THE MEN FROM THE CAPE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3551, 15 June 1912, Page 9

THE MEN FROM THE CAPE.

HOW THEY BAT AND BOWL

SCHWARZ AND THE “BOSIE

South Africa, although ehe is the baby of international cricket, has no need to be ashamed of her .position in the game of to-day. Her team is a. team of surprises. At times mediocre sides, have made what was, on paper, a good African eleven look as small as the smallest potatoes.. At other times the Africans have run rings round some of the best sides in the work!. “You never can tell when, you get up against- Africa.”

Her personnel in England is somewhat different from that with which

s-bo favored Australia in the last memorable tour there when Australian players made such havoc among her men, and alien two of those on the visiting side who were expected to do great- things—R, 0. Schwarz —Reggie, as lie is familiarly known —and giant Jimmy Sinclair, failed so consistently that if followers of the game had not known they could play, had not known of their performances in England and the land of the veldt, they would have wondered why those two men lj'fere brought to Australia. Sinclair was a mighty hitter, but he novqr hit there. Schwarz was, and is, one of the best “bosie” bowlers in the game, but he never “bosied” there —at least, not with success. It w'as either the wickets or the temperaments of the men-

But in England Schwarz Had been doing particularly well. Of Sinclair nothing need be said, because he is not- among the African tourists at home now. * * * . ""C Of the others, however, a word ot two just now may be interesting. •K- * N * One man who has not yet been seen on. Australian grounds is Louis Tam cred. He has not taken great part in cricket of late, but on his day Tailored 1 is one of the most useful men on the side. He is a solid batsman, not a stylist by any means, but possessed of the ability to hit hard and with a punishing-off stroke that lias earned him many mins. His defence is excellent too, and although he is one of the oldest players on his side his 62 at Lord's the other day, and his -39 against Derby showed that be lias by no means lost the power to score. * * * Faulkner, who lias so far borne the brunt of the batting and a good deal of tile bowling for his country, was the idol of the side when it was in Australia. * * * G.A. is known to everybody as Aubrey, and there was some talk of Him returning to Australia to marry and cattle down as a squatter, but apparently lie lias chosen England as his abiding place. He headed the ‘batting averages for Africa in England on the occasion of 'the last tour, and when England went south last time lie got- the spied id figures of 60.55 an innings in the tests, and even improved on this when he came to Australia. Since then he has had the misfortune to sustain a broken leg, but the accident does not seem to have impaired his powers, and Aubrey is still going strong. He is a graceful bat, and one who gives great confidence to his team-mates, for, apparently, he plays ell bowling with the utmost- ease, and in this way compares to a certain extent with F. RFoster and L. C. H. Palairet in his palmy days. He.is keen as mustard, too, always out for runs, and not afraid to take risks. In this last respect he showed points to most of the Springboks when they were in Australia. Faulkner is not yet at the zenith of his career, and there is no reason why he should not equal the performances of Charles Fry in the years to come. *. * » Schwarz is a player who made himself very -popular in Australia. Handsome. slim, debonaire, it was a standing matter- for comment that there was never a hair out of place on his well-groomed head even after the streuucnsness of a warm day’s field-

ing. Schwarz,- who is confidential secretary to Abe Bailey, the wellknown South African millionaire, who takes such a big interest- in cricket, played for Middlesex before he wentto South Africa, and at Oxford before that he “roomed” at college with B. J. T. Bosanquet, from whom lie learned the now famous “bosie.” But it was his batting that- gained him inclusion in the 1904 South African touring team, and it was not until the fourth match of that tour that he was allowed to have a go with the ball.' Even then it was more as a Lie than anything ehe- But he went through five of the last six wickets for 27 runs people began to sit up and: open their eyes, and even Frank Mitchell. the stolid South African skipper, was taken aback. A- couple of matches later Schwarz got- four for 29 agianst Warwickshire, now F. R. Foster’s side, and then against Middlesex, Ids own county of old, he had the astounding figures of five for 16, and later still seven for 36 against Lublin University—no mean team. almost topped the bowling averages in England that season, and actually did so the following year, with wickets at a cost of 11.79 runs each. That was how Schwarz established himself as the first successful exponent of the “bosie ’ ball other than Bosanquet himself. His particiilarly dangerous delivery is his “straight through” one that zips up •off the pitch like a bit of streaked lightning. - In England he got many wickets with it. and it was a ball tliatusually was not apparently going at half the. pace before it pitched as itWas when it got to the batsman —or his wicket. * * * * S. J. Pegler is another bowler who seems to have come into his own in England. In. Australia he was not exactly a failure, ,lrat he was nextdoor to it. An extremely likeable youngster, “Peggy” seems as unassuming as they make ’em, and at times almost shy. He bowled a me-dium-paced ball, with a bit of turn that was not at all dangerous on Australian wickets, and that took advantage of very few batsmen. But ho has got among the stumps all right

in England. His performances against? n M.C.C., after tea, a few days ago, ■ T when he romped through six wickets ■e for 11 runs, was nothing short of o miraculous, taking into consideration the solid side that M.C.O. had out* t for their first match with the Airiy cans. t - * .» t “Dave” Nourse is chiefly remark- ;- able for his huge hands, and the fact y that he never misses a catch, but lie Q is a useful bonder and batsman. » * t e Carter is another who ha’s not been I eastward yet. He is a left-hander, i and would appear to he a valuable 3 addition to South Africa’s attack. Ho s collared three for 11 against Surrey, - ani three for 29 and four for 36 ag* inst Derbyshire, all sterling performances. i !