FIGHT FOR ASHES

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1932, Page 3

FIGHT FOR ASHES

strength of the teams. ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA. That the fights for “The Ashes” of cricket between the holders, and England in the coining season wi.i .be grim engagements hi evid-nt from expert opinions which have been voiced since the iEugliah side woe finalised. The Australians do not underrate the strength of the challengers, J. Worrall, 'cricket writer for the “Austrains ian,” going :so far as to say that England has undoubtedly a bettei'-bal-anoed side than Australia. Mr WorraU singles out Bradman, Kippax and McCabe as among, ; the five batsmen ' worthy of the name, in Australia to-day, with McCabe . ( as.. the only real laH-rgunder the Coipmon 7 . wealth possesses. He considers, ’ too, 1 that Victor Ridhardson, captain of the Australian,team, is still fit to even lead Australia should Woodfull not be available.

'.-“Now that the .English combination to visit these shores has been completed,., a comparison of the problematical elevens of the two countries whl not be out of place,” writes Mr Worrad. v ln the against South Africa we were represented by 18 players, several of those given preference being below "the standard required in these • games. Now the. indispensab'.es would appear to be Woodfull, McCabe, Kippax, Oldfield, Pongford, Grimmett, .O’Reilly, and Ironmonger. In that nine there are only ,five .batsmen worthy tih 6 name, viz., Bradman, Woodfull, Kippax ; Ponsford and McCabe. Oldfield .is the wicketkeeper, capable of making .runs when, at his best;, while for . bowlers we hare Grimmett, -Ironmonger and. O’Reilly, all men, that •pin the , ball, the left-hander being deadly on a sticky or worn wicket. ; “It is really not an imposing lot, and it would appear that much will depend upon Wood/fnH and Bradman. However, with Kippax and Ponsford at their b r st a different complexion altogether wo r !-'l be preated. (McCabe is the’ only real aV,-rounder of the bunch, though Grimmett must also be considered in Fat capacity. There are the. makings of a .champion in McC ni be. ? . , “It. is unfortunate in a way, though not for Australia, that Bradman, the wizard, has set himself such a high standard. , It is a. sincere wish that be wijl/nat find it difficult to ■sustain, ;’f not improve, his role. .Any score under 70 js, regarded by l thg public as somewhat in the light of a failure. Yet even if he has a. comparatively .lean .year it may be that ..the others, true to tradition yvill. r'se to the occasion. At the moment, however, he has. half the, battle won, for, though of only moderate height and build, he ib*s.«pgumed .the size of a Goliath in Engli'h .eyes. . j'L-.-jj:

FAST BOWLER WANTED; “It is a debatable question" whetljA; a bowler of. pace .should be inoxudea, unlesq he is a. real express. I'heid '.are none in the land at th e present time, the five leading . fast bowlers .beaig Wall, . Nash, Thurlow, Gilbert and Alexander, the aborigine having the, greatest pace when letting. go at his top. By common '' consent the cho.ee lies between, the first named two, with the. Adelaide man favoured among class cricketers. Nash is a born a«.hlete, . a potential ruraniaker, a good field,. and a dangerous bowler, though he; does not bring • bis arm right over when delivering the ball. If Wall me given th 6 preference the bowling might be improved, but not the batting. .xi,a. would ..leave the team with four bowlers, the. absolute minimum, five batsmen, a wicketkeeper, and a change bowler in Mc;Cabe. Considering, however, the weakness of Hammond on ..the cai-side .of the, wicket, and his bud fault of stepping back and away from a bowler of., pace when a member, of Chapman’s team four years . ago, it would appear that a fast bowler is essential ...in the Tests. Our men were irathfer slow in, finding out, his weakness, though few wil-1 forget his backing . away And uncertainty when . facing Alexander, on the Melbourne, ground in the. ; match against yictoria, x r • • ; “Anoither ,all-rounder .of class is required; but : where,;is he to be found? When one: remembers \ how , fui tunete we we be in days gone by in having such , all-rounders as .George Griffeu, Torti Garrett,.:> Alf Noble, Warwick Armstrong, > Frank Lever, Albert and •Harry Trott, Hugh Tremble; Charlie ‘Turner, Charlie Macartney, Bob’ and Charlie MeLeod, and others, our present slump leaves us dumbfounded.

MANY BATITNG ASPIRANTS. ihore are many aspirants in the batting line, such as Darling, Thomas, Oakley, O’Brien, and. Rigg, of Victoria; Fingleton, Bill, Nutt, Hird, and .Lea,barter, of New South Wales ; Loncrgiaii, Nitschke, and Richardson, of. South Australia; Bromley, of Western - Australia, now resident in Melbourne;, and Andrew and Slides^of- Queensland. With the exception, oflßfchardson , awl 'Rigg, the remainder are'untried Test •players, R' flaiult, however, that can easily be overcome, ■ granted that they possess the .necessary,y ability. “With the ball ■ Fleetwood-Smith is a strong possibility, as lie is a distinct type, and while it is more than likely that bis slow left-handed twisters would prove a source of worry to'the Englishmen, his inclusion would lie the means of -adding weight to an 'already. overloaded ’appendage. Nev'T- ' tbeleijs, 1 his bowling 1 might' proy, e our .. salvation. • v ‘•’Pbe Adelaide carta in,Victor BieliSrd.aoK 'returned from England a miuch sounder batsman than when lie 1 weiit bway, and on liis iakb year’s :• . . •!.:• • .• 0 •• Li' •