CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1922, Page 6

CRICKET.

LORD H*AWKE ON TEST MATCHES.

By Telegraph.—Press Assu.—Copyright. London, Jan. 24. Lord Hawke, addressing the annual meeting of the Yorkshire Cricket Club, welcomed the Advisory Committee’s rejection of the absurd proposal to play test matches to a finish. County cricket was the most vital part of the game in England, though tests may be temporarily supreme at present. They must never be allowed to unduly interfere with county cricket. Climatic conditions in Australia were adverse to long playing hours, and apart from test and inter-State matches there was no important cricket. The personnel of last year’s visitors was excellent apd only marred by Mr. Armstrong’s indiscreet remarks attempting to decry the tone of English professionals and suggesting that if umpires for the whole of the test series were appointed in advance they would be influenced by betting.

Mr. Armstrong’s assumption that betting occurred in modern cricket in England was entirely without foundation. Happily the Australian representative at the Imperia). Conference had entirely disassociated themselves from Mr. Armstrong’s remarks. He hoped there would be no hours of play bickerings when the Australians came in U>26. There ought not to be any misunderstanding as regards conforming to English hours and conditions as readily as Englishmen conformed to Australian conditions.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. Received Jan. 25, 10.25 p.m. London Jan. 25. Lord Hawke, referring to the rumor that Maiiey is returning to England for the purpose of qualifying for Middlesex, asked what credit , could Middlesex claim for championship honors won by such methods. He hoped Yorkshire would always rely on players taught within the confines of Yorkshire.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.