Toss Not Decisive

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30956, 12 January 1966, Page 3

Toss Not Decisive

[From W. J. O’RE/LLY, N.Z.P.A Special Correspondent]

SYDNEY.

England’s overwhelming third test win suggests a soulsearching examination of Australia’s resources before its team is chosen for the Adelaide test at the end of this month. Odds are now heavily in favour of England winning the Ashes.

Australia came out of this match with precious little consolation. Hawke’s bowling, Walters’s batting, Grout’s wicket-keeping and two bracingly courageous tail-end batting efforts by Sincock comprise the sum total of the honours that Australia may claim.

ALL-ROUND BETTER

England batted better, its openers played a matchwinning part, its bowlers made much better use of the new ball, and its fielding in vital close-in positions was consistently much better than Australia’s.

Commenting before this game began I prophesied that the team that won the toss would win this test. That opinion was formed on my knowledge of the Sydney pitch and its wearing capacities over a five-day match.

England won the toss and the match—but looking back

now I think I was lucky in my forecast.

I doubt whether Australia could have won had it won the toss, so completely was it outplayed. MISTAKEN TACTICS

Take the new ball, for instance. At no time on the first morning of the match did the Australians, McKenzie and Hawke, look dangerous enough to break the vital partnership between Barber and Boycott, and in saying that I do not disregard the importance of the hot chance Boycott hit off the middle of his bat to Sincock behind square-leg off McKenzie when he had scored 12. There was still sufficient life in the pitch then to encourage the fast bowlers. But McKenzie and Hawke preferred to belt the ball through short of a length, giving themselves no chance of forcing edged shots. I suspected then —and I still do—that Barber’s ability to drive dictated their policies. On the other hand England’s two inexperienced new ball men, Brown and Jones, put up energetic and thoroughly enthusiastic performances to break through early. I am afraid McKenzie is not completely fit. He did not have much luck admittedly, but seemed to be reluctant to give all he had. A fortnight’s spell between the tests might give Mm a chance to come back with a perfectly clear conscience regarding his recent injuries. SPIN NO PROBLEM

I offered plenty of criticism of the manner in which the English batsmen mishandled the spin bowling in the Brisbane test. I withdraw all that, unreservedly. Since then they have adopted a different attitude towards spin and look quite capable now of coping successfully with that type of attack. Neither Philpott nor Sincock offered them any problems. Australia’s batting fell heart-breakingly to rock bottom. Men like Lawry, Burge and Booth, all highly conditioned in test experience, played so far below form that their performances here must cause the selectors deep concern when facing the job of choosing a combination to

win the remaining two tests—and retaining the Ashes. The selectors must be prepared to take a long searching look at a department which is now so highly suspect. Walters was the only recognised batsman to come through this test with his respectability still intact. READY ANSWER He is clearly the most accomplished batsman in Australia’s line-up. Even when Titmus and Allen were spinning the ball dangerously on a broken wicket the young right-hander always had a ready and effective answer for them.

The only criticism that could reasonably be directed at him was his seeming reluctance to take a more positive part in the dying stages. He made no effort to monopolise the strike to lengthen the lives of his tail-end batting mates.

It was a quite forlorn hope, of course, but it was an opportunity to discover yet another interesting sidelight on the set-up of Australia’s outstanding young player. PARTISAN PITCH The pitch became outrageously partisan in the closing stages and Titmus and Allen appreciated it fully. A spot on which Allen did most of his damage had nothing to do with the bowlers’ feet marks. It was there in most of its final glory on the first day when Cowper used it to put a beauty through Barber. There never had been any grass on that spot from the start.

Unlike Australia, England finished the match with very few problems. It has developed its side skilfully into an attacking force which will be particularly hard to beat. Its bowlers are all cock-a-hoop, its sledgehammer batsman Barber is right in the groove and it has a leg-in for the Ashes.

England will spare little time to worry about the lack of success of Cowdrey or Barrington in this match.