CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1921, Page 8

CRICKET.

ARMSTRONG’S CRITICISM. OF ENGLISH PROFESSIONALS. MANY REPLIES. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, Sept. 19. Some members of the Australian eleven are frankly disgusted with Armstrong s views on English professionals, which were widely published. One player remarked that he had made a rness of it. There was no surprise that Hobbs retaliated. The Australians were disappointed at losing the match. The result is attributed to a bad decision, an opinion with which the English players are in absolute agreement. The facts are that when Mailey came out to bat seven minutes remained for play. Mailey played two overs, and in the next played $ ball of Jupp’s, which was wide of the off stump, witfi his pads. He was amazed that Jupp appealed for leg before and at the umpire giving him out. To the credit of the Australians it should be pointed out that, they did not protest, though the decision cost them the match. Mr. Sydney Smith, manager, says the financial results of the tour were beyond expectations, and beat previous tours by thousands sterling. Mr. Smith’s opinion is that the success was due to the calibre of the team, who were popular everywhere and pulled together wonderfully, despite one or two personal disappointments owing to players not being selected so frequently as they desired. The team was treated most hospitably everywhere, and the kindness of the people and firms was amazing. The Australians were extremely fortunate to enjoy Australian weather conditions practically throughout. A feature of the tour has been Mr. Smith’s popularity. His speeches gave the greatest satisfaction, mainly striking an Imperial note.

All the members of the team are returning to Australia, and it is unlikely any will return to England, despite persistent reports to the contrary. Though the players are glad the strenuous tour has ended, most of them would like to remain in England a few weeks. At present they are scattered all over England staying with friends made during the tour. They leave for Africa on September 30. Received Sept. 20, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 19.

Mr. Toore, secretary of the Yorkshire County Association, strongly repudiates the statement by Armstrong “that professionals in test mache.s play cricket for themselves and not for their side.” Professionals resent the insinuations as a serious calumny. Says Mr. Toore: “I think the remark rather disparages the Australian side and their successes in England. We recognise as sportsmen that the Australians were the better side, apart from the age and tactics of the players to which Armstrong refers. Because the two teams which defeated the Australians were largely composed of amateurs it does not follow that the professionals in the test games played for i themselves.” Regarding test matches bgj ing played to a finish, Mr. Toore thinks the present conditions should remain unchanged.

The Star says: “Armstrong talked like an arrogant man, lacking the sense of sportsmanship and humor. Knowing what loyal fellows the majority of the English professionals are, and how they are ingrained with the team spirit, we can afford to smile at his remarks. Not desiring to Jjurt the feelings of our guests we have been careful not to mention that all the Australians are practically professionals. The implication of staleness causing the Australians' defeat is the weakest part of the interview. It would have been better if Armstrong had kept silence to the end.”

(The cabled report of Armstrong’s remarks is as follows: Armstrong, interviewed, attributed England’s defeat to the fact that she played too many professionals, who took overmuch time to play themselves in to give England a chance to win in three days. Bad fielding was another cause. Australia would have secured the rubber on any wicket. He expects that future tests in England will be spread over five days.' Armstrong stated tn at England would never get the average professional to play as he should in a match restricted to three days. Some of England’s players were too old, and gave away more runs in the field* than they made with the bat.)

Bobby Abel, interviewed by the Daily News, said: “Armstrong puts matters the wrong way round. If he had said we lost because we played too few professionals I would have agreed with him. I would back a team of professionals against amateur : always. It is sheer nonsense to suggest that professionals are not willing to play for their side when their personal interests might suffer; it is more than nonsense —it is a slur on a body of good sportsThe Australians, in the last ten tests, caught us at the lowest ebb of British cricket for forty years, but. I am pretty I sure it is only a temporary eclipse. In my | opinion we lost because we had not a bowler who could frighten the Australians —who could make the. ball rise quickly under the batsmen’s noses, as Richardson, Mold, Lockwood, Kort-right, Brearley and Knox could.”