TEST MATCH CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 38, 14 February 1930, Page 8

TEST MATCH CRICKET

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—ln last night's issue of "The Post" you quoted from a letter signed "Visitor" some remarks evidently intended to controvert my recent statement concerning the waste of time in the second Test match. "Visitor" says: "I am inclined |to the belief that your correspondent is not a cricketer. Cricket is not football, and the spectacle of a lot of fieldsmen rushing over to change their position after eacji over would certainly look ridiculous." . . ; Perhaps I had better make my qualifications quite clear to "Visitor" before going further. When a young man. I played cricket iv the Kent County second eleven. For many years also I have attended all matches of importance in. England and New Zealand;-whilst I have contributed articles upon cricket to various journals in both countries embodying reminiscences of great players and views upon the game which hitherto have been accepted without question. T.his varied experience has certainly taught me that cricket is not football; also that the manner in which some phases of the second Test match were conducted was decidedly not "cricket."

When Dempster and Mills had "collared" the M.C.C: bowling in their memor-/ able first-wicket partnership it was very evident that the fieldsmen had made up their minds, by their leisurely movements, to spin out the time as much as possible, thus making a draw inevitable. In another portion of last night's "Post" the • account of the M.C.C. match against Auckland says: "A* decided slackness wa3 noticeable in the M.C.C. fielding. . . .

Careless throwing-in cost many runs ia overthrows," .. . etc. "Visitor" further remarks that "cricket wants to be played with dignity." To him evidently slackness, carelessness, and dignity are Bynony» mous terms. Perhaps he considers it dignified for the fifteen minutes' tea interval to be stretched into half an hour, and for the New Zealand captain to keep the field waiting five minutes before he went in to bat.

Another of "Visitor's" axioms is that cricket must be played quietly and peacefully. On this point we are in perfect agreement. But, unfortunately, these esp seniial conditions -were missing from the second day's play of the match at the Basin Keserve, because a,; brass band did its utmost to upset—possibly with the benfc of intentions—the equilibrium of players and spectators alike. "Visitor" does xtbt attempt to explain why the local teara's bowling talent was so feebly handled, i»or why—when it became urgently necessity; for New Zealand to make as many rung as possible in the shortest time—the fonting and hard-hitting batsmen were seat ia . last, thus destroying our chances of winning the match. I heartily endorse '"Visitor's" opinion that the New Zeeiaxid players performed excellently, in spite of the adverse circumstances alluded to; and I repeat the statement made in my first letter—viz., had the whole game beea better managed, our boys would hay» decidedly won the second Test match instead of allowing themselves to be beaten by the clock. —I am, etc., L. D. AUEfflN- ■ 13th February. _^