CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 195, 15 February 1912, Page 8

CRICKET

THE RECENT TEST. ' PRESS COMMENT.

By Cable—Pr«w Aieoeifvtioa—Copyright. Sydney, February 14.

The Herald, commenting on the test match, says: "England defeated Australia not merely decisively, but overwhelmingly. There is not the smallest opening for excuse or palliation. Under equal conditions the visiting side outplayed our representatives, and all that can be said of' the Australians is that their play is inexplicable. Our best hope is that the present form is too bad to be true, and that the triangular games will see the Australians' cricket once more able to make a reasonable fight for international supremacy." The Telegraph says: "England's supremacy has been earned by a remarkable supremacy in all departments of the game. Perhaps the greatest conI tributing causes are the bowling of Barnes and Foster, the steady, scientific and patient batting which characterised the play, and right throughout the influence of good captaincy. Manifest youthful enthusiasm and co-opera-tion has done the rest."

London, February 13. The Evening Standard says it would be interesting to note the reasons Macalister and Iredale had for dispensing with a left-handed bowler, as this certainly helped England to win. Sydney, February 14. Mayne, of South Australia, has been provisionally appointed to act as selector of the team for England in place of Hill. Received 15, 12.5 a.m. London, February 14. The Times states that there is little room to dispute the English superiority. Tin* Australian bowlers were lacking in variety and class. The management. of the game in the Commonwealth wak" also distracted by the none too jjeemly con! troversr.

The Morning Post says , Siiatralian, cricket is passing through onfe of it§ : lean seasons, which periodically , cjyer-5 take sport. ' J

The Express welcomes the absence of barracking in the later matches. The Daily News says probably the unfortunate dispute which threatens to deprive the Australian team in England of its most brilliant members has upset the team.

Major Trevor, in the Telegraph, attributes the defeat to Noble's absence and the lack of really first-class bowling, but the Australian bowling would not be so severely tried in the triangular as in the unlimited time games. The Sportsman says that for once the colonials' proverbial pluck deserted them. The friction between the Board of Control and the leading players was doing incalculable harm. Hill had the sympathy of the South Australian and Victorian public, and if he received an equally cordial reception in Sydney it should act as a warning to the Board that its policy was unacceptable to cricketing in Australia. Sporting Life declares that England can look forward to the triangular matches with tranquillity.

WHY AUSTRALIA LOST. HILL SAYS BOARD GOT ON PLAYERS' NERVES.

Received .15, 1 a.m. Adelaide, February .14. Hill said he did not wish to detract from England's success, but the Board of Control got on the players' nerves, ina players had not all completely lost their powers in so short a time, and it was only natural to realise that the pinpricks were detrimental to their' play. Personally, Hill says he will not accept threats or extreme censure over the MacAlister affair. H the Board goes too far he will retire from the game.

THE WINNERS IN THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS.

' Since 1897 eight rubbers with England have been played, six having been won by Australia and two by England, three rubbers having been won in England and three in Australia. Besides, in that same period Australia has won two rubbers with South Africa:— Rubber

Thus of the eight rubbers since 1897 Australia has won six to England's two, and Australia won 19 matches to England's 10. °

Won by W. L. D. M97-8 4 1 0 1090 1 0 4 1901-2 , 4 1 0 1902 2 1 0 1903-4 2 3 0 1905 0 2 3 1907-8 4 1 0 1909 ... Australia 2 1 2