CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1932, Page 6

CRICKET

NO . 8-BALL .OVER. LONDON, September 29. . The Marylebone 'Cricket Club is gratified at the rejection- of .the. proposal for an eight-ball over. Australia was asked to continue the six-ball - over before the. test team was selected, and the New "South Wales proposal . wag counter to the spirit of the request, and would undoubtedly have caused resentment if accepted. . . - ’ The banning of the use of resin by bowlers is equally acceptable to the M.C.C., which, at the request of Australian authorities, inserted a regulation -against the use of it in the 1932 laws. M.O.C. TOUR, The M.C.C. team is travelling to Australia by the Orontas, which is due at Colombo next 'Saturday. A special representative of the Australian Press Association reported from Gibraltar that up .to that stage of the voyage the Eiiglish cricketers liaid. treated the voyage- as a pure holiday after- their overdose of cricket. Ail, however, have been playing vigorous deck games, in which the Australian Davis Cup team also participated. The ■Australian Press Association representative added’: “Brown and Hammond are glut-tons for swimming. It is expected that the team will reach Fremantle on October 18. Three Jays later the first" match at Perth will 1 (re commenced. This will be against .a- West Australian side; and it will be followed with a match against a combined team, also at Perth, commencing' on : October 27. The combined team is to include some leading ’/players frirnh other 'States, and the West Australian selectors .are hoping that 'Bradman, -Wocdfull, and Grimmett* will he available-' for the combined team. ’ 1 GRIMMETT’S ’’MYSTERY” BALL. After the matches at Perth, the M.O.C. team will proceed to Adelaide, and there, in the match with the South Australians, the tourists will he able to decide for themselves whether there is any truth in the rumour that Clarrie Grimmett, formerly of New Zealand, has a “mystery .hall” unless the’ wi'ly bowler keeps something in reserve for the Tests. The South Australians have /been practising for some two or three'weeks in -preparation for this match. A few months age.ifo®as announced that Grimmett had discovered a “mystery” ball, which cut ever so many capers before it hit the wicket. As a result of investigations, it was found that there was nothing in the report. Since tfyen, according to wn Australian 1 pa^feC7’ :l Gfimmptb has been puzzling his brains to fine! a real-mys-tery ball. “I’ve ‘got it!” he exclaimed the other day. •‘And how do you work this one?” he was asked.

“Well, I set my field with the silly point very close to the pitch and about four or five- yards from the batsman,” he answered. “Then I throw the hall fairly high in the air (to encourage the batsman to come out);-at the same time dropping it short. The batsman leaves the crease to meet the halibut the : ball, instead of going oil to the batsman, breaks at right angles into silly point’s hands, and this fieldsman promptly throws the batsman out ” “PLUM” WARNER’S VIEW'S. Although “Plum” Warner, co-man-ager of the M.C.C. team, is reported to be chatting - /with anyone, on board the oroutes .about anything except Test' cricket, lie has made quite a few statements regarding the outlook for the Tests. In. ohe interview he stated : “I honestly bdlicyc. we have more than an even chance -.of recovering the Ashes, but two bogies must he laid. Even Bradman is mortal—he must make a small score occasionally, and Grimmett is more effective in England than lie is in Australia. I find it hard to believe that Grimmett is quite the match winner he was in his prime, and he and the rest of the Australian bowlers look like having a pretty problem to tackle. We can assure brillliant 'batting down to No 1 . 7—Sutcliffe, (Leylandi, Hammond, the Nawah of Pataudi, Jardine, Ames -and Wyatt. One of the difficulties will he to sort out our bowling, hut, fortunately, there will be a number of matches before the first Test. Some think seventeen are too many for a team, but it is better to have too many reserves than too few. Those" who are disappointed in the early matches should remember that Ley land, on the last tour, was not played in the first four Tests, hut lie refused to be downhearted. He got his chance in the final Test, and took it. The choice of a partner for Sutcliffe may lie between Levi and 1 and Wyatt. Everyone is agreed that Jardine is too magnificent a block of concrete at No. 5 to-be put in first. One thing is certain—it is a team of wonderful triers. Orly the selectors know the care that was taken in choosing he team.”