill. ed is being written around twenty-

Talk, however, must be backed up by action by the authorities in Syd- ney. If the Board does not move, New South Wales should do so.

WELL SPOKEN

Mr. Johnny Taylor is to be con gratulated on his sound views at the annual meeting of the State Association. He combated an idea put forward by. Mr. Neil Blue that the Manchester should be cut-out of the

Test programmë.

that the It is a surprise to me game has survived at all. I plead, therefore, for a return to sanity and a right sense of proportion on part of our cricket writers. in

desire, is a report on the actual game, What cricket lovers and cricketers

that is all."~

England enthusiasm for cricket J. M. T. said that the North of

surpasses that shown in the South An explanatory, critical report, one to be read and understood in cricket of England. Everyone ought to language, a report that brings the know that, and that Yorkshire and disproved long ago, particularly by game home to us.

Lancashire are more to cricket in In reading of Bradman at the

The belief that Napoleon burning flame of energy, has

Was

been

Napoleon's secretary, Bourrienne, who,

leon could not concentrate on

any-

Manchester is quite all right for

in his memoirs, relates that Napo- wicket, we want to be able to conjuré England than any other two coun- a picture of him dressed as a cricketer ties, not excluding Surrey, always thing, thought only and always orbatting against England's best bow- a great county.. himself, would sacrifice his best friends lers, also dressed as cricketers. to remain in the limelight, and that when faced with grave problems de manding wise decisions would fool about, playing with dogs and children, and reading trash.

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toreadors,

A mental picture of Napoleon bat-

Julius lest cricket. They have a fine ting against a Viking, with Caesar placing a field comprised of ground, with a perfect cricket field cata, leopards, crusaders, and bonny Prince Charlie, ward said: "A public that cannot dancers, and, as Johnny Taylor and Tom Ho-

throws all right ideas to Test cricket clean out of one's mind, reducing it be beaten for its knowledge of the to a condition bordering upon lunacy game, its enthusiasm, and sense of and delirium tremens.

fairness to the men on the field."

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*

removes

"No fewer than five clubs have asked At different times during the re- me to act as a kind of.agent in their cent Tests, Bradman has been liken- quest for an attractive professional for ed unto Napoleon, D'Artagnan, Trum-

Napoleon, while Hammond the forthcoming summer. Many an per, Horatius, a cavalier, a crusader, important official conference have I dancer, magician, fencing maestro, a It must be remembered that a Test the toga of Imperial Caesar for the attended.

leopard, cat eagle, a prince, Captain cricket match a game, not an occasion iron mail of Richard the Lionheart. Blood, and the Lord knows what else. for Hollywood-minded journalists to Hardy will be batting to the bowl- But there, by then, Laurel and How he must hate it! His tem try their bands at scenario writing. perament and nature being what they If the writers and reporters carrying of Schnozzle Durante and W. C. are, how contemptuous he must feel on writing as they are doing, a Test Fields, and Charlie Chaplin about this sugary adulation! For match will one day be played with the keeping wickets, while the game with Bradman has always remained "the players actually dressed as the charac- the beautiful name will have passed boy from Bowral," in spite of his ters the journalisst now represent out into the unrembering sea.

(Copyright of last phrase (staiqt- remarkable cricketing successes.

ly reserved.)

Yours etc.,

REAL "TOP LINER" "We want a real top-liner, Cecil, they have said, 'and we leave it to you to do your stuff and put us in direct touch with the type of man we require.' And, without exception, each group has more than hinted that a happy home could be found for a colleague of Don] Bradman.

But not only Bradman and Me- Cabe are the victims of this torrent of superlatives and idiotic imagery.

The recall of Bowes to the Eng- "I am not one to discourage enter-lish. team engendered "this golden- prise, but my advice to all (very sound haired Viking, with mightythews advice, let it be recorded) has been and sinews, radiating a grim strength that to approach an Australian'at this of purpose that lights the game with time would be futile.

a dazzling flame." Well, well!

"Being modest in the extreme, these club friends of mine have not ventured to suggest, except in genuine jest, the name of Don in connection with a paid post. Readers, however, may be in terest to know that Stan McCabe is the man in greatest demand.

them to be, and that will be the end of cricket.

Too much time will be wasted while Bradman changes from D'Artagnan to

Just Unpacked!

For the benefit of those who have not seen Bowes, may I say that Bowes is not a bit like that? He New Shipment of wears glasses, has several front teeth

R. E. STEWART,

will be

Special!

QUALITY GUARANTEED)

missing is awkward and angular Artistic and Attrac-COTTAG

appearance, and ambles field like Donald Duck, like the Vikings portrayed in For Our Boya

ed

forth··· Kipling's "McAndrew's Hymn" from one "special reporter,

"I do not blame ambitious, sides in Brown's fine innings at. Lord's call-Weaves. Lancashire and other cricket-loving spots for wishing to obtain the services of Stanley, a truly brilliant cricketer. while another "leading cricket writer" McCabe, though will be thousands of for some reason best known to him- to "the miles from England with the arrival of self-compared the innings

mills of God? April."

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