1939-08-03 — Page 25

THE CHINA, MAIL, AUGUST 8, 1989.

Mud, Sawdust Test,

England Put In

Fagg & Hutton Open, Then More Rain

C. B. FRY SAYS

Old Trafford, July 22.

Our prayers for the West In- dians are unanswered. There was

Yes, It's Manchester!

A scene in the middle at OldTrafford, where the start of the Second Test between England and West Indies was delayed by the wet wicket. Photo shows groundsmen busy trying to dry off the rain-sodden pitch.

Cleaned And Pressed

ground curator has nine assistants at this job.

Grant Attacks

a cloudburst over Old Trafford scored a century here against Eng- last night. The turf is as green land in 1933. Barrow is the usual and dank as a seamarsh. The wicket-keeper. His place is taken dull pent-houses are afield, flank- by Sealey. ed by hosepipes and other agricul- tural inplements. A machine like an inverted mangle is being trundled round the pitch. This ting paper stage; that is to say long pled the

strips of absorbent material are Inid is the spiked roller, which pur- upon the pitch. The roller is pulled ports to help the water to per- slowly up and down. Two pitches are colate down under.

being thus cleaned and pressed. When the blotters are removed the grass is greener than ever.

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In short, we have a Manchester mud match in prospect. A good time will not be had by all.

This is disappointing. We did hope to see. these West Indians sporting in the sunshine. They will hate the mud and the dull grey light.

Their eleven of Lord's is changed by two; Williams and Gomez for Weekes and Barrow.

Soon after noon we are at the blot.

in se- the pavilion. His hard grief is vere. All he says is that "it is dread- ful" with an accent on the dread.

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I have found Walter Hammond

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No laundry appliance is wanting. They might add some hot-air machine such as is used by hairdressers after 'shampooing.

Not only have the captains resam- wicket-they have tossed. Grant called right, and put England in. Hammond spun a penny in mid-field.

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The consequences are that at 2.15, in a light rain cordially disregarded, Hutton and Fagg take the mud and Martindale and Hylton take the saw dust.

Good

job of the uncongenial wicket. length and a lively swing.. Hylton, not quite as fast, was exploiting the swerve. Both bowlers slipped into an occasional no ball. The bowler needs a good tread, else he skids.

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is

Hutton understands mud and . playing well; sound back play. Fagg is accommodating himself to the dis- comfort, but cannot find his drive. Scoring slow; only 11 runs in the first half-hour.

Both umpires have a towel to dry. the ball, but their good will cannot hold up the rain. The players run off; the umpires follow slowly, with several hopeful pauses. A bad lookout.

out.

The protective furniture is Two squat penthouses over the bowl- ers' run-up and foothold. Before long hoses laid out like cables; on port quarter and starboard quarter; оп port bow and starboard bow.

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After three-quarters of an hour the rain ceased momentarily, and 12 un- eventful balls were bowled before the conditions became worse than ever and forced another break, which look- ed like being final as far as to-day was concerned.

This time it rained hard and in its present sodden state the ground could not absorb much more and still remain fit for cricket.

Except for the kindly desire to do our best for the finance of the West Indians' tour, play would not have started at all to-day. But the condi- tions when play was begun were not too bad; decent cricket was possible.

unnecessarily deferred. Had no more So we had a lesson that play is often rain fallen we should have had an in- teresting afternoon.

cost us dear, because once the game The 11 runs on the board may yet has started the covers may not be put over the pitch itself, only over the domain used by the bowlers' feet.

If we have fine weather to-morrow, the uncovered wicket will not be avail- able as early on Monday as it would had it been protected from the pre-

Both bowlers are doing well. "Of all wickets the wet one with the ball cut He is going to do his best to start ting through is the easiest for the bats- the man. True, runs come slowly, but that the match after lunch, because

is only because the ball does not travel sent rain. re- West Indians are down on gate to do their best for our guests. ceipts. He and the England XI want over sodden turf.

The blotting process is being extend- ed to the area of the infield round the pitches.

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The blotting strips are being set la- Douglas Jardine, who made one terally across the pitch, and this time himself, reminds me that Barrow a heavier roller is applied. The

TILDEN TENNIS "CIRCUS"

FOR SCOTLAND

Edinburgh, July 20. - During a talk I had this week with one of the veteran followers of tennis on the subject of changing fash- ion in sport, he observed that one of the most striking features in his experience was the greater interest taken in the game by the newspapers, writes a correspondent.

the growth of tennis locally. Had an- other body of promoters closed the deal

with the Americans first for an

ap-

Most of us would agree with him that it is no longer the Cinderella of the sports in a publicity sense, pearance elsewhere in Scotland, there for even in a week when Wimbledon | would have been no subsequent bene was attracting its due measure of 'fit for the amateur game. attention the new Scottish centre at Craiglockhart provided a theme

5000 SEATS

When Tilden and some other

paid

Except that he has to force his should stroke to score, the batsman

The have the bowler at his mercy. forcing sometimes leads to a mistake in timing.

Swing And Swerve

For half an hour Martindale, for a fast bowler, was making a first-rate

P.A. GIBB ENGAGED

The engagement of P. A. Gibb, last year's Scottish captain, Test match opening batsman, and Cambridge "Blue," was announced recently to Miss Joyce Cooper, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Cooper, of Dring- thorpe, York.

The father of the bride-to be is the Lord Mayor of York. Alder- · man Cooper, who was Sheriff of York in 1930-31, is a stockbroker. He has large commercial interests in both London and York.

tons.

this

The Lancashire people certainly are turned up ready for a sporting risk. They

in large quantities afternoon directly they heard the play- ers were in the fleld, though the prospect of much cricket was scanty. NO FURTHER PLAY WAS POS- SIBLE ON SATURDAY.

(COPYRIGHT)

LEAGUE TENNIS

K.I.T.O. SUCCESS

Hong

In "D" Division of the Kong lawn tennis league yesterday; Kowloon Indian Tennis Club beat In- dian Recreation Club 6-2.

reem

A. Khan and S. R. Salleh (K.I.T.C.). beat K. Nazarin .and K. M. Rum-

jahn

7-5 lost to M. I. Razack and T. Hamet 4-6 beat A. R. Marker and F. A. Cur-

64 M. Ranzan and A. R. Azan (K.I.T.C.). lost to Nazarin and Rumjahn 5-7 lost to Razack and Hamet

2-6 drew with Marker and Curreem 6~6 Mit Singh and G. M. Khan (K.I.T.C.). beat Nazarin and Rumjahn beat Razack and Hamet beat Marker and Curreem

6-1 6_3

SPORTS PARADE

(Continued from Page 24)

with an objective, and fire their am

Ranking lists also provide players bition to raise their standard of play.

in order to gain recognition,

which aroused a great deal of in-players appeared in Glasgow at the be given tickets for all sessions, while terest much farther afield than Empire Exhibition last year, they drew Craiglockhart Club members will be very big crowds. Doubtless the ma- offered two tickets for the price of one Edinburgh.

jority of those who saw them had on the three days."; Should it rain on Indeed, it might be claimed that the little more than a passing acquain the day they have chosen, they will be announcement that Badge, Vines, Til-tance with tennis they paid their allowed to use their tickets at another time during the exhibitions, the dates den, and Stoefen-they turned the money seeking entertainment as they Professional Championship in Paris would were Dave Willis at the top of of which are August 24, 25, and 20 into a Transatlantic holiday were the bill but there were also many with Monday, August 28, being held coming to Edinburgh next month has associated with the amateur side of the in reserve, in case of weather interrup. I consider it would be a troublesome caused as much talk among the tenuia sport who thought it worth while to take

task for England to provide ranking It is a novelty to find tennis "alive" lists in the near future owing to the community as, say, the Hearts 10 train or motor to Glasgow, and who en per cent. dividend has among those joyed what they saw. Even though in Edinburgh so late as August, but repeated, upsets that, occur because of August is a holiday month, we should the game is apparently going to die the low standard of tennis in the old sdg Craiglockhart, well populated dur... hard this season, for in September country. ing the three days the Americans are there will be another attraction when Maybe the discarding of ranking

Scotland plays England. Kennedy lists is an easy way out of the diff By that time there will be nearly Smellie, secretary of the Scottish culty but in my opinion: It is a re 5000-mate - available round the hand- L.T.A., left for Wimbledon on Thurs- trogressive step. some, centre courts. There are, almost | day, and it may be taken for granted 1000% ust now, and the ground staff that he will be making some contacts to 16), and the

art the work of completion at over the international; but “ I Isarn' the-finish of the East of Scotland from another who is in touch with the

lonshipa: to-day. It is yet too situation that the international -

ay what the prices of the Craiglockhart will be fitted sim 2 will be but at the moment, it tween the Scottish Lowland as Chim. ted that debenture holders will plonships (at. Feebler,

who follow football,

rcial

The East of Scotland Sports Club, Ltd., have not waited for, or sought, the blessing of the LT completing their plans; they 1 bones about it that it is a com proposition. Whatever the those who have no time fo but the amateur game amou should be outweight

ment that the prop the venture will be hi haY profits will be, devoted

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