ADVERSE COMMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1933, Page 6

ADVERSE COMMENT

ON ENGLISHMEN’S “FAIR. PLAY.”

CRITICS’' STRONG VIEWPOINTS

I (Australian Press Association)

(Received Jan. 17th. at 10.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, January 17.

; F'ingleton-, writing -in the “Telegraph'' says : ■ “It hats eome at last. As we looked at Oldfield as he jiajy as tvhitebo® a oh the dress•ihg room floor, one could not help thinking that all along we had expected something like this. It was a frightful experience for Oldfield, and nauseating fca* those who witnessed it. The hooting and sneers of disgust were' amazing,- and hard to associate With cricket, but then one hats come to expect almost anything front this game of late.”

Major-General Antill, writing in the “Telegraph,” says: “It has always been., the boast of Englishmen that fair play comes first, whatever the issue. After the recent happenings, it might seem' that this no longer cuts any iee. Had Woodfull marched his men off the field and refused to continue in such barbarous cricket warfare, his action worild have commended itself to every lover of the fair game.” Dr. James Byrne, Roman Catholic Bishop of'Toowoamba, stated at Melbourne: “I Was watching every ball, arid / the one that hit Woodfull was enough to kill an average man. To see the* batsmen dodging for'theii- very lives reminder! rile of the ’ coconut 'shies at country fairs, not of the sport that is tJie backbone of England.” ' Bradman, broadcasting, estimates that Oldfield’s retirement- may cost Australia. ,150 runs, made up of fifty more rims added t.o the Australian total, and one hundred that Oldfield might have saved by taking two possible catches behind the wicket.

ENGLISH PRESS VERSIONS.

REVIEW OF TEST INCIDENTS

(Received Jan. 17th. at noon.) LONDON, January 16,

The “Sta?;” editorially describes Woodfull’s protest to Mr Warner as very and says: “Many,English cricketers prefer to see us win ' vAitbouV the leg theory, because it gives /the,other side a chance, to protest. We believe that' England’s, job is' to win within rules, and we hope that she is going to do it.” Mr Carson, in the “Evening News,” says : “It is scarcely possible to see cricket for the incident which is drifting like ,a snioke cloud. England started with a foolish suggestion that Ironmonger used resin, and this was ■•followed, A>yv -iii6->tiuvia*l tobjetiiort -to Richardson changing his place in the field. Now the 'leg theory has put the fat in the fire again.” A. W. Carr (former captain of England), declares: “If a fast howler must be, told how to howl, the sooner wfei abandon cricket the bettor.”

BOARD’S CABLE TO AI.C-C

A FORMAL PROTEST LODGFJD

(Received Jan. 17th. at 11 a.m.) ADELAIDE,. January 17

•A cable has been sent- by the members of the Australian Board of Con-trol-to the Marylebone Cricket Club, : formally protesting against the policy of the English howlers. . .-The Australian officials conferred with Messrs Warner and Palairet, and 'discussed the leg theory howling. It is undertsood that the managers explained that they had no control over the team when ifc is on the field. The officials gathered together as many /members of the Board of Control as were available and decided to cable a protest, and inform the members of the Board in other States.

Air Jeanes, secretary of the Board of "Oontwol, called newspaper men together and stated that Woodfull had authorised him to make the following statement on his behalf: “I did ‘not apologise to Air Warner for any statement. I made. I merely told him that the matter was- not a personal one between himself and myself. I strongly repudiate any suggestions . that I tendered a.n apology I made.” Sydney correspondents at Adelaide describe the demonstration when Oldfield was injured as “the worst ever seem at a sporting fixture in Australia.”

Air At. A. Noble in a broadcast speech said: “Woodfull has given England’s representatives a badly needed lesson. Australia asked for bread and sir® was given a stone. I -mean every word of that. There is no retraction. It is inconceivable that Air Warner and the M.C.C. should countenance such methods. It would .appear that England’s desite is to win at all casts, and will not stop them bowling the leg theory. There is nothing in the rules to prevent the use of inch tactics; outside the rules however, there is a common ethical .code and spirit of the game which pre* vents players from doing something .which by common, consent is ‘taboo.’ ” : N.S.W. VERSUS ENGLISHAIEN. (Received Jan. 17th. at 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, January 17. The Ne\v South Wales side to play England on January 26 is as follow!.?: Kippax, Bradman, Brown, Fingleton, Hill, ITi id, Howell; McCabe, Oldfield, O’Reilly and Stewart, with Cummins twelfth.