THE BETTER SIDE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 126, 1 May 1925, Page 5

THE BETTER SIDE

.WHY THE AUSTRALIANS WON. CItICKETERS GREAT OPTIMISTS. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received May 1, 9.35 a.m. LONDON, April 30. Hobbs, the English cricketer, in an article in the Daily News, refuses to attribute England’s failure to recover the ashes to bail luck. He says: “Although Gilligtn lost four tosses, there were periods in each of the test matches when England had more than a sporting chance, and with just a Jitfcle more luck we might have won the rubber. The Australians were the better side because the tail batsmen rose to great occasions. Undoubtedly these batsmen are better than ours. We were all painfully surprised at Oldfield’s and 'Mailey’s resistance and ability. When the Australian tail was wagging the ball always reached the fieldsmen with more spite than devil. The Australians were always downright optimistic, like cocksure Americans. Some of the tail batsmen whom I privately regarded us ‘rabbits’ came to me and said, ‘You will have to be smart to-day, Jack; I am going to get a hundred.’ That spirit prevailed in the entire Australian side; even in the tail which wagged us c t of the rubber.”—Sydney Sun cable. ENGLISH BOARD’S DECISIONS. LONDON, April 29. A mooting of the cricket test match board of control decided that if the rubber depends upon it, the list test match be played to a finish. Fixtures are being arranged between the Australians and North England on Mav 26, at Birmingham, and against South England, at rßistol, on June 2. These will probably replace the usual trial matches. At the Australians’ request, the charges for the tests will be the same us in 1921. The question of the toss was not discussed. The Advisory County Committee resolved that hours of play against tho Australians be from 12 to 6.30 on the first and second days, and from 11.30 to 5.30 for tho third day, with an extra half-hour when there is a definite result. The question of future visits to and from Australia was deferred.— A. and N.Z. cable.