CRICKET REFORMS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 3, 29 September 1920, Page 5

CRICKET REFORMS

EIGHT-BALL fcIERS AND COVERED PICKETS ENGLISII OBTECTIONS ' Mr. Frank Iredale writes as follows in the Sydney "Sun":— If P. F. Warner voices the opinion of the Marylebono Club, as has been reported, that the English team coming to Australia will not agree to the eight balls to the over, it is a pity. While there may be something in the contention that fast bowlers feel the strain on onr hard wickets in bowling the eight balls in succession, there are eo many things in its favour that one has been convinced' that its uiauy advantages outweigh an additional burdon ■which it may place on a bowler. From ■the point of view of saving time, it is already popular, and the people in Australia have by this tirao become reoonciled to it. Strictly speaking, and if one could Teally get at the truth, I don't think our bowlers have" found very much to grumble at in the innovation. I have yet. to> hear of a breakdown amongst the bowlers. Leaving the bowler out of the question, there can be no gainsaying the fact that the captain of-the sido has been, 6aved soma anxiety, and-I ani sure the fieldsmen ore thankful for the fewer changes. ' It seems to me, and it is also _ the experience in other 6portfl, that cricket reforms are going to be hard to bring about if we wait until the Mother Country is convinced of the necessity of any change in the laws. The conditions' of the game in England and Australia are different, and are getting, if anything, wider apart, so that unless both-sides axe pretty careful, we shall find Australian players playing under one code of rules and the ; Englishmen under another. The hours at present ere different, the wicltets are not the same, as we prepare ours differently, and we do not nave a time limit to our matches. • . .

There is just one other point in ' connection with these reforms. In past Years, wlieu an Australian, team toured England, we invariably endeavoured' to meat the llarylebono Club in mate's connected with the arrangements in Itagland. lam sure if it is desirablo to have eight balls to the over—and no one doubts that it is a good thing— surely the English team will meet us in this respect, just as we have met them in like matters in. days gone by. ' It may not be generally known amongst players who have an idea that covering .the wickets is an innovation that spasmodic attempts have been made to preserve the 'wickets from rain on many occasions in the past. The wicket was covered in Adelaide in 1903 in the match New South Wales v. South Aw tralia. Private grounds in England invariably protect the wickets. Apart from this'fact, in the revised laws of cricket provision is made to protect the pitch during the night, the only stipulation being that it must be the actual part wliterej ttifcl ball fall's. at each end. ■ If it is right to do this during the night what great harm can It do if it is done in case of a sudden thower during the day? No one is ever likely to forget the debacle on the second day of tie Victorian match in Sydney last season. Heavy rain at J o'clock. ruined tho' pitch so much so that no more play took place that day. It spoilt the whole day's pleasure, and killed the match. Had the covers been adopted- the game could have been proceeded with after a couple of hours. Moreover, thousands, of people would have seen what they paid to see. The only possible objection that I have to covering the wickets is the fact that in doing so yen rob the bowler of an occasional liaTvest of wickets. But after all it is ail inglorious sprctacle to see a procession of,batsmen going to and from the wickets. Is there not more self-satisfaction to the 'bowler when he knows that ho has achieved a good performance when things were not in his favour? Whatever may be said to the contrary people go to cricket matches to see the batting. ( They are ready to applaud any good feats of bowling, but ,if the batting fails J think ft' good many people come away from our grounds disappointed. Whatever thrills are in the game come from the efforts of the batsmen. Whoever can forget the waves of excitement which came over the people when Howell hit up his 95 against Stoddarfs team, or tho exhilaration when Darling flogged tho English bowlers in the memorable test match at the Sydney Crioket Ground, when he scored 166 ? Those (ire the thrills in cricket,. and something that is remembered. ' Covering wickets may or may not be a success, but it is nt least an endeavour to help, in doing away with some of the drawbacks which 6et up irritation, alienate a lot of people who might be encouraged to become supporters of the grime.