FOURTH TEST OUTLOOK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 13, 30 January 1937, Page 15

FOURTH TEST OUTLOOK

"Batsman,.")

fate of cricket "Ashes" IT IS AGAIN SWINGING IN THE BALANCF AUSTRALIA AND ALLEN'S ENGLISH TEAM

(By

We have agaii) Ijecome defiiiitely cricket minded with the approach of the fourth,— a vital — test match between Australia and England, to be played at Adelaide. Anstralia is veritably with backs to the wall. To win the "Ashes'* the Commonwealth team mnst win both the fourth and fifth tests. England has won two and Australia one. The fourth will either place the competing sides on level terms or will give England the ' 1 Ashes."

D. 6, Bradman, captain (South Australia). S. J. McCabe (New South Wales). J. H. Fingleton (New South Wales). W. A. Oldfield (New South Wales). W. J. O'Reilly (New South Wales). W. A. Brown (Queensland). C. Jj. Badcoek (South Australia). A. G. Chipperfield (New South Wales). L. O'B. Fleetwood-Smith (Victoria). R. Gregory (Victoria). E..L. McCormick (Victoria;. K. E. King (Victoria). The 12th. man will be decided upon an the morning of the match. Gommentators generally approve of the team, although there is some douht as to whether it is wise to have ^ropped Sievers for Chipperfield. " Sipce that selection one or two

featurei of the match between England and South Australia « have affected the outlook. The first, and more important from an Australian point of view is the injury suffered by Bradman. He strained a groin and a fear developed in some quarters that he would not be thoroughly fit for the Test. Australia without Bradman will he up agaifist a handicap. It is marvellous how quickly the press of that country has realised the fact, too, seeing that much abuse was levelled at this player prior to the third Test. Another feature of the match with South Australia was .the performance of Wyatt for England. He batted well and is almost certain of a place in the M.C.C. test side. But it was Clarrte Grimmett who staged the most striklng performance, his eaptore of four for 77 eonflrming a belief that he shoold have been given a chance against the Englishmen in a test. Grimmett, apparently, is stili the wily bowler of old, and while lt is fully realised that to fall back upon him for test play would indeed by a severe indictment of youth* one cannot help feeling that Australia would have been well advised to number him among the " chosen. Undoubtediy his form with the baJI spells terror for batsmen, and it is Interesting at this stage to rccall some of his own comments on the art of taking wickets:, "So much has been written about batsmen that one is apt to lose sight of the fact that there are bowlers and .fieldsmen and that i they are just as important to the successful conclusion of a match." "Never be discouraged! A bowler's best work will often be passed unnoticed by the onlookers. But it is those unnoticed slight variations in pace, flight and break which lures your opponent into making a fatal mistake." (How well Grimmett typified that truth in deed as well as in word). "A bowler should be able to adapt himself and vary his bowllng so that he can force the batsman into different methods and thus keep him from settling down." The more one looks at the position, the more is he convinced that Grimmett in view of the fact that the selectors have dropped Sievers, the bowler who did so well in the third test. Chipperfield, who replaced him, did not get going In the previous tests, whereas SieVers has quite a sound bowling record. Ferformances Compared. It is interesting to look at the