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Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1928, Page 4

Tt would ho possible hardly* for Australia to draw any comfort from tlio second test match. In the first there

were accidents which gave some excuse for the pronounced defeat, but

in the second it became evident that the English team was proving superior. The visiting combination was

undoubtedly superior, and to that advantage it now has the valuable asset of assured confidence. It is possible at

times to be over confident, and make serious mistakes, but the Englishmen are bent on retaining “the ashes.” and are not likey to be openly reckless. At the same time the Australians strove gamely to turn the tide, and the main fight they had to put up was to avoid an innings defeat! In that they suc-

eroded despite good hats failing to score at so critical a time. Now the selectors, aided and chevied by the press and the man in the street in full cry, are seeking to make a fresh choice 01 players in the hope of reversing the fortunes of the side.' As destructive howlers are such an essential necessity, it is evident there is a difficult task bolero them. The Australians showed tneir mettle to some extent as batsmen, and indicated that the English .owders were playable. With the bowling it is necessary to find some one more difficult to play and more dangerous at taking wickets. An exchange puts it this wa\*—and the prospects are not hopeful for the Australian side: Any team against which the opposing side is able to score oCO runs or 63U runs in an innings occupies a somewhat hopeless position. Unless the Australians can produce bow levs for the next test matches who will considerably reduce the English team’s run-getting capacity their chances of winning “the rubber” or indeed of winning any of l.ic remaining test matches, must- he regarded as distinctly small. I nfortunately for them, there seems to he no really great bowler whose services are at their command-. Nor does it seem very probable that any fresli •iowlor whom they may introduce into their team will prove more successful than the howlers they have already tried. For it involves no disparagement of Ironmonger, Blarkie, and Nuthliiig to say that the inclusion of each of them in the Australian team has simply )>een an experiment, ft can never have been anticipated, however, that the success of the English team in the first two matches—a success which its bowlers have shared with its batsmen—would bo so overwhelming as it actually has been.