CRICKET A' L'OUTRANCE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 41, 4 March 1937, Page 4

CRICKET A' L'OUTRANCE

It is with a feeling almost of relief that we have the series of Anglo-Anstralian test ericket matehes brought to a elose. That they should have ended in such an anJfci-elimax as a one-innings defeat of the visiting team is, of course, a matter to be very sineerely regretted. At the same time, however, it seema eertainly to emphasise the suggestion that these games are being aceorded an altogether exaggerated importance. So inuch is this the case, in faet, that they are gravely in danger of losing their eharacter as games altogether and of degenerating into somefching in the nature of the old Roman gladiatorial contests. They are gathering altogether too great an element of the spactacular, Ieading to a phase Of individual hero-worship that is far from being altogether healthy. For this the Press is no doubt greatly responsible in its continnal endeavonr to cater to the public love of the sensational. The strain of these matehes, extending over the best part of a week, is in itself quite sufficiently exhausting, But when it is aecompanied by keen analytical public criticism, however competent, day in and day out, it must bring the nervous fension of the players, even the most seasoned of them, pretty nearly to the breaking point. To this kind of criticism the players — and especially the English players by their own journalistie friends— have in the present instance been subjected as never before, and it is high time that some check should be put upon it. Unless this is done, then we must say farewell to the truo spirit in which the game of cricket should be played. Under such conditions it is becoming altogether too deadly serious a conflicfc and rapidly losing all the i'ine savour of good'fellowship for which it has hitherto stood.