BOWLING SEEN AS PRIMARY WEAKNESS

Chronicle (Levin), 3 April 1946, Page 3

BOWLING SEEN AS PRIMARY WEAKNESS

AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN TALKS ON DOMINION CRICKET WELLINGTON, April 2. Despite New Zealand 's- double batting failure in tlie cricket Test, the bowling, rather than the batting, is the primary weakness in this country 's cricket, according to Mr. W. A. Brown, the Australian skipper. In an in'terview before leaving for the north today, he said that the New Zealand batting was not a great deal weaker than the Australian, and with the aid of regular visits from Australia it could be kept well up to standard, but special efforts would have to be made to find and develop a greater bowling strength. New Zealand bowlers chiefly lacked consistency and imagination. Most of them were eapable of sending down a good b'all now and then, but they mixed good deliveries with too many erratic ones, either in length cr direction. Moreover, they gave little evidence that they were inatching their brains against those of the batsmen. The Test had been largely decided by the ability of the. Australian bowlers to take advantage of conditions- and deliver the most effective type of bowling. Mr. Brown was delinite that the tour had been a suceess from the Australians' point of view, and had provided most valuable experience in preparing for matches against England next summer. He thought a visit to Ne^v Zealand before any Australian' team went to England would always" be particularly valuable. - Mr. Brown spoke highly of the behaviour of New Zealand crowds, and said that they had not only- I>een. most impartial and able to appfeciate thefiner points of the game, but also had taken the defpat of their toams in a very sporting inanner. ■ Conceriiing the prospects of the next Test series against England, he said that while the Austrhliaus.did not know what kind of a team England would send out, they were'certaidly iiot pessimistie about their chances. The manager of the team (Mr. E. C. Yeomans) said this moriiing that he haj received a message from the Board, bf Coutrol congratulating him and r.he team on the suceess of the touy. "I read into it more than crickets he said.