1951-07-04 — Page 7

SPORTING SAM

By Reg, Wootton

Less Stars, More Chances For The County

Cricket Championship

By W. J.

EDRICH

THE CHINA MAIL, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1951.

It is one of the most remarkable features of English cricket that the better a county side is-or the more stars it has the less chance, many times, it has of winning the Championship.

Take Lancashire this season, for instance. With their full side I still think they would take the Championship comfortably. But without key men like Jack Ikin, their No. 1 scoring batsman, Roy Tattersall, who is just about the best bowler in the country, and Brian Statham, their lively young opening bowler, they are hardly in the same classification. But because Ikin, Tattersall and Statham are so good they just aren't available to their county side for a large number of matches. England just takes them.

I

A STAY IN

E STALLS

KEN SMITH and JOHN G. DRUMMOND Show Talking

Will Old School Ties Kill The Theatre?

by that blood transfusion can be

THE Old School Tie la o cung of enuous propound that seen in the present strength of strangling the British to quash a fatuous proposal that the theatre as represented by theatre"

to gain entrance to the profes-Olivier, "Nonsense. If slon actors

Richardson, Clements should pass some Redgrave, Livesey and Gielgud— It weren't for the Old form of examination.

to name but a low School Tie there would be

But the Old School Tie brigade have forgotten more about the no British theatre."

closed shop principle than the toughest tride unionis! ever knew and there is a real danger that the theatre will become "exclusive,"

She did her profession a noble service by not giving her amelal blessing to that move. But un- That sums up both sides oficially the Old School Tie is already, It not quite the only of an argument We re-f way in, certainly the easiest. fereed last week.

The disputants were two actors — both, incidentally. sporting an Old School Tie -and the subject is one which has been providing ammunition for verbal war fare ever since Dame Sybil Thorndike snorted that the had theatrical profession become far too respectable. The truth, as usual, Hes somewhere between the two extremes.

Dame Sybil made her now Inmous pronouncement at h

TEN TO ONE

THE BRIGHT young man from Eton and Ox- ford has the dice lasded about 10 to 1 in his favour, com- pared with the equally bright young man from council school and repertory company.

It is virtually impossible for a young actor or producer to get chance with certain manage- ments unless he has the right brand in neckwear.

And if that state

of affairs were is continue, the Old School The would strangle the theatre.

I was

great day for the rtage when it first began to attract recruits from the public schools. The stimulus provided

EVENING AT FUTBOL' IN MOSCOW

Soviet Teams Demonstrate

Tattersall and Ikin will miss | strike a club like that in one of ten county games

its purple patches, then it is just AN because of Test matches alone. And then too bad for your hopes.

think

club. my own there will be other representa-

the Gentle- Middlesex, might also come into tive matches-like men v. Players-to which they that category at the moment. We are almost certain to be invited might, indeed, be even better. and expected to play. So their Jack Robertson is batting really

club has to fill county

well, and veteran Jim Sims is still bowling his leg breaks and googlies as well as ever..

places with reserves,

FT'S NOTHING NEW

Now

their

this is nothing new. Lancashire and other counties have had the problem for years-Yorkshire and Middlesex perhaps more than most. And

assure you of this, that every Club has taken

the attitude-very

sportingly-that England's needs come first every time.

con

1

But I suppose, we may have to pay some price for our policy of blooding teen-aged youngsters like Don Bennett and Alan Mons. But I will be worth it. The dividend on them will come next year or the year after-both of them are doing extremely well,

On the international

front am glad that England

South squared accounts with Africa, although I must say it There is never a quibble about was a bit rough on the tourists thal; even when a club committee. to get such a drubbing, because can virtually see the Champion-of the weather. ship drifting out of their hands

But I am still result.

not sure that It is a loyalty as a which makes us one of the most,

the England selectors have quite side they would like. wonderful but le mentioned got the features of our game.

But, acknowledging all that, I still recognise that one cannot attempt any reasonable assess- Championship chances ment of without taking those factors Into account. It would be foolish to do otherwise.

Take Yorkshire, for instance., They were just as seriously com- mmitted as Lancashire in the last Test. More, in fact. For whereas

Lancashire contributed three players, Yorkshire gave up "Tour Hulton, Watson, Wardle as men in the middle, and Norman Yardley as chairman of Selectors looking on.

Why is it, then, one might ask, that it is so often the case that the side which contributes most 10 England and to representa- tive games stiil manages to reach the top-with prize example?

Yorkshire

the

with

The answer to that is the secret of every successtui club in every realm of sport. In two simple words it adds up to suitable reservest Yorkshire, with its wonderful team-building or- ganisation has always had them; Lancashire is slowly getting wise; Middlesex used to have them, and, when she turns the

corner of her present problems, will have them agala.

That is why, with the season approaching the hall-way mark,

|

Soccer Without "Calculated Tricks"

By CYRIL RAY

Moscow.

Let me confess, belatedly, that for long I neglected one of my duties as a hardler recorder of the local scene. Throughout the long winter months, when Muscovites were trooping to the ice-hockey matches-out-of-doors, with the tem perature some tens of degrees below zero, fortified by padded conts, enthusiasm and vodka-your correspondent cowered behind his double windows, blowing on his chilblains and recalling fondly, for the first time, Bari on un August afternoon.

Now, though, it is summer, and football is the game, and I am able The attack looks lop-sided to me: report my first visit to the Dynamo Stadium- mere matter of writing but I suppose they were driven.

to

a letter to to that on the grounds that an the. Administrator, taking care to rubber-stamp it, paying two preliminary visits additional good off-spinner Jim to the Stadium box-office, and I was privileged to watch the Red Army, the cham- Laker-ls better than a left-pions, beat Leningrad Zenith by two goals to nil in the First Division of hander of doubtful quality.

League.

It is quite obvious that the

ILOW

the hatter

the

countries rely chiefly on outward play, and effect, individual calculated tricks, Soviet teams demonstrate collective, purpose- ful play." That

About basketball, but I am sure that much the same could, or would, be sal about soccer.

wus

Selectors just do not consider 1 put on the cloth cap that I fate that awaits them, and you, "whereas the teams of bourgeois

the ground steadily that any of our current crop of, had fondly imagined, in London, can watch left hand bowlers is good enough, would enable me to melt unob filling up, for the stands are all That, I think. is sad-especially trusively into the Moscow back-epin and they gradually darken ground (a neat little 'number' in with those fat black caps that for skipper Freddie Brown.

I realise Thoundstooth";

I'm rather beginning to fancy. There

nothing more com

No ratiles and no rosettes-a forting for any captain than the that Mr Hihouse

sedate, well-mannered crowd in thought of a good left-hander should have run me up some-

fatter and flatter_in_black_} _the_evening_sunshine.............. can keep the oppositions) and with a French and who quiet on a good wicket or bowlers

an American colleague found them out-with that

spinning, hall leaving the bal-on a bad myself making my way to our onc, An additional off-spinner stand by way of flower-bedded is not quite the same.

walks in the middle of which is u heroic-sized figure of Stalin.

IT WOULD BE A PITT

It means, I suspect, that Denis Compton may well be called on to bowl seriously with his left arm alows. When he really sets course, he can his mind to it, be first class. But I was rather hoping that he wouldn't have to bowl much in this series at all.

115

London's

That could only tad lo stag- nation and decay in any

theatre is still form, and the more of an art than a profession. THE UNIVERSITIES aro

still sending down some brilliant reinforcements, such as Michael Benthall, who ranks as one of the best young producers in

in the world. They are niso sending down some others who, by virtue of a big mouth and a big head, have

a minor conflagration on the Isis or the Cam and are auto- matically given a chance to set the Thames on fire.

Mouthing mediocrity is a bore; whatever Its accent, and is found out sooner or later.

Pity It couldn't be sooner in some cases.

LAST MILLION

IT HAS been a rackety Bort of year in show business,

despite the Festival tag on everything,

The flops have come danger- Qualy near to outnumbering the bits, and there have been rows

and

the

the

under

more

ructions rumbling surface, although smoke than lava has come out of the volcano's crater.

re-

The Old Vic rumpus, for exemple, could have blown up into something nasty, had not the principal contestants frained so odmirably from taking their dirty linen to the public laundry.

And one of these days the lid is going to blow, right off the flm industry's stew-pot,

The Government's Flim Finance Corporation is down to its last million; private investors are more than ever chary about putting their trust in celluloid; and even fewer films will be made In British studios.

com-

THE GOLDEN EGGS

THE AMERICAN panies have kept the studio 'stoffs in Jobs by using their British carnings tờ make Alms in Britain,” but even they are bilking at rising costs.

We have been listening to some hard words from a famous

some American film executive about "restrictive practice." According to him, a scene can be shot in Hollywood in less than a quarter of the time requfeed in British studios.

I am sorry, by the

the way, not ip

He suggests that---someone It is difficult for me to give be able to tell you about the should read the fairy tale about you a connoisseur's account of Army's second goal, either; I the goose that Izid the golden my knowledge was behind. the stand again, eggs to the unions concerned be- the play, for of games is based almost entirely having another zo at the hot fore the goose flies off home for on those snippets you see in the dogs. cinema while you await the big

ET

matches Jack Davies

on

in than those

the

His kuce is behaving wonderfully NO RATTLES OR ROSETTES now and again with whistles and well, but it would be a plty It the kindness of this Providence Meanwhile, from the loud-learn that were tempted too far!

speakers comes a stirring about the warmongers of the West and the

On personalities-I had an-marching - song other close-up of young Peter May the other day. He still looks the best young batsman in the country to me, Yes, I'll even put him In front 01

who is producing such delightful stum.

I still feel that Lancashire might | Gloucestershire's Tom Gravenes

League Tennis

ever.

Reports On

GOOD NEWS FOR ROLFE FANS

Good news for the many into production in the autumn is up in the air a good deal. fans of Guy Rolfe, who for with Ralph Thomas directing.

health reasons, lost the big-

more than 30, years gest chance of his career Mervyn MacPherson has been

For

Britain.

Page

ABRAATHENS the SAFE

WAY

to Europe!

HONGKONG...—— OSLO við AMSTERDAM

BOOKING · ACCEPTED FOR ALL KUROPE Braathena S.A.F.E. Airtransport A/S.

FLIGHTS EVERY FRIDAY, 9 A.M. EVERY SECOND FRIDAY IN CONJUNCTION WITH CTA Book Parages & Freight Through Your Travel Agent or Agents:

WALLEM & COMPANY LIMITED Hongkong & Shanghai Bank Building Tel: 38041-5

With QUAKER OATS

youngsters grow

TALLER and

STRONGER!

QUAKER OATS SUPPLIES:-

MARE ENERGY . . with Quaker Outs carbodydrotus

MORE STRINGTH ........ with Gesker Outs protalas MORE STANDA . « « with Quaker Oats Vitnemin B5 MORE ENJOYMENT. with that delicious Lover

FOR THE

QUAKER

QUICK COOKINGS

OAT

Finest Diamonds

TAI HANG JEWELLERY

Bole Agents for, LIBERTY DIAMOND. WORKS LTD, Johannesburg.

Room 797. 7th Floor, Bank of East Aula Bldg. Telephone 21385

T

Inside the huge stadium-as plcture, (I am Alled with dis- big

Wembley may ns I learn how much longer Stadium, they tell me the tallest these flesh-and-blood

is surmounted stand

by two cnormous portrait heads of Lenin | newsreels.) and Stalin, Ranked by great

But this match seems to follow postered slogans hailing pence and communism, and the foreign the usual pattern. Photographers

behind the crouch

goals; the policy of the Soviet Union.

crowd registers its displeasure

cat-calls; and I am pleased to

the

shout of opprobrium directed at a Russian referee is "Shoemaker!" The ball

and there is much heading. SAME IN ANY LANGUAGE

My French friend, easily the when he had to give up the responsible for the publicity SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST most excited man in the Stadium, starring role opposite Jean of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Is able to talk to me, grumble The following were the results to himself, and howl derision at Simmons in "Trio."

A man of imposing appear- The two together represent of Men's "C" Division League the

reférec all in the same Since then, after a pro- unce ("The only person I know," valuable talent in the bank for Tennis matches played yester-language, for it turns out that longed rest in Switzerland, a famous editor once said, "who England's use in the very near day:

311 the key football words future.

(except for sheer abuse) are the he has made only one film-wears a monocle in all serious- LAC, KCC J

Mervyn is one of the acss"). and "Home to Danger" with nim industry's most colourful in English, French I am glad to see that Don

Young and Barty (LAC) 7ost to Russian.

There Rone Anderson and Alan | characters.

are many Taylor is really gelling going for Smith and Lapsley 3-6; beat Hobbs

Wheatley.

anecdotes about his dealings Warwickshire. This New Zea-

and Fisher G-4; lost to Capell and I discover that there are stalls

Now he is to get another with the stars, the pubile and land lad threw up everything in Nicholas 4-0. his home country when he came Laaker and lost to Hobby and buy such dainties at hot dogs big chance.

Baker and Walsh beat Smith and behind the stand where I can over here two VEDTE ago to Fisher 1-0; best Capell and Nicholas and ice cream, plump for hot I may be wrong; but it is the satisfy his burning, ambition 10 6-4.

dogs, and miss the Army's first He has been cast to play wyck was nearly injured by a cricket. He is Jast Jog of the Championship play full-time

Stuckey and Thussain best Smith goal, noticing however that the one of the leading roles in huge mob of fans when making

And and Lopsey 6-2; beat Hobbs crowd cheers just like that. In "Ivanhoe" with Robert Tay-

appearance at the personal Fisher 6-1; boat Capell And

a British newsreel. Nicholas 0-1,

lor, Elizabeth Taylor, John Empire, Leicester Square.

Miss Stanwyck had been res- CCC, ECC 9.

My American companion could Fontaine and George San-cued from the crowds

do with a coca-cola, obviously

brought, battered ders. Gülles and Chau (CCC) beat which he is equally obviously Keown and liarclay 6-0; beat-Siru wing and McCaig 7-5; beat Meffan not going to get, but is not too and Smith 4-0.

parched to explain to me that role in "Trio," Guy had estab-

make the top of the County table, and that Yorkshire, the tough, terrible, tykes, will not be far away.

Warwickshire are cutting an other dash I see, and a very useful side they are under the bold and capable direction of Tom Dollery. But, somehow, much as I wish them well,

don't think they have the stay-

ing power.

race that really tears the heart out of a side.

Hampshire, too, are doing ex- tremely well and I think it would be a grand thing for our cricket generally if they could emulate the Glamorgan triumph of 1948. But, again, as with Warwickshire, I fear. stamina And Isuspect reserves.

their their

NO LEFT-HANDERSI And then there are Essex and Sussex coming up on the, rolls. with a flurry of exelling wins. But I don't count on Essex or Sustén so much as prospective champions Da'the dark-horse clube, with the volatile, tem- perament more dikely to kill the chances of others.

Somehow they seem to reach. sudden spasms of brilliance, without belog able to achlové conalatency of championshilp winning form. But if you are in the rumbing and suddenly;

how doing it—well,

Viet Nam Table Tennis Team

To Play Here

The Viet Nam table tennis, ́ ́team árrívod by Air France

· from Indo-China yesterday.

I The four players are

Mestra. Dan The Cong, Ngu». yên Duo Thnan, Mat Van Has, sad Nurch Van Ki Accompanying the team aro MI K. T. Teens, maracer, and Mr. Nguyen Lan Hop/ - [conch..

1

The team is scheduled to' play: Chi Chun' on July 7, and Hongkong Cumbined on

- All games are to be play. ed at the Boathorn. Basket- ball ground. ·

and Barclay 6-3;

Smith 8-4.

best Struwing

same

the critics.

One I like best concerns the occasion when Barbara Slan-

shevelled, into the Before he had to give up his the fans

and.

and

And

df-

when

the

there are two divisions of the shed himself as one of Bri~ ¡ police burat her

Д

she was au-

Chan and Monier beat Keown Soviet Union's football league, stars. Particularly popular were

league, tain's important new male in. Once again

rounded, pushed and pulled by and McCals 6-3; beat Mellan and with

with promotion, relegation, championship and a mockout his parts in "Prelude to Fame" her over-cathusiastle admirers.

The situation

was looking that there is and The Spider and the Fly." Faller and Abbas' best Koown and competition: Barclay 6-1; best Bituwing and League match almost every "Ivanhoe" should make him really ugly when Mervyn push- ed This way up the stairs, eyed McCab 6-4:: beat Mean and evening throughout the summer more popular than ever.

the crowd with disdain, and Smith 6-3...

In Moscow, and, the big towns;

shouted: "Ladies and gentlemen, and that the famous Dynamos--

At a time when British film beg you to remember no longer champions-are the

producers think themselves are Eriglish!" team of the Ministry of Internal lucky if they make one film s The effect was instantaneous. Aftoirs.

year, Betty E, Box, our leading A gangway: Immediately open- woman producer, is, planning ed up in the now allent crowd. her second film in six months, and Miss Stanwyck was able to

has com-walk through it to safely,

MIXED “B"*DIVISION **KCC ..VBRG 4-

Mes Biokes and Angusbná (ICC.C.)|| drew. wists Ms Work and Kingsford G-d. best Mrs. Williams, and Cook 9-3, best Mrs Rorfolk, and Cross Lier #41...

lost to Mire Walllama and Cook: 4.0.

Each team is run by a factory, a trade union, a ministry, an armed service or the like.

As 2001

As the

Niven

301

Márk Pepperell and G; White' drew" **

plated "Appointment With Well, Mervyn is retiring from with Mit Wort and Kingsford 10 My own inability to discuss Venus" starring David

M.-G-M and both he and that are horfolk and Gronday 84. here the relative merits of Soviet and Glynis Johns, she is off to his monocle will be

football and the football of Venice to prepare The Vene-greatly missed In Leicestor Mim Coxall and 2: Larios" lost to other: lands, including my own, tien: Bied,” a thriller, by Victor" square. ! This column – would Mr. Wors and' Kingsford 2-1, lost to

fon by a Canning. No cast has yet been like to wish him 'good luck and Mrs Willens And Cook 3-6, beat must be made "Mire fortolk, and Crossley, KS, Iguotation.......... from. “Pravda” deolded, but the picture will go happiness in his retirement.

·

THE CHINA MAIL

SUNDAY POST-HERALD

THE MOST EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING MEDIA

COLOUR IS AVAILABLE TOO

- ASK FOR

RATES

PARTICULARS AND COMBINING THESE LEADING NEWSPAPERS

New Republic

ISSUE 2ND JULY, 1951 NOW ON SALE

AT ALL BOOKSELLERS ör: P.O. Bail 718