CRICKET TEST OUTLOOK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 25, 13 February 1937, Page 14

CRICKET TEST OUTLOOK

"Batsman,") -

LIKELY TO BE AN EVEN FINJSH , HARD TO PICK WINNING SIDE BRADMAN AND HAMMOND ARE BIG FACTORS

(Bv

All the indications suggest thaf the iinal atni ffith oric^ev Test between England anti Austraaa, which is to be opened at Mevbounie on Friday, Feoruary 2G> Will be an even tussle. if hap^enings had been planned bsforeaand matters could noc have tvenuefl better from a financia; point ot view. Competent oritics aver alsa ' that the game has heen well served by the fluctaafioa of iprtune, first towards England apd finaUy towarus Australia. Qthers havo been inclined tp critieise tfie determination to play eacn test to a finisii, and they would have preferred to see time made one o* the real hazards of the game. It has come to be recognised by most followers of the game that tfie real stepping stones to victory in the respective teams are the two baismen, Bradman (Australia), and Hammond (Epgland). Englisjimen sign with relief when Bradman's wicket falls. Likewise there is a slackenmg of tension in Australia when Hammond walks bapk to the payiiion. But there is vitahy more In fhe game than just Bradman and Rammpnd. Eqch may nullify the other ana leave to the remainder the task qf deciding the issue. Bradman may go qheaply on both occasions, Hammond may share a like fate. One may make a score and the other do likewise, The disturbing element rises only when one beats the other and when that happens the vast wicketing pubfic is often too aPt to praise the batsman vvho succeeds and forget fhe bowler who skittled his real opponant'-s wicket. After all, like any other game, crieket boils itself down largeiy to a man for man business. From a batting point of view Bradman ana Hammond are rivals in direct line one with the other, If one makes a good score the supporters of the other side look to their man to equal jt. But criqket is not a game which can be rplied upon tq make gooJ every expectatiqn. Each match differs from its predecessor that it is dangerous to rely upon the past too n*uch. Winning of the toss in the third test meant much to Aus.ralla. Winning it in the fouth was expactea to repeat thp goad things of the days departed. But expectations were doomed to little fulfilment. Englana nullified what advantage there was supposed to be. England's bowling was on its length, and in the early stages of the match Australia owea much tp the dogged fight of McCabe and Copperfield to *ave the side frprn the plate-glass position they founa themselves in. The toss had not been of great advantage. Australia finisned the first strike with 288. England's reply, on a wickec which was not likely to become so great a hazard as those piayed on ln the first and second tests, was a cqitit fortable 330. A lead of 42 gave the Englishmen encouragement, eyen though in small measure. They had a nqse in froqt pnd the crieket world settled back to a neck and neck tussle. Australip's second strike, piayed in an atmosphere of intense excitement, gradually lifted Australia's cause. Bradman's glorious double century (212) went down into crieket history and the stpnds of McCabe and Greg^pry helped "the position, Graduaily there emerged from an atmosphere pf uncertainty and doubt just how much Australia wqs relying pn her belpved Dpn, Australia's innings closed for 433 and England, in reply, compiled 243, giving Australia a win by 448 runs. The team* : were then on even terms in the battle for "The Ashes" and the flfth and deciding test yet tp be piayed! Recounting all that will help little in respect to fhe fifth test, No man can predict with certainty who will win, England stand* as big a Phance of succe** as Australia. It is true that, from the point of view of public interegt, matters could not have turned out better than they have done. That has prompted some of the ullr-a "wise" to shake a head an^ wonder "if anything was done" heypnd the ac-t cepted chajmels to preate suph a pp.sir tion- That realjy does not matter nowWhat does matter is that the fifth test will indeed be a test of tests and the team which wins can be acclaimed true victprs. Many in New Zealand would like to see England win, and it is on the cards that they will. Several haye already written the resun, up as an Australian victory, but fhe whole thing lies in the lap af the gods. Qne thing only can be predicted— the match wilj qpcasion tremendPUS puu--lic interegt!