“GENUINE SPORT"

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 915, 7 March 1930, Page 7

“GENUINE SPORT"

TESTIMONIAL PROPOSED FOR RYDER HIS SERVICE TO CRICKET ■’Distracting, destructive and unsportsmanlike forces are working in Australian cricket just now. The omission of J. Ryder from the Australian team has given rise to all manner of insinuations, in- j nuendoes and views lacking in sportsma nsh i p.” Thus writes the• Sydney “Referee's ' j cricket critic ‘ Not Out” in a recent ! issue. He continues: “These things, of course, rebound on j those who make them. Fortunately j the player most concerned stands aloof j from them, and by doing so goes higher j in the esteem of genuine sportsmen—if that were possible. “The Collingwood movement to organise a testimonial to J. Ryder in appreciation of his cricket, not only for Victoria, but for Australia, should receive tlie hearty support or' the different Australian associations. Ji might very reasonably go further than that. Several New South Wales players have been given substantial and well-merited testimonial matches iu Sydney, ranging from .C 1.000 to Matches of this type are patronised better in Sydney than in Mel bourne, and, for that reason, ona would like to see a fitting match arranged in Sydney as a mark of appreciation of the Victorian captain’s cricket, his unassuming demeanour, and his fine sportsman - ship over very many years. M. A. Noble, Victor Trumpcr. J J. Kelly, C. G. Macartney, S. E. Gregorv, F. A. I redale and W. P. Howell were extended compliments of this oh a rue- i ter. j Tho cricketers of other States by ! taking part in the matches, assisted materially to make them the success they became. SPORTSMAN AND CRICKETER “A match next season between the Australians back from England and the Rest of Australia, led by Ryder, with tho imprimatur of the Board of Control, would serve a dual purpose—one tho recognition of the sportsman and cricketer, and the other of helping to develop tho resources of Australia for the Tests in successive seasons against West Indies, South Africa and England “The Board of Control meets in May, and one would suggest that this matter be then considered, irrespec-tive-of any ’resolution on the books. Its adoption would further indicate to the world that Ryder’s line character anil status in the game are os highly rated today as those of any oilier man. “The selectors, I take it, have j omitted him from the Australian j team, not because he is not one of the finest batsmen in Australia, but because he is no longer up to their ideas of what the fielding standard should be, though, if you were to believe what some people say, what some writers say in print, there has been some malevolent conspiracy egainst Ryder. “A match of the type suggested might easily produce over £3,000 for the testimonial to a man who deserved it—though no Victorian has ever got anything like it. “If the Ryder rejection is going to affect the goodwill between New South j Wales and Victoria in cricket through inflammatory statements in the newspapers, it is going to seriously injure Australian cricket.