SECOND TEST MATCH

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1921, Page 3

SECOND TEST MATCH

F. S. JACKSON’S I.OCK. MacLaren was extraordinarily unlucky in the matter of winning the toss, and Darling—well, in 1903 he lost the toss to F. S. Jackson in all five test matches. Jackson won it also from Darling the same season in two other matches in which he captained the AI.C'.C. against the Australians. Jackson’s luck in this respect was so extraordinary that, as regards the second of these extra matches, one of the last games of the. tour, at Scarborough, it is worth relating what happened when Jackson walked over to the Australian tent to decide about choice of innings. ; Vhen he got there lie was received with

jeers and groans ancT cheers. Some of the Australians shouted, “Come on. lie is ready for you!” “Jacket*,” as lie is known to his intimates, said “lie was not afraid, and that he would heat him again.” But a North Shore voice said, “he is much stronger than you arc,” to find Darling stripped to the waist with a Union Jack wrapped round him, waiting with his-arms crossed. “Now,” said Darling, “we will have a proper tossing, and the one who gets on top wins the toss.” Jackson was nothing J not quick-witted. “All right,” lie su'd, “we will have it that wav if you please,” and turning, lie called to George Hirst, the rotund Yorkshinman, “Georgie, you come and toss this time.” On that Darling said, “All right, tljen, we will toss in the oldfashioned way.” TURN FOR TURN. It is interesting to note that the cables tell us that Jackson now agrees with the suggestion to take turn about witli the choice of first innings. If that were done, however, it would leave an undesirable opening for things to be said about the preparation of the • wickets. There are other more or less minor points not worth arguing now, because i do not think the suggestion will meet with any more favour at head-. , ,i r • . i ‘.s i

quarters than it has in the past'. ! The only way with which 1 am acquainted that gives each of two persons concerned an equal chance is the Teutonic triangular “stone, scissors, and paper” method of drawing lots. 1 came across its use when travelling on the Continent once. It is a method of drawing lots*that leaves the one who draws second an equal chance of winning or losing, no matter what the first has drawn. But no such method nor such pre-arrangement as taking turn about with choice of innings will elimiiflite the influence of rain during the course of a match. As I have shown, * instead of favouring Australia in the recent match, the rain might just as easily, and very nearly did, favour England, who did not have the choice of innings. COVERING THE WICKET. ! The only sane method of cutting out t!ii' influence of rain is to cover the I wicket and keep the pitch free from its ! damaging effects. I have always maintained—indeed, it lias been one of inv ! • ourite suggestions—that after the’ commencement of test matches the pitch should he protected from the : effects of any further rain in order to , try to keep the condition of the pitch j

as neatly as possible equal for both sides throughout the whole match. Observe that there is nothing in the suggestion about covering the pitch before the game fiegins. I would not do so. Let the pitch he free from artificial protection before the match commences, in tlie interests of the howlers and of cricket, but after the commence-, meat of what, purports to be a iair test of cricket skill, let the amo ploy ng conditions he maintained for both sides ■ r.s near as it is possible to do. I argue I ibis suggestion at AI.C'.C. headquarters, years ago, hut whether hacked by the Australian Board of Control it would now find acceptame one knows not. English opinion, as 1 found it at headquarters, will go to any length in protecting from rain the ground for the howler’s rftn and for the batsman's" stand, hut a tremendously strong harrier of conservatism*guards-the playing part of the pitch. This match, however. has certainly raised the point agaii). i LAX SLIP FIELDING. | The one practical point that inevitably mixcs itself up with a discussion of these matters in their application to the recent test match is the value of slip fielding. Aloft* matches are won and lost in the slips than in any other part of the field. All the mistakes of any consequence of the Englishmen in this match were made there. This is all the more surprising because in the past English teams have set- a much higher

standard in slip fielding than we have ever been able to reach, it ha-- always been a weakness in Australian out nickel : it is, 1 think, at the present time still a weakness. Success in the position demands mine than a safe pair of hands and a ipiick eye. (,)u,rkness of footwork is a first requisite. !. is, in fact, a specialist, position almost like that of a wicket-keeper, the requirements of which require to he carefully studied.