VICTOR RICHARDSON

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 73, 18 December 1937, Page 17

VICTOR RICHARDSON

■»- — ^ I A GREAT REPUTATION GAME LOSING A FINE CRICKETER Yictor Richardson's announcement in Adelaide that the testimonial game to himself and Clarrie Grimmett would be his final game in big cricket as he intended to retire, was not unexpected, but it will cause regret all the same. Richardson has been one of the big figures in Australian crickpt since the war, and mere figures, striking as they are in his case, can give cinly a partial ifiea of what he has meant to South Australia in particu* Tar (says the Sporting Globe)', Years ago the South Australian team really meant George Griffen and Jack Lyans, with Griffen as the mainstay of both batting and bowling, Thpn there came on the scene three wonderful players in Clem Hill ana Joe Darling, two of the greatest lef t*

hand batsmen of all time, and Ernie Jonps, ihe greatest of Australian fast bowJers. They were. like «iants among pigmiee, and the success of the side depended entirqly upon what they did. Sirice ihe war Richardson and Clarrie Grimmett have been iij inucii| the same position as these famous predecessors. Richardson's success ha? heeq all the more plqasing because he is a native of the Statq; Grimmett was an importation, but what a won* der he has been with the ball in every class of cricket! Richardson will go out of the game with the reputation as fine as his record in figures. Australian? have often. been accused of playing cricket too grimly, but that imputation could never be cast at Victor. Always he has played it with the idea that ,it was a game, and that At should be played in the real sporting spirR. South Australian teams since the war have always been popular and much of that popularity has been duev to the bright leadership of Richardson. There has been little of the dourncs& ih their cricket that has been so noticeable. in the play of Victoria and New South Wales. f Richardson has had no easy task m leading a side that has not usually been very strong, but he has always been a notable figure on the field, whether batting or fielding, and has always been the inspiration of his side. Richardson has many notable records in cricket, and one of these must be unique. It is the fact that although- he was playing for South Australia for nearly 20 years, and was captain of the side for almost the whole of that period, he was never in a South Australian side that gained a victory on the Melbourne ground. As a fact, South Australia has not won a game on this ground since the war, and Richardson has taken part in nearly all 19 that haye been played. All her six-victories in 37 games in that period have been in Adelaide.